You Are Here

Sometimes I forget. In the midst of stressful situations, hard conversations, and frustrating encounters, I tend to rely only on myself. I often fail to imagine, in times of trial or worry, that God is present. I stare inward, blocking out grace and mercy. I forget that it abounds within and around me. I cling tightly to my self-will and what I think I know, instead of opening myself up to the possibility of new perspectives, instead choosing to carry my yoke of burden. If I let go of control, I fear chaos. 

I forget the abiding truth that God is always present and everywhere. In fact, I ignore the one thing in my life that is unchanging: God’s love for all and ever-flowing mercy for all who will receive it. 

“You are here.” This prayerful statement, when uttered from our lips, can remind us of God’s abiding presence, even when we don’t feel it or even believe it. I heard it recently from a Syriac Catholic priest, Fr. Yunan Frederic, in an interview on America Media’s Preach podcast. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife and children. Even in the midst of war, Fr. Yunan speaks about our need to recognize God’s presence at every moment.

How would this change us if we reminded ourselves that God is always with us? And not just with us, but within us. In this new year, can we make an effort to remember this?