John 2:13-22 Sit, Sip and Stare

John 2: 13-22 Sit, Sip and Stare

Lord, allow nothing to get in the way between us. Let my heart burn with an eager desire to serve you faithfully and unconditionally. How can I not think of the words of St. Francis: “Make me a channel of your grace...”

Of course my love for you could never compare to your love for me. What you have put into our relationship, I could never do. You know, all too well, I would buckle, crumble and fall apart. My pride consumes me. My vanity speaks louder than all the mighty seas! Yes Lord, I know, our relationship is like a river of grace flowing my way while tiny drops of living water are given away. I want to hold on to it all! Not out of love for you but out of love for me!

So many graces you have given to me, only to be lost by my disobedience. You lead me to streams of living water and all I do is sit, sip and stare. I see their faces before me for the sun will not allow the moon to take its place. Too many faces, all too familiar: the empty smile, the hopeless child, the broken home, the abandoned man. The names escape me but the shame will not betray me. A life consumed by despair, fear and emptiness is a life lost to sin. How many graces have I lost by my laziness, fear and disobedience? This is all too difficult to contemplate as I sit, sip and stare by the river.

Is it fear of rejection that I mention not your aim? Is it disgust with myself that I empty out your name? I sit by the river and stare at your abandoned people. I refuse to look the other way because I wish to see no evil.

Your grace is enough for me! Yes, your grace is always enough for me. I have plenty of room to swim in it, laugh and play in it, place my hands and my feet and immerse my body in it and run my fingers through it; but not so for the other. Your grace is enough FOR ME! All for me! My Jesus is in the sky, in the stars, in the sunny day, beautiful day. My Jesus in the happy days! There is no Jesus in the night, in the cold, in the rain or in the pain. No, my Jesus cannot use me as he sees fit. He must fit in my use of him.

“Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.” (Ez. 8-9)

Life and Love is truly like a river that flows, where every living creature can multiply and live, and where there is an abundance of life. Where ever God’s graces flow, everything shall be made clean again. Life shall come back to life.

Lord, make me a channel of your grace. That is all that I wish to be for YOU, for “You alone are the holy one, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ!”

Allow the Lord to take his staff, dig through the mud, and allow a small channel of his graces to flow through you. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. (Ps. 46:5) Do not allow anything or anyone, especially yourself, to hinder this amazing flow of life giving water. Sit, sip and stare. Kneel, consume and reflect before the Lord. Dig, work and give the Lord today.