I got to chapel fairly early this morning to allow time to change the altar cloth and ambo covering back to green. It has been about six weeks since we last had Ordinary Time!

Before I could remove the white cloths, I had to unpin the decorative gold trim from them. I left my collection of pins in the sacristy to return to their box in the main office later in the day. After making the changes, including replacing the white tabernacle veil with a green one, and putting things away in the drawers, I took a seat in a chapel pew.

During my time of prayer, I happened to look up and see the sanctuary light still burning near the tabernacle. I had lit it the other evening but had done nothing with it since then. Yet, the flame was still burning, reminding me of Christ’s continuous presence there.

The little flame continued to burn, praising His Eucharistic presence.

For some reason, this reminded me of some words from a familiar hymn: “praise eternal as His love.”

The little flame, you might say, was constant in its praise. I thought about this and was reminded: His love, too, is constant. He does not leave us.

Near the end of Mass, the priest puts any remaining hosts in the tabernacle and turns the key. He need do nothing more. Jesus remains there.

His love is constant; it is eternal.