let it soak in

St John Chrysostom talks to us today about letting it soak in as we read the selection from A Year with the Church Fathers. He says we need to take some time after church and reflect on what we have received.

He points out that when we take a bath, as pictured above, we soak in the hot water and it relaxes our muscles and cleans our bodies at the same time. It would be foolish to leap up out of the water and rush right back into our daily business, because we would lose the relaxation that we carefully cultivated in the hot water.

So should we do the same thing when we go to church and spend time with God. Instead of rushing back into our busy lives full of distractions and worries, we should take some time to carefully mull over what we received in church. We should "treasure all of these things, and ponder them in our hearts", as did Mary when she saw what God was doing in HER life.

So the next time you go to church, whether it's this Sunday or tomorrow or whenever the opportunity presents itself, take some time after the service to ponder what you've received. Let it soak in. And see how it changes your day.

And a changed day can turn into a changed life.

God, thank You for giving us great things in which we can soak.