God is Present: Daily Mass Homily--Monday, July 8th, 2013

           We hear an insightful line from Jacob in our reading from Genesis: “Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!”

            We believe that God is indeed present everywhere (this is called God’s omnipresence).  Be sure to consider this throughout the day.  God is present while you get ready in the morning, go to work, eat dinner and relax.  Remind yourself frequently that God is with you.

            This is especially true in suffering.  One of the first questions we all ask in the face of tragedy is, “Why, God?”  This is a great prayer and can be found in the Psalms and many of the prophets.  Yet an even better question to ask is, “Where are You in this?”  God is very near when we suffer and His promise to Jacob is the same to us: “Know that I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go…”

            We can be surprised, like Jacob, when we perceive God in an unexpected time or place.  Yet He is always there—we just have to look.