Seeing the Presence

How would we describe our experience of awareness of the Presence of God?  It may be in the qualities enumerated by the psalmist from the texts of the RomanCatholic Lectionary today. We may recognize Divine glory and strength and respond as we “ Worship the Lord in holy splendour;   tremble before him, all the earth”( Ps 96:9) . Friar Jude Winkler tells us that the passage from the First Letter of John today addresses members of the community according to their spiritual maturity. This may correspond to their chronological ages but maturity is not always a consequence of age. The elders, perhaps those in the second half of their journey, see the Presence which has delivered and inspired them to be able to see the tensions and decisions in life between that which leads us to deeper relationship with God and what John refers to as the” world” which Friar Jude reminds us is that which denies Jesus and excludes itself from relationship with Jesus. The young men have found the Presence as they have battled successfully in the building time of life to conquer with the help of God specific obstacles in their relationships with God and others. Those children in the faith have been warmed and attracted by the Presence shining through others. As they continue to be called and welcomed by the more mature believers, they will find Presence in their journey. The Gospel from Luke today tells of the encounter of the Holy Family with prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. Helen Gwilliam animates this character with an inspired biography that relates to our lives in relationship with God and the great Why? questions which often mark our reflections. Friar Jude reminds us that Luke writes about the important role of women in faith communities by including both male and female persons as participants in the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem and His Presence with us as the Living Word.