Open Yourself to God’s Embrace

“Come to me…and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

It was my younger son’s birthday yesterday. It’s customary for me to hear mass when a member of my family celebrates a birth anniversary – whether with them or without them as sometimes they have to be at work when I go.

I hear mass to thank God for the gift of my son or parent, for the many years of blessings they have received and the joy they have given me. Most importantly, I pray for a bright, healthy and abundant future for them.

But two days ago, I was downed by a combination of severe cough, fever and a runny tummy. I was supposed to attend the 6:45 a.m. mass yesterday but with my condition, I told God, I’ll just see him this morning.

Morning dawned and my alarm rang to tell me to prepare for mass, but the weakness and the rumble in my tummy kept me from going. I felt so bad I wouldn’t be able to hear mass for my son. Then an inspiration hit me. Why not search for “daily mass” on the internet. Since I’m sick, that would be the next best thing to being in church.

I felt so blessed to find one on Youtube. And best of all, the first thing that flashed on screen was the mass for yesterday, the one that I missed. And so with my little car crucifix in front of me, I heard mass.

But as the mass went on, I still felt incomplete. I wouldn’t be able to receive communion and it’s still not the same as being in church.

Then during the homily, the priest said, “To be close to God, you don’t need to go to Mt. Sinai or Mt. Carmel. You can start to be close to God right now where you are. Maybe sitting on the couch, sitting on the chair, maybe still in bed, as I hear some of you watch mass in bed. Wherever you are, open yourself to God’s embrace. Welcome him. Let him walk beside you. Trust him. Because when you do that, you too, like Moses, can have an intimate relationship with God.”

His words soothed my guilty heart and put it to rest. God is present with me through my little crucifix and the mass via the internet. I felt the intimacy of His embrace. Our hearts were in communion. And because we are intimate, I trust He was close enough to hear my prayers for my son on his birthday.

So friends, open yourself to God’s embrace wherever you are, in whatever condition you’re in. You may be in your sickbed, you may be buried under work, you may be in a dark place with financial troubles or relationship woes or you may be in a happy place where you forget you need God. Wherever you are, trust God to embrace you with healing, rest, provision and joy.