Can you spell transubstantiation?

"Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it"

Catholic author Flannery O'Connor,

on the Eucharist, to her friend Mary McCarthy

...in the midst of your ordinary lives

This morning as I sat listening to prayerful music outside with my sweet Siberian Husky Diego, I was suddenly startled by a familiar tune I’ve heard dozens of times, so I pressed stop and started the song over. Here are the words that jumped out at me:

Now is the time, in the midst of your ordinary lives.

Repent and believe in the gospel of Christ.

Cast all your worries like stones in the sea:

Come, follow me!

Now is the time—in the midst of your ordinary lives. How often do I imagine those scenes where Jesus calls each of the apostles to follow him as some sort of Hollywood setting, bright lights, neon signs, confident music playing in the background—as if they had a giant billboard assuring them what to do, one that is not available to me.

Needless to say, I've been pondering these words the rest of the day... 

If you’re not familiar with the music of Danielle Rose, you will be blown away by her lyrics. Rose, a musical missionary, graduated from the University of Notre Dame my son’s freshman year with a degree in music and theology.  As her official bio says:

"At the age of 17, she traveled to Delhi, India to volunteer with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. This experience gave her a desire to serve the poorest of the poor by offering her gift of music as a means of alleviating the spiritual poverty of America."

Here’s another piece from the lyrics of the song that blessed my day, “The Kingdom of God is at hand”:

 

The Kingdom of God is at hand - this is my Body.

The Kingdom of God is at hand - this is my Blood.

The Kingdom of God is at hand - the Body of Christ,

I believe, Amen.

Now the Kingdom is in your hands! 

Now is the time—in the midst of your ordinary lives.