Reflection for the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time…September 6, 2020

By Kris Lanik, Notre Dame Associate

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” This is one of those statements made by our Lord that is familiar to nearly everyone.  For me, the key words are “in my name.”  I believe Our Lord’s point is that if we recognize His presence and are aware of it, His presence is greater.  That means whether we gather to pray or to plan or to simply socialize, Jesus is among us.

The line just prior to that the Lord says, “…amen I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.”  In this turbulent year, there are very few issues people can agree upon.  One thing I am certain of is the power of the communal prayer of the Notre Dame Sisters and Associates.  I propose that the focus of our prayer be for a greater outpouring of love for our neighbor in accord with today’s second reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. 

We are called to be aware of and to be present to others. We are called to share our gifts, and when we all share together we are powerful, and when we do that in His name, we are most effective.  Doing this, more or less, is at the heart of everything we do.