Day 4

Clarity

Walking in the Light

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Eternal God, seat of all wisdom. I am grateful to continue this encounter with you.

Open my eyes to the patterned beauty of this life, to the order that you draw out of the chaos. Help me to discern the ways that I can live in harmony with the rhythm of your creation.

Thank you for this time together. May it bear fruit for myself and others.

Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen..

Thanksgiving and Praise Exercise

Pause for a moment and think about the tremendous series of events that had to take place for you to enter into life. Each of us is so unlikely and rare. God, forming and shaping us through creation and into being is a miracle beyond the depths of our capacity to comprehend.

Take the opportunity to praise God for creation, and for your part in it.

Strange as it sounds, it can be difficult for us to remember that we part of creation. So much of the urban and suburban human experience is focused on separation. We are walled off in apartments and houses, we are sequestered behind car windows and AirPods. Many of us can’t remember the last time our bare feet touched the actual ground.  

Call to mind a time when you felt particularly integrated with the world around you. Thank God for that moment.

Pathway Light

“Clarity”

Our modern lives should be clearer than ever.

We’ve got instant access to basically all of the information in the world. Why, then, do we see such widespread uncertainty, disunity, and mental health challenges? With all of our modern conveniences, why does discerning a happy and holy path through life seem to get harder not easier?

The pace of technological change moves faster than the rate of our ability to adapt. The protective factors of social cohesion, family stability, education, and mentorship simply cannot keep up.

As people of faith, then, we must turn to our eternal truths – the Word of God which continues to speak to us, the Tradition of the Church which illuminates the human experience in ways that no other source can. The truth revealed to us through the Church is interpreted for every age and so remains alive, consistent, and relevant.

The social teaching of the Church has so must offer us in terms of clarity of how we develop as human beings. We can be confident that when we view the world through the lens of the Life and Dignity of the Human Person we will develop habits and practices that keep us on the path of light.

Scripture Encounter

1 John 2:7-11

Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Sing to the LORD a new song;
Sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Spiritual Reflection

What if life really did boil down to love of God and love of neighbor?

Good news! It does! Of course, we know that just because something is simple does not mean that it is easy. But, our reading from 1 John assures us that if we will find ways to love our brother (and sister) however complex the world becomes we will be able to find the path of light.

Today’s scripture gives us a clue about how this love starts. What do we call those who are to be loved? How do we see them? The reading uses the word “brother.” It’s an acknowledgment that we have the same origin; we are both miracles of the unfolding of creation. We are of equal status and dignity.

Let’s go into this new year with clear vision, acknowledging the dignity of every brother and sister and walking in the light.

Wellness Practice

To draw greater clarity for the upcoming year, consider if your habits of daily living are consistent with your God-given dignity and the dignity of others.

Just as we see others as brothers and sisters, we are called to view ourselves with the same love and respect. Have you adopted labels for yourself that God would never ask you to carry?

Have you defined yourself too much by your work? Your accomplishments? Your failures?

Take some time to consider what a good rhythm of work and rest would be for you.

Pause for a moment and remember that your worth does not come from what you do, but from being a beloved child of God who has been intentionally made and willed into being. You are an image of the living God.

Reflect on the past year. Where have you lived in alignment with this dignity? When did you lose sight of it? How did you honor the dignity of others?

For this upcoming year, discern one faithful step that will help you live with greater clarity.

Reflection Questions

How can I tell the difference when I am walking in darkness or light?

Are there any healthy habits I would like to strengthen?

Who do I know that provides a great example of living in human dignity?

Review and Prayer

In this session we’ve been invited to slow down and seek the gift of clarity amid the noise and complexity of modern life, remembering that God’s truth and the dignity of every person remain steady guides.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this opportunity to grow closer to you. Grant me the grace to always walk in your light. Help me remain calm when the world becomes unsure, always confident in the saving power of you love. Allow me to see others as mu brothers and sisters and to joyfully walk alongside them as we navigate life.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.