Recognizing God

There is a saying that I have seen circulating around social media that says, "if you can not find Christ in the beggar on the street, you will not find Him in the Chalice".

Powerful words.

One of the vows that members of the community I belong to take is the vow of Stewardship. This means that we vow to care for the environment in which we live and the people in our lives with patience, compassion, and generosity.

It is part of my Rule of Life to reflect on this vow by regularly asking the following questions:

• How do I care for the world around me?
• How do I care for the people in my life?
• Am I able to recognize my Creator's presence in all things and in all people? 

I admit that the answers to these questions are not always as they should be. There are times when I struggle to be responsible, caring, and humble, and there are times when I am unable to recognize God in the world around me and in the people in my life.

One example is when I'm in line to check out at the grocery store. Like everyone else, I want to get it done and over with quickly and without as few problems as possible. While I am now a lot less prone to irritation and downright bad behavior, there are many times where I have been less than charitable toward the other people in line and the person working the cash register.

It is not often enough that I catch myself falling into bad behaviors in time to make amends for them. Often times it is only upon reflection at the end of the day that I realize that I could have been kinder, more gentle and more charitable to the people I meet, as well as the environment in which I live. (For example, I could have picked up someone else's garbage, but I made feeble excuses like being in a hurry or not wanting to get my hands dirty.)

So, dear sisters and brothers, now that my dirty laundry has been aired, I invite you to share in the above listed reflections. We can always be kinder, gentler, and more charitable. The real question is are we open enough let our Creator into our lives, so that we may see Its reflection in the world around us?