Appear

We have a routine, my husband and myself.  After our morning exercise time, whether it’s walking in the neighborhood or working out at our local health club, I put on the kettle to make our cups of tea (his, green tea and mine all caffeine) and settle down into our quite prayer mode.  Over the years we’ve been haphazard (and regretfully sometimes absent) in taking advantage of this quality time, especially before we retired.  I’ve also been involved in prayer groups, attended silent retreats, always trying my best to “see” Him.  Maybe there are times you can recall His appearance in your life.  Maybe you were sitting in a quiet chapel, or He appeared unexpectantly while driving in your car.  Of course, I am talking about Jesus.

I am quite aware when it happens, if only for too brief a moment.  I get these little tingles all over my arms; and usually, realizing what is happening, my tears also appear – tears of love, tears of humility, and most of all, tears of gratefulness that Jesus is there, beside me.   After each one of those experiences, it leaves me with wanting more but also humbled for His presence.  My most pleasing times come from writing, when I know He is inspiring me to talk to you, through Him.  I can feel Him here with me now because those tears are clouding my own vision, which is what I desire for every one of us to experience, His appearance.

But, so many times, we think Jesus doesn’t appear to us because we believe we’re not worthy or we’re expecting a vision with our eyes.  Trust me, Jesus is there, appearing to each one of us, in many different ways.

I was always amazed when I was part of a contemplative prayer group at our church, during a 20-minute period of total silence, my mind had a difficult time focusing and was full of distractions; but I can be totally absorbed when I feel Jesus writing to you, as my fingers glide over my keyboard.  What an appearance He makes in our lives every day, if only for a moment, that it fills our hearts and souls.  Trust me, Jesus appears to you!

Dear Jesus, help me to recognize your presence throughout my day, in both the quiet and chaotic moments, through others I come in contact and in the beauty you create all around me.  Amen

“With that, their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.”  Luke 24:31