“GIVE US THIS DAY . . .” by Sr. Margie McGuire, CCW

Did you ever stop to consider how many daily rituals we have created for ourselves? Everyday we exchange the same polite greetings. We take daily vitamins and daily coffee breaks, read the daily paper and watch the daily news. We check the daily number and expect daily mail. We eat, exercise and sleep routinely every day. No one would think of not saying “Good Morning” today because they already said it yesterday. No one would seriously consider changing their food intake to weekly rather than daily. There simply are routines which merit being repeated daily because they are that essential, that basic to what it means to be human.

There are other rituals which many have begun to repeat daily because they are that essential to what it means to be Christian. Morning and evening prayer, be it a traditional bedside formula learned in our youth or the recitation of the official prayer of the Church, Lauds and Vespers, is an indispensable daily ritual for many lay people today. Others celebrate daily Mass, finding the “Bread of Life” just as essential to their everyday health and nourishment as the literal meals they eat. There are individuals and families who have chosen to pray a daily rosary together or make a daily visit before the Blessed Sacrament. These rituals speak of a deep desire to grow in relationship with God and to live in constant communion with him.

For better or for worse we are creatures of habit, and the daily rituals we create for ourselves reveal much about what we really value. The amount of time we spend watching TV, playing with the children, conversing with spouse or friends, preparing for our ministries or professional work, relaxing, or in silent reflection says something about our priorities. There are families that insist on the quality of presence during the evening meal together, making it a prime time for sharing and celebration. There are those who make a commitment to call or visit an elderly neighbor or relative every day, just to be sure everything is okay. There are couples who write daily dialogues or routinely spend private time together discussing their relationship and building upon the love already present. These rituals announce clearly the good news that God’s kingdom is so close and imminent it can break into our lives at any moment, through the most ordinary events and people we encounter every day.

Jesus knew how normal it is for our lives to settle into general patterns and routines. Perhaps this is why he taught us to pray “. . .Give us this day our daily bread.” Jesus understood that there are times when we feel like we are just making it, living from hand to mouth, taking things as they come one day at a time. He knew from his own human experience that each day has troubles enough of its own. Yet he invites us to imitate him by renewing our trust in the Father, asking for what we need, taking up our cross daily and following after him. Although our work never seems done and our goals are never fully reached, still we routinely carry on, day after day, week after week, but not without hope. For while we usually take our daily rituals for granted, there come those peak moments when the walk is extraordinary because of the sunset, the meal becomes exceptional because of the fellowship, or the sleepy early morning Mass becomes profound because of a faith-experience of the Risen Lord.

From the mundane to the sublime, from walking the dog to receiving the Eucharist, we make time for what is important to us. We ritualize and build into our schedules what is most meaningful in our lives. How fortunate for us if our daily routines include our most cherished relationships.