Contemplative Moments

I thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

e. e. cummings

God gifted us with a total eclipse on Monday, April 8th – it was truly an “amazing day” for all of us in the path of totality! In the freshness of springtime, we experienced awe as the moon “moved” across the face of the sun, the sky darkened and the temperature dropped. For many, these moments were contemplative moments that filled hearts with deep wonder.

It would have been difficult to ignore these moments if you were outside that afternoon. I began thinking about how often I miss contemplative moments as I tackle the many tasks that fill up my day. Living in the presence of God is an intentional choice and a time-honored practice that we can recapture if lost. Contemplative time does not need to be 30 or 60 minutes long. In fact, if I wait until I have that amount of time, I may never experience contemplation.

Instead, why not begin, or begin again, to live into contemplative moments? Stop, take a deep breath, and rest in God’s embrace. Stop, open your eyes, and focus on the beauty in a companion’s face. Stop, open your ears, and listen to the silence in between the myriad sounds that fill the moment.

Let these simple practices guide you into recognizing God’s ever present nearness in all the moments of your life. Then every day will be “most this amazing day.”

Sister Virginia DeVinne