Friday, July 31, 2009

Seeking Holy Ground by Penny Hansen, LIS Associate


St. Ignatius teaches us that all of life is sacred and that we can meet God in all of life. Whether young or old, at work or at rest, at home or abroad, in sickness or in health, in plenty or in want, in joy or in despair—in any and all circumstances we are not alone but held within God’s loving embrace.

It is one thing to acknowledge this truth intellectually or even to embrace it spiritually, but it is quite another to live this truth out practically day by day. In the midst of our often busy and over-scheduled lives we wonder, “How can I meet God and find holy ground in my life today?” One answer to this cry of our hearts is to become more aware and to seek to be more sensitive to God’s presence in the details of our lives.

Traditionally, we may find holy ground as we prayerfully contemplate Scripture, as we participate in Eucharistic liturgies, as we interact open-heartedly with family and friends, and as we open our eyes to the beauty of God’s creation. However, holy ground can also be found in the messiness, pain, and difficulties of life—as we sit by the bedside of a loved one who is dying or as we open up our wounded heart to God’s loving and grace-filled touch.

The Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” Why not take some time today to ponder your past experiences of meeting God on holy ground and then to open your heart to where God may be calling you to encounter him in the midst of your life today?