This morning, Father approached the ambo, offered the customary greeting and announcement, and began to read the assigned gospel passage from Mark.

As I stood listening, it struck me: “I was here this morning.”

The passage chronicled Jesus’ call of Levi (Matthew) and subsequent dinner arrangements and proclamations, inferring that he is the physician sent to the sick of soul.

This was not the first time in recent memory that this account had been presented to me; I had used it less than four hours earlier for my morning meditation. (I find it nice to read the scriptures before hearing them at Mass.)

I really appreciate passages with concrete images and encounters, into which I can easily place myself. I find them much more conducive to meditation (for myself, personally) than lofty, philosophical discourses. But, that could just be me; everyone’s different.

In this passage, we were told of Levi’s concrete, life-changing encounter with our Lord.

This morning, in my own time of quiet prayer, I, too, had encountered Jesus. Like Levi so long ago, I had met Him, present with me in the tabernacle of our chapel.

Now I was meeting Him again as the scriptures were read aloud. Soon, in the most extraordinary way, I would be meeting Him at Holy Communion!

It is beautiful to be able to meet Jesus several times a day, in the scriptures, in “the Breaking of the Bread,” and in the people I encounter. I would do well to be more conscious of his holy presence with me throughout the day.

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