Daily Meditation for January 31, 2022

Imagine shoveling snow with Jesus. In pictures of Jesus, you would never see him doing such a thing. His environment is desert, almost always hot and dry. He dresses in a cool tunic and sandals. But here we are, working our way down the driveway, one shovelful at a time. Jesus is a man of about 30, bundled up in a winter jacket, boots, scarf and wool cap. He has a carpenter’s strong hands and arms. He shovels efficiently. We throw the light powdery snow over our shoulders and feel the cold on our faces. We don’t talk while shoveling, but once in a while we’ll stop for a few minutes, leaning on our shovels, and exchange opinions. “This is so much better than a sermon in church,” I say, and Jesus just keeps shoveling. This is the religion of snow, not words.

By Mary Jackle, OSB