# God's hidden presence
*2020-03-21*

> Bill Young reflects on the mystery of God's hidden presence in everyday signs and leads a spiritual communion for the fourth Sunday of Lent.

## Opening and a tribute to Dion

Bill welcomes listeners to the fourth Sunday of Lent and introduces the day’s meditation from *Journey of the Heart: Lent Reflections and Prayers* by Father Henry J. M. Newman, titled “God’s Hidden Presence.” He shares a short excerpt of a song by folk singer Dion, thanking him for the inspiring lyrics and noting Dion’s legacy of social‑justice music.

## Reading from Father Newman

Bill reads the passage from Father Newman’s booklet, which begins with Mark 1:15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” He then reflects on Newman’s poetic description of the hidden reality of God’s grace, the eternal life within us, and the kingdom of God that is already among us. The reading ends with a prayer: “Jesus, help me to discover your deep love in all I think and say. Amen.”

## Signs of the Trinity in daily life

Bill recounts several personal experiences where he noticed small flowers or leaves arranged in a triangular shape, which he interprets as a reminder of the Holy Trinity. He mentions seeing these signs at St. David’s Catholic Church, during a teen Mass at St. Maximilian and St. Kobe, and even in his own garage when a gust of wind formed a triangular pattern of leaves. He emphasizes that these moments, though ordinary, can be God’s way of reminding us of His presence.

## Spiritual communion

Bill introduces a spiritual communion prayer from the 18th‑century saint Augustine (actually St. Augustine of Hippo) and invites listeners to pray it together:

“My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most blessed sacrament. I believe you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, unite myself wholly to you, and never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”

He explains that spiritual communion is a way to unite with Christ when we cannot receive the Eucharist, citing St. Thomas Aquinas’s defense of the practice.

## Encouragement during the pandemic

Bill urges listeners to stay safe, wash their hands, and pray, noting the ongoing coronavirus crisis. He encourages anyone who can attend Mass to do so, reminding us that we do not know how long the ordinary means of receiving the Eucharist will be available. He also mentions the importance of confession and the support of local parishes such as St. David’s, St. Maximilian, and St. Mark’s.

*Even when God’s presence seems hidden, He is constantly revealing Himself in the ordinary signs around us.*