October 2026 Reflections of God's Goodness

God is in our midst! 

Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. Psalm 139:7-10

Life in this world can be challenging. Many of us don’t have time to even feel our own feelings and needs, our hopes or even what is going on deep inside of us. There is no quiet time to become truly present to ourselves. No wonder it is difficult to perceive God’s presence.

C.S. Lewis said, “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to remember to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake.” (A Mind Awake, p.75)

In order to ‘remember to attend,’ we must be quiet! We cannot perceive God’s presence if we are distracted. In quiet, we can talk to God about anything and everything, all day long. And last of all, we can develop the habit of praising and thanking God for His wonderful mercy and grace, and for all He has done for us.

God’s Word tells us what God wants to say, deep in our hearts. “You matter to me,” “I see you,” “I am here with you always.” LISTEN—God is among us!

Awareness of God’s presence gives us the strength and courage to do good, to be God’s love and presence for others. But we have to tune into it, attend to it. Again, C.S. Lewis tells us, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” (Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer)

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Inspire us to perceive the love and presence of God in our life every minute of every day. God is in our midst!

This month, find quiet moments several times each day to attend to and awaken to God’s presence with you. It can change your life.

Blessings,

Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN

“For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17