Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Holy ground is something we don’t always think about when going to Mass, but when we enter a church and its grounds we find ourselves on it and should act accordingly. We should treat the church and its grounds with respect and do our best to be holy. We should strive to be loving, merciful, patient and mild while there in our reverence for God, our treatment of others, and our attention to the Mass, the sacraments, and any other programs or events going on within the church or its properties. We should be prayerful and united in Christ while in these holy places. We should dress properly, speak appropriately, and act in accordance with God’s Will. If we cannot contain our vices, imperfections, and passions within these sacred grounds, then how can we ever hope to be worthy of heaven? So let us be respectful of the holy places we enter and treat them wisely and well.

Do we treat holy grounds with reverence? How can we allow the holiness of these sacred sites infuse and upraise our spirits? What can we do to make our hearts into sacred grounds consecrated to God?

O Lord, give us a healthy respect for your holy grounds, the sacraments we celebrate there, and those we meet within your sacred places.

Amen.