I am with Jesus

I have The Magnificat Lenten Companion, and I read the reflection each day after reading through the readings, and today's reflection really struck me, and I felt compared to share it.

The priest was asked to share his thoughts on attending to those who are sick and dying (anointing of the sick, last rights, etc). His original response was "Jesus is with me", but in a later thought he shares this "I first responded that the only value my presence has is that Jesus is with me. And then, in a moment of graced awareness, I understood that it is much more accurate to say "I am with Jesus" Jesus has decided to be sacramentally present at the bedside of someone he deeply loves, and he chooses to take me with him. He precedes me. I follow him. This is appropriate because he loves these precious souls more than I do. My hope is that as I follow where he leads, I may slowly begin to love with his love. One of the many graces of lent is to be reminded that it is not he who follows us, but we who are following him. He doesn't rubber stamp the good life we have chosen for ourselves, but leads us through the good life he has chosen for us. He always takes precedence."

What struck me most out of this is the 'I am with Jesus'. This weekend I was at a conference and in one of the talks for the weekend, they discussed the barriers between man and God. Our two greatest barriers are people (often concerned with what others will think of us) and things. These two categories interfere so much so in our lives, that Jesus is then set on the back burner.

I look at my day today - I woke up at 8 am. Checked my phone- checked email and facebook, drank water, ate breakfast, drank coffee, chatted with my roommate, packed lunch, went to school (not once thinking about God). I went to school, went coffee, caught up with a dear friend - and yet, did not take time to think about God, to ask for his grace in this day... I did think about when I was going to go to adoration (to pray), but it was indeed at the end of the day. Going to adoration, seeking Jesus was the last thing I did today, when really it should have been the first thing I did.. So today things - life, commitments, people - interfered. They came first..
Upon this realization, I asked God's mercy, and will strive to do better tomorrow..

I was just convicted to share this thought - I just want to leave you with the last part of the reflection again - Jesus leads us through the good life he has chosen for us. He always takes precedence.