Daily Meditation for January 30, 2024

This time of year is an in-between time. Christmas is over and Lent has not yet begun. In the northern hemisphere, the days are lengthening, but not enough to really notice, and there’s a lot of cold, gray weather around. Yet, this rather dreary time of year has something very specific to teach each of us about living in the present. The present builds on the past, in this case the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and looks to the future, His glorious Resurrection. Caught between the two greatest feasts of the Church, our job is not to look back longingly at the one or to wish away the days away until the other happens, but to concentrate on how we can make a beautiful “now.” Both the Incarnation and Resurrection speak the message of God’s love for each of us and for all humanity. It’s our job to share that love with the world right now.

By Karen Rose, OSB