The Sacrament of This Moment

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Reflections

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Posted On March 25, 2018

Awake! Creation sings as Spring ushers in the Sacrament of This Moment.

March sun melts February snow as the soil moistens and softens the earth.
Purple-tipped crocuses wipe sleepy eyes as they peek from beneath frosty caves wondering if it’s time to bloom.

The red robin has returned, waking the morning with her song, plucking juicy breakfast from the soil. Her beak tills the earth preparing the ground for emerald blades of grass to grow.

Spring is a sacrament of new beginnings. A ritual of wisdom gently unfolding. Nourished by winter’s rest, nature stretches toward the warming sun and lifts her head with glee.

Spring reveals God in the Ordinary. The One found in the smell of fresh linen air, in blankets of tulips, and dancing daffodils swaying in the wind; the One who intoxicates Spring with abundance as rich aromas drift from wine-colored hyacinths.

God is here, Spring proclaims. Now. In this Moment. And every moment is drenched with grace for those who look with eyes of the heart.

The Creator is revealed in the Ordinary. In the joyful embrace of a child. In the helpful hand of a co-worker. In the shoulder of a loved one upon whom we shed tears and find healing.

God is Love. Love is given, never acquired, merited, or even understood. We stumble into it like Spring and find evidence of the Creator’s Love in the Ordinary.

Spring invites us to stop, stand in awe, and breathe in the songs that nature sings to the ears of our hearts. It reminds us that every moment reveals the Creator’s unconditional love in and through flesh and blood, skin and bone, plants and animals, sun and moon. God unfolds his beauty through ordinary experiences that become extraordinary when we see them with the wisdom of our souls.

Let Springtime awaken us to God in the Ordinary. Let Springtime invite us to pause, to let ourselves be surprised by love revealed through nature’s simplicity and know it’s the Creator holding us in the Sacrament of This Moment.

—brian j plachta

Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

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