“Grant we pray, almighty God, that, always pondering spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed that which is pleasing to you.”

This one caught me off guard. Am I always pondering spiritual things? Most of my time is spent pondering plans, next steps, strategies, what I’m going to do in the next few minutes. This collect during the 7th week in Ordinary Time, repeats itself all week. It was like a small ding of a meditation bowl-ponder spiritual things; ponder spiritual things; ponder spiritual things. Maybe it’s pondering my favorite stain glass window at church, or my recollecting my favorite Psalm or Gospel passage. Maybe a good breadcrumb is a mantra-reciting “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”, or ” Come Holy Spirit”. Daily repetition while walking between locations, sitting in the dentists chair, or waiting in line will turn us to pondering spiritual things in the background and nurture our souls. We might find that it nourishes us to carry about works that are pleasing to Him.