Spiritual Perspectives
God is... where?

By Sister Mary Matthias Ward
Special to The Independent

Have we stopped long enough to wonder about God? What image do we possess of God? Probably, if we put all of our images together it would be everything from an old man with a long flowing beard, to a potter, to a lover. But the whole idea that God knew me before I was born... that God knew me while I was in the womb of my mother. Doesn't that image almost blow you away? It does me... to think I've always been in the mind of God! And yet, often times it's much easier to see God in others than it is to see God in myself. At the same time I know God has chosen to be revealed in me.

So moving from knowing God outside me to knowing the God inside me is taking the initial leap into the unknown. Being in church all the time, reading all the latest spiritual books, attending all the up-to-date workshops doesn't always nourish that deep longing inside. When will we catch on that if we really desire God to be the center of our lives, if we really seek God to be first that we need to give time... time to be with our God.

We may need to stop and examine any one human relationship of ours. How did that relationship reach its present momentum? How much time have we spent, do we spend on that relationship? Do we talk to one another? Phone? Email? Snail mail? Do we visit one another? How much time per day, per week do we spend in keeping that relationship alive? Now, transfer that same relational pattern to God. How much time do I spend talking with God? Listening to God? In our seriousness to build the relationship with our God, we must give time to be with God... we must take the time to pray... we must be on the journey.

We will then learn about ourselves, our giftedness, our treasure, our talent, and how to share those gifts, that treasure, our talent with the world about us. How do we do this? We pray. We must be serious about this. What is prayer? Prayer is communing with God... it is talking with God.

The busier we become, the more our prayer life is in jeopardy. Is this not true of our lives as we try to relate to our friends... and we find no time? So it is with our relationship with God.

We are already into the holy season called Lent, which is a penitential season for Catholics. So often, we speak of Lent as being a time to go into the desert. And it is. Since most of us live in a desert-like area, let's not "tack on" extra penances. Perhaps we need to be more aware. Let us be more aware of when and where God enters our lives. Let us be aware of our communications with God... be it a walk among nature, reading Scripture or silently listening to what God may wish to tell us. "I have called you by name... you are precious." "I am the Potter, you are the clay. I mold you and shape you."

Yes, prayer can convince me that God is everywhere... in the joys of my daily life... and in the messiness of my day. Thus the reason to praise and glorify our God.

Sister Mary Matthias Ward is the director of the Sacred Heart Retreat Center and the diocesan facilitator of adult formation for the Diocese of Gallup. She can be contacted at (505) 722-6755 or smmward@cnetco.com.

This column is the result of a desire by community members, representing different faith communities, wishing to share their ideas about bringing a spiritual perspective into our daily lives and community issues.

For information about contributing a guest column, contact Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at the Independent: (505) 863-8611, ext. 218 or lizreligion01@yahoo.com.