Read

How I Find God in Everyday Life

Published:
December 22, 2023
November 11, 2018
Read how this author aims to experience God in the everyday.

At Mass one Sunday morning, as I was kneeling after receiving Communion, I glanced up to see a man pushing his wife’s wheelchair over to the Eucharistic minister. I watched the husband patiently stand by his wife and coax her to open her mouth to receive the host. I found out later that the woman had early onset Alzheimer’s. The tragedy of this disease was eclipsed by the unconditional love I saw in this husband living out his marriage vows. It was an example of pure and beautiful love, a true display of a Godly marriage and faith lived out loud. During my spiritual journey, I have struggled to feel close to God during Mass, despite knowing He is physically present. I yearn for this closeness, and I feel jealous when I hear others talking about their profound experiences with the Eucharist. This intimacy has always felt unattainable to me, and while I don’t know why I haven’t experienced it, I keep going back. I hope for this one day, but in meantime, God has found other ways to draw me closer to His heart. God speaks to me through small, day-to-day miracles — through interactions with strangers or in the beauty I find in art or nature. It can be as simple as a funny conversation, witnessing an act of humanity, or observing from afar how people treat one another. When I find a piece of art that is profoundly beautiful, I am always awestruck by how our talents are God-given, and the act of using them is a way of saying “yes” to God. Catholics sometimes have the impression that we must reject all things "worldly," but my faith experience has led me to embrace the world and to not be afraid of what it has to offer. My mom always describes this approach by saying that we are meant "to be in the world, but not of it." This doesn’t mean unconditional acceptance of everything, but rather only of the pure, beautiful, and true. It’s so easy to get caught up in the despair, sadness, and unsightly things we come across on a day-to-day basis. The goodness that presents itself in the simple minutiae of life can lead us to God’s presence. The saints were my first examples of what it means to live a holy and faith-filled life that puts God first. The saints are amazing role models, and their example can teach us how to find God in the everyday. Many found holiness removed from the world, however. The lives of some of these holy men and women seem distant and unattainable — we are not all called to a monastic religious life or to spend hours each day in prayer. Many saints lived as lay men and women, though — they lived in the world, embracing what it had to offer. Gianna Beretta Molla loved fashion and travel; Pier Giorgio Frassati organized hiking trips and enjoyed the theater; Philip Neri would play harmless practical jokes on his friends. These holy men and women made it to heaven while living in this world and having a zest for life. Their experiences of the world — in all its beautiful, messy, and majestic glory — allowed them to experience God and grow closer to Him.

Creators:
Gabriella Patti
Published:
December 22, 2023
November 11, 2018
On a related note...
What Makes ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’ an Extraordinary Show

What Makes ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’ an Extraordinary Show

Victoria Mastrangelo

What’s on the Other Side of Our Fear?

What’s on the Other Side of Our Fear?

Meghan Franklin

Grotto's Live Conversation from Rome

Grotto's Live Conversation from Rome

Grotto

What Pregnancy Taught Me about Faith and Trust

What Pregnancy Taught Me about Faith and Trust

Molly Gettinger

Father’s Day Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Father’s Day Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Percussionist Makes Music Using Nature's Instruments

Percussionist Makes Music Using Nature's Instruments

Grotto

Quick & Easy Tips for Finding the Best Deals

Quick & Easy Tips for Finding the Best Deals

Lauren Lawson

How to Make Prayer a Part of Your Everyday Life

How to Make Prayer a Part of Your Everyday Life

Manda Carpenter

Paralegal Expunges Criminal Records Free of Charge

Paralegal Expunges Criminal Records Free of Charge

Grotto

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Children's Author Teaches Kids How to Draw

Grotto

How World Youth Day Changed My Life

How World Youth Day Changed My Life

Kate Fowler

What We Might Be Missing When We Think About Chastity

What We Might Be Missing When We Think About Chastity

Mike Tenney

St. James Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. James Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Simone Biles Leaves Olympic Competition for Her Mental Health

Simone Biles Leaves Olympic Competition for Her Mental Health

Grotto Shares

Tips for Discerning Your Next Major Life Decision

Tips for Discerning Your Next Major Life Decision

Mike Tenney

The Power of an Enlightenment Experience

The Power of an Enlightenment Experience

Marye Colleen Larme

What Would a Debt Jubilee Mindset Look Like in Our World Today?

What Would a Debt Jubilee Mindset Look Like in Our World Today?

Mike Jordan Laskey

Being Vegan Doesn't Look the Same for Everyone

Being Vegan Doesn't Look the Same for Everyone

Grotto

Poland's Annual Priest-Skiing Competition

Poland's Annual Priest-Skiing Competition

Grotto Shares

This Kid Raised $1M for Drought-Affected Farmers

This Kid Raised $1M for Drought-Affected Farmers

Grotto Shares

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.