“The secret to building the city of God within us is this: we have to build on a brick by brick basis in the reality of the present moment.” — Chiara Lubich
At a recent family dinner, one of my nephews proudly shared his realization that this day is only lived once. As soon as it’s over, it’s gone.
Profound insight for a 14-year-old. But it goes even further than that.
It’s not just this day. It’s this moment. That’s what Lubich is getting at. Building the city of God within us happens brick by brick and each brick is the present moment, lived well.
You can look at an empty lot and imagine the wall that will one day stand there. Once the wall starts going up, you can look back and see how far you’ve come. But both of those — the future and the past — exist only in your mind. All you actually have is the brick in front of you.
There’s a simplicity in that. We don’t have to solve tomorrow or next year. We don’t have to carry the weight of what’s already behind us. If we take care of the present moment, we will be ready for whatever comes next.
One brick at a time.
Let us pray. Lord, help us to be fully present in this moment not anxious about tomorrow, not lost in yesterday. Just here, with You, building. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
