Psalm Reflection: The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

“Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.” - Psalm 123

As I sit down to write this, my mind is bouncing all over the place. I am trying to focus on the task at hand, but my mind wants to think about vacation plans, KFC, why popcorn ceiling is called popcorn ceiling even though it looks nothing like popcorn… the list goes on.

Do you get easily distracted?

How about in prayer? Do you find it easy or difficult to sit still, quiet your heart and mind, and listen for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit calling you to be aware of the presence of God?

We are inundated on a daily basis with ads, media, noise and a constant barrage of things competing for our attention. One study recently concluded that Gen Z, the children and teens of today, have developed to be able to consume so much information that their attention needs to be won constantly, to the point that their average attention span has become less than that of a goldfish! However, with technology becoming more and more of a constant in our lives, I believe this is becoming true of all of us. It is more difficult to be still, quiet, calm, and to simply pray.

Can you imagine being on a date with your significant other and experiencing them suddenly looking away and entertaining some kind of distraction every five seconds? How long would you put up with that behavior before you said something, felt hurt, or just stood up and left? Well, we do that to God in prayer all the time. Thank the Lord that He never leaves or stops trying to break through to us!

What are some things that your eyes are fixed on that are ultimately distractions or obstacles in the way of what matters most to you? What gets in the way of you taking intentional time to slow down and to be with Jesus in prayer on your own, in community, in a chapel, and at Mass?

We cannot have a relationship with someone who we never have a conversation with, or with whom our conversation is always one-sided, unfocused or disconnected. This is your invitation to slow down. Step away or let go of responsibilities that are not essential. Delegate non-essential responsibilities to others. As for help. Set limits on distractions, indulgences, or things that habitually and unnecessarily suck your time away. Schedule in your prayer time on your daily calendar and commit to taking that time every day to be with Jesus. When we fix our eyes on Him, everything else comes into focus. Otherwise, we walk through life as if we are wearing the wrong eyeglasses prescription, things become blurry, cluttered and confusing. When Jesus is our main priority and our firm foundation, things are suddenly visible in 20/20.

Slow down. Schedule in your intentional time with God and cut out distractions this week. Know that I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt