THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: 'Everything you do flows from the heart' observes Offaly columnist

“ABOVE all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23). Saint Anthony the Great once said that there are three traps of the enemy that steal our joy and peace: regret for the past, fear for the future, and ingratitude for the present. These are not just ancient temptations, they are the same subtle struggles we face each day. They rob us of the deep peace that God longs for us to have, and they lure us away from the one place where grace truly lives, this present moment. Jesus spoke directly into this truth when He said: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? … So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:26–27, 34).

In our fast-paced and anxious world, it is so easy to get lost, swept up in worries about tomorrow or weighed down by regrets from yesterday. Yet Jesus gently calls us back to the present, reminding us that life unfolds here, now, in the sacred space of today

Living in the present moment

To live in the present is to allow ourselves to be where God already is. It is to breathe deeply and see the beauty right before our eyes, the glimmer of sunlight through the window, the warmth of shared laughter, the stillness of a quiet prayer. Living in the present moment allows us to connect with God, who is always here, not in some imagined future, not trapped in yesterday’s sorrow, but right now. Imagine taking a moment to pause in the middle of your day, perhaps while driving, folding laundry, sitting in a café, meditating in a holy place or walking outside. Breathe. Pray. Invite God into that very moment. Suddenly, the ordinary becomes sacred.

Cultivating a relationship with God is much like tending a garden, it needs time, patience, attention, and love. When we spend time in solitude, releasing our fears in prayer, His love begins to wash over us like gentle rain. Every life is unique and precious. Every soul has purpose. God’s call is not hidden in some distant destiny, it is whispered softly into the heart today. As St. Paul reminds us, “Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). So stop searching for your meaning somewhere far ahead. Stop looking backward in guilt. Embrace today. It is in this moment that you will find peace, purpose, and the loving presence of your Creator.

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Why it’s so hard to stay present

We all want to live “one day at a time,” as the old phrase goes, but how difficult that can be! The world presses in with demands, distractions, and noise. We multitask, we overthink, we fill every quiet space and then wonder why peace eludes us. Ida Scott Taylor once wrote, “Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone. And do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”

And as that beautiful song by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson reminds us, sometimes all we can do is whisper: “One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking from You.” When we let ourselves simply “be” here, in this breath, this heartbeat, we open the door to God’s peace. As Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27). The world does not give us peace; Jesus does. When we live in the now, we begin to feel that peace quietly rises within us.

Trust God — pray, hope, and don’t worry

St. Padre Pio’s words echo through time: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” Worry, he said, is useless, it cannot change what is or what will be. It only steals our strength and blinds us to the presence of grace. Worry is often a sign that God is no longer central in our thoughts. It reflects a heart that is trying to control what only God can hold. When we surrender those anxious thoughts, even for a moment, something miraculous happens, peace returns. In today’s world, where anxiety has become a constant companion, it takes courage to trust. We carry the weight of uncertainty, health concerns, family struggles, financial pressures, the lingering wounds of global wars and pandemic. nd yet, in the midst of it all, God whispers: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We are not broken because we feel worry or fear, we are human. But faith invites us to look beyond those feelings, to believe that our future is safe in His hands. Every prayer we utter, even whispered through tears is heard. Every burden can be laid down. When we pray, when we fast, when we spend time in Scripture or sit in silence before the Blessed Sacrament, we are strengthened from within. We begin to realise that the God who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies cares even more deeply for us.

Try loving and praying deeply

Love and prayer are the antidotes to fear. But they are not always easy. True love gets its hands dirty; it sacrifices. It costs something. The story of Bob Pierce a lay missionary and founder of an international charity, who gave away his own pain medication to a dying girl so she might sleep, reminds us what love looks like when it costs. While he was dying of leukemia, he met a young girl in Indonesia who was also dying of cancer and unable to sleep from her pain. Moved with compassion, he knelt beside her, prayed, and gave her his own sleeping pills, knowing it would mean many restless nights for himself. That simple act of love cost him dearly, yet filled him with profound peace. It reminds us that true love and prayer always carry a cost; for if there is no cost, there is no real love.

God’s love, when alive in us, always helps us to do what is right, even when it hurts. That is the kind of love that mirrors Christ’s, a love that kneels in the mud, gives without counting the cost, and finds joy even in suffering. Real love and prayer always carry a price and yet, when offered freely, they bring a joy nothing else can give. To love and pray deeply from the heart means choosing compassion over comfort, forgiveness over resentment, presence over distraction. It means seeing Christ in every person and responding to life with tenderness and courage. As Scripture reminds us, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13)

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A thought for the week

As your Thought for the week, remember how deeply loved and precious you are. You are not defined by your past, nor are you held hostage by the future. You are God’s beloved child, here and now. Let St. Padre Pio’s words echo in your soul: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worrying is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer." Our God is faithful (Hebrews 6:18), merciful (Ephesians 2:4), and loving beyond measure (Ephesians 3:18). “All things work together for good for those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). The saints remind us to live with trust and simplicity — to walk through life like a child, confident in the Father’s care. Each day this week, pause for just a moment — maybe in the car, at your desk, or before bed — and breathe. Let go of one worry. Offer it to God. Then, name one thing you’re grateful for in that exact moment. Just one. Do this daily, and watch how peace begins to settle quietly in your heart.

Let me leave you with one of my prayers for the present moment, "O God of every heartbeat, Teach me to live fully in this moment, not trapped in the shadows of the past, nor lost in the fog of the future. When worry grips me, remind me that You hold my life. When fear whispers, speak Your peace. When I forget Your love, open my eyes to the beauty of now. Help me to love deeply, pray sincerely, and live courageously from the heart. May every breath, every act, every word today, be a prayer of gratitude to You. Amen". As St. Faustina prayed: “O present moment, you belong to me, whole and entire. I desire to use you as best I can. And although I am weak and small, You grant me the grace of Your omnipotence.” And remember this truth from Romans 8:38–39: “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” So cherish today and this new week. Let it be enough. Live with courage, gratitude, and love, right here, in this sacred moment where God is waiting for you.