A Relationship With The “Not For Sunday Only" God

 A Relationship With The "Not For Sunday Only" God

(written September 1993)

    When I was a teen or even younger, God didn’t seem important in my life.  My experience of God was limited to the one hour on Sunday at Mass; and that was because someone else told me I had to be there.

        I would hear that “it was my obligation as a Catholic to attend Mass on Sunday,” so I did, not tuned to God speaking to me, rather making my appearance so others could see.

        Even my prayer life was virtually non-existent, consisting of “God, I need this,” or “I want that, or “Help me or someone else do this.”  That’s not what real prayer should be like.

        It wasn’t until years later that I found a need for community and I sought it through a Catholic Church young adult group.  I started to experience God in my life beyond the Sunday Mass.

        Through that group I was linked to a larger community around the diocese, and my relationship with God was developing beyond anything I had previously known.  I could talk to God about my feelings, my concerns, my true needs.  Those conversations became more frequent, happening in the car, at work or anywhere else.

        I had a desire to make God part of my community and that gave me confidence that there was never a moment when I was without someone with whom I could talk.  I had experienced the “not for Sunday only” God and I liked the relationship we had.

        Since I realized what God could mean in my life the journey has been filled with phenomenal revealings about what love is, what is important in life.  I have learned what being rich means, how to enliven my prayer life, lessons on being humble and many others.

        As a result of my opening up and letting God in, I have been offered many opportunities to share parts of my faith walk with small and large gatherings.  Each time I communicate about the works of God in my life I am renewed and refreshed with life, and the thirst in my soul is quenched.

        I have brought God into my daily life in simple ways, including whispers and thoughts as prayer.  There are many things people use as an escape from life, but how about escaping to the presence of God.

        I have not yet discovered anything to cope with life as effective as turning to the One Person who is always there for me.  There’s no other answer than a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ; one with communication beyond “Sunday only.”