Anointed? Indeed!

God is the strength of the people,
the saving refuge of the anointed.
Psalm 28:8

Sometimes, it’s difficult to feel “anointed”. We often consider ourselves to be just one of many regardless of the group we’re in. These days, while we remain within our “bubbles” of family members and/or our closest friends, we might wonder what we’re actually accomplishing for anyone.

I come from a large family. My earliest memories include big family gatherings for the holidays, christenings, birthdays, graduations, weddings and funerals. I grew up down the block from our church and numerous people passed our house on the way to Mass each week. I worked at a grocery store throughout high school and college where I tended to lines of customers all day long. When I married and began my teaching career, people of every sort continued to fill my life. Sometimes, I felt lost in the crowd. Then, there were those other amazing times…

I’ve always been especially grateful for individual encounters with those around me. Whether a scheduled or haphazard meeting, with a student, a family member, a friend or a customer at the grocery store, it was during these precious moments together that I received glimpses of many amazing souls. Most of them have no idea that they were contributing to my well-being and that of this world of ours simply by sharing their time. I’ve taken great pleasure in pointing out their unique gifts and my appreciation of them as often as possible.

You know, “anointed” means “blessed” and God calls each of us an anointed one. This is the reason God sends us out to bless those around us and to bless this world with the gift of ourselves. Even in the midst of this pandemic, we can do good simply by staying safe for ourselves and for one another and by encouraging one another along the way.

Thank you, Dear God, for loving us so much that you trust us to bring you into this world!

©2021 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Loved Just As You Are

Go then and rejoice over the children…
From Tobit 13:13

After reading a book about Daniel Tiger to my grandsons, our conversation turned to Mr. Rogers who created the beloved tiger puppet decades ago…

I happily watched Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood with our sons. It never ceased to amaze me that the mild-mannered Fred Rogers managed to captivate Mike and Tim for the entire duration of his show. The truth is that I enjoyed each episode as much as my sons did, perhaps more so. I say this because, when I became a parent, I understood the importance of feeling special and important, wanted and cherished more than my sons did. I think their dad and I did a reasonably good job of making them feel loved.

Sadly, regardless of the efforts of those around us, many of us feel devalued, unwanted and unimportant. In spite of my parents’ best efforts, I experienced my own childhood moments of dejection and loneliness. I think we all do. Still, I vowed then and there that my own children would know that they are loved no matter what!

When we feel rejected, unloved and are steeped in loneliness, we convince ourselves that no one really cares about us. So it is that I echo the words which inspired Fred Rogers in the first place: YOU are special and I like you just the way you are! Let me add: YOU are God’s chosen one. God loves YOU even more than I love my sons and more than you will ever know until you meet God face to face. On that day, God will clear up any doubt you have!

Loving God, thank you for calling each one of us your precious child and for loving us accordingly.

©2020 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

I… I Am

God replied to Moses: I am who I am.
Then God added: This is what you will tell the Israelites:
I AM has sent me to you.
Exodus 3:14

I is for I AM. In spite of all of the names we humans have assigned to God, God chooses to be called “I AM.” I find great consolation in God’s chosen name because it is offered in the active present tense. This name leaves no doubt that God is, was and forever will be. Though our lives pass more quickly than we care to acknowledge, I AM will never pass from the moment at hand. It seems to me that, since I AM is the only constant of which we can be certain, it makes sense to acknowledge God’s presence with regularity and with gratitude.

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I tend to monopolize this God of ours much of the time. Some days, it is as though we’re in conversation from morning until night. I’m also embarrassed to admit that these conversations are sometimes one-sided, not because God has nothing to say, but because I rarely give God the opportunity to speak. This is when God takes control to get my attention. These nudges come most often in the beauty of nature, an unexpected encounter, in a great idea or encouraging words. Fortunately for me, God always finds a way to let me know that God is indeed with me.

Perhaps I can best show my gratitude for the gift of God’s presence by making God’s invitation to Moses my own. Rather than standing before the people to announce that I AM has sent me their way, I can reveal God’s presence through my own presence to them.

Loving God, help me to be open and accepting, merciful, forgiving and generous with my time and treasure. Help me to make your presence tangible, especially to those who consider themselves less-than-lovable today.

©2020 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

I is for I Am

Before I begin today’s reflection, I want to acknowledge that today is my mom’s birthday. I wouldn’t find it as easy as I do to recognize God’s love in my life is my mom hadn’t loved me first. It is with deep gratitude and great love that I write HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

God replied to Moses: I am who I am.
Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites:
I AM has sent me to you.
Exodus 3:14

I is for I AM. In spite of all of the names we humans have assigned to God, God chooses to be called “I AM.” I find great consolation in God’s chosen name because it is offered in the active present tense. This name leaves no doubt that God is, was and forever will be. Though our lives pass more quickly than we care to acknowledge, I AM will never pass from the moment at hand. It seems to me that, since I AM is the only constant of which we can be certain, it makes sense to acknowledge God’s presence with regularity and with gratitude.

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I tend to monopolize this God of ours much of the time. Some days, it is as though we are in conversation from morning until night. I’m also embarrassed to admit that these conversations are sometimes one-sided, not because God has nothing to say, but because I rarely give God the opportunity to speak. This is when God takes things into God’s own hands to get my attention. These nudges come most often in the beauty of nature, an unexpected encounter, a great idea or encouraging words. Fortunately for me, God always finds a way to let me know that God hears everything I say.

Perhaps I can best show my gratitude for the gift of God’s presence by making God’s invitation to Moses my own. Rather than standing before the people to announce that I AM has sent me their way, I can simply reveal God’s presence through my own presence to them.

Loving God, help me to make your presence tangible, especially to those who consider themselves less-than-lovable today.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

H is for Holy

Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
1 Samuel 3:19

H is for Holy. The dictionary defines holy as belonging to or coming from God; sacred; consecrated. When I was a child, I was convinced that holy was an adjective attributed only to God and the saints of old who lived perfectly moral and upright lives. Though I hoped to be a saint one day by gaining admittance to heaven, I never expected to be considered holy on any level.

Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune of associating with people who understand holiness far more completely than I. They generously shared their conviction that anything and any one “of God” is holy. Since we and all of creation are God’s handiwork, we are indeed holy. Just as God remained with Samuel and blessed him with a purposeful life, so God blesses you and me.

As I consider my personal bouts with discouragement and guilt, I find that I move beyond these things best when I remember that I am “of God.” I am holy. You are holy, too. No one else’s opinion, no failure, no guilt, nothing you or I can do will ever change this. Yes, you are “of God” and so am I. We are holy.

Holy God, inspire us to realize that we are truly holy and help us to live accordingly.

©2019 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved

Special, Indeed!

“…to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God…”
2 Timothy 1:2

This past weekend, we gathered to celebrate our newest grandchild’s baptism. I admit that this gave me reason to pause. It wasn’t all that long ago that I had held his dad in my arms. How is it that my baby is blessed with a wonderful wife and two sons of his own these days? Of course, this musing filled me with joy. I completely overlooked the fact that my son’s evolution into a father was proof positive of my own evolution into a grandma!

Throughout our gathering, I kept myself in close proximity to our newest grandchild as often as possible. Eventually, after my husband, his other grandparents and aunts and uncles stopped doting over him, I held Benjamin for a while. I took this opportunity to ask that tiny baby, “Do you know how loved you are? Are you happy with your name?” Though he closed his eyes to nap, I continued. “Your dad wasn’t at all happy with his name. He felt very badly that his was the only name in our family which didn’t begin with an M. It was only when I explained just how special Timothy was to me that your dad realized that he is special to me, too. Never forget that you’re special, Benjamin.”

With that, I relinquished that squirming little boy to his mom. As she nursed her content little son, I smiled. What better evidence of our being loved is there then our mom’s embrace? With that, I looked upward and prayed that Ben and all of my family will remember just how loved and special they are.

Loving God, each of us is special in your eyes. Help us to remind one another of this in all we say and do.

©2018 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved