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Lord I hear You or the ten minute litany

Pause for Reflection

Imagine that God asked you for ten minutes - just asked you to be present and pay attention. Talk to Him if you need, but listen too. Would you do it?

There were times in my life when He did ask me and I said no. I regretted it later. There were times when I said yes and really loved it. Love is the word.

If you love someone deeply, you want at least ten minutes a day for one on one conversation and visiting. Ten minutes isn't enough. That's hardly time just to be present, much less share the most important thoughts in your life.

There are days, even weeks, when our best laid plans just don't work out. The goals we try to achieve elude us. These are times for ten minutes. Just to speak to the Lord.

You might hear a voice say, "It's all right. You are supposed to try. Success isn't guaranteed. It's the journey that is important."

Ten minutes to visit a senior in a wheelchair, to offer a warm hand and to hear, "Pray for me." You reply, "God bless you," as you sign them with the cross gently on the brow. "I was lonely and you came to visit me; full of sorrow and you comforted me."

Ten minutes without pain. How long some wait for that gift.

Ten minutes might be long enough to hear your breath, your breath that is a gift from God.

Ten minutes to say, "I'm sorry Lord. I'm still messing up. I keep forgetting."

Ten minutes to say, "Thank you God for my parents, my family, and the friends you gave me."

Ten minutes to bend my heart so I can forgive my spouse, my brother, my sister or my in-law.

Ten minutes to pray for my family, my parish, my school. Lord I should make the time. You give me 24 hours a day. Can I spare ten minutes of it?

Ten minutes to feel the peace descend on a troubled heart. To listen to that breath that is such a wonderful gift. To hear my heart beat in my eardrums.

Ten minutes Lord. I'm here that long. That's less than one per cent of the time you have given me.

Ten minutes to figure out that you give me 1440 minutes a day, 10,080 minutes a week. So if I forget to visit ten minutes a day, I can easily spend 70 minutes with you on Sunday. Most services don't last even that long.

Thank you Lord for giving me so many years to figure this out.