Greetings to you all in this season of Advent. We face so many distractions and so many issues in our world today. As people of faith, we want to help, but sometimes the issues seem insurmountable. I would like to share with you a path to do something positive on a daily basis that I learned in a Mindfulness class. This may not solve all the world’s problems, but it gives us a sense of reaching out to people in our lives.
So, think of three people. The first person is someone you barely know: a clerk in a store, the mail carrier, a person on the street that you pass by but do not know, or a political figure. The second person is someone you love, deeply care about, and are friends with. The third person is someone with whom you have issues, anger, frustration, or simply do not like very much, or a political figure. With each person that comes to mind, pose these three offerings:
- Let you be safe from harm.
- Let you be healthy and free from suffering.
- Let you have good mental health, free from worry or anxiety.
- May you flourish with love and acceptance.
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By doing this for each of these three persons, you are really holding them in prayer. Think of the people you can reach out to and support. Breathe in their presence and breathe out these four possibilities for them. It is amazing how peaceful the day can become for you. Do it once a day, several times a week, or once a week—your choosing.
What a gift we can give to the people around us during this Advent Season and beyond! May you be blessed with this experience.
Mary S. Janda+
Chaplain for the Province VIII ECW Board
Mary S. Janda+
Chaplain for the Province VIII ECW Board