Daily Life Meditation: Notice How the Flowers Grow

Flávia Ghelardi shares a guided meditation on God’s providence and our tendency to worry. 

Today we continue our practical exercise on meditation, inspired by the method taught by Father Joseph Kentenich. We are using a biblical text because the Word of God is addressed to each of us individually, and it is the Holy Spirit who helps it reach our hearts as a message from the Father.  

Meditation is a personal encounter with God, to grow in love for Him. Because it is personal, each person will experience this encounter in a different way, in a unique way. Thus, each proposed exercise is intended only to present an example of what this conversation with the Father can be like, so that you can get an overview of the whole process.  

Opening Prayer 

We are in the place we have chosen to meditate, already prepared with some image that reminds us of the spiritual world, a lit candle, instrumental music, in short, whatever helps us most to concentrate on what we are about to do: have a personal encounter with God. 

Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and place yourself in God's presence. Make the Sign of the Cross. 

My holy guardian angel helps me to meditate well so that this moment of prayer may transform my hard, fickle, selfish, and negligent heart into a pure heart, capable of loving and serving God with joy and generosity. 

Implore the help of the Holy Spirit: 

Holy Spirit, you are the soul of my soul. I humbly adore you. Enlighten me, strengthen me, guide me, comfort me. Reveal your wishes to me as far as this is in accordance with the will of the Eternal Father. Show me what Eternal Love wants of me. Show me what I should do. Show me what I should suffer. Show me what I should humbly and thoughtfully accept, bear and endure. Holy Spirit, show me your will and the will of the Father, for I want my whole life to be nothing else than a continuous, an everlasting yes to the wishes, to the will of God, the Eternal Father. (Father Joseph Kentenich, HW 639) 

Meditation Topic:  

“Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides.” (Luke 12: 27-31) 

What Does God Want to Tell Me? 

What is Jesus trying to tell us when He asks us not to worry about material things? 

We are human beings and therefore we have a body and a soul. Both the body and the soul have their needs, and we must take good care of both. We have an obligation to provide for ourselves, as Saint Paul himself said in his second letter to the Thessalonians: “if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). 

Here the Father asks us to trust in His providence for our lives. This does not mean that we should sit back and wait for Him to send us things from Heaven, but that we should do everything in our power to provide for ourselves and our families. The point is: If we have done everything we should do, then we should not worry anxiously about tomorrow.  

“Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6:34) 

My concern and care should be only for today. And if the burden is too heavy to bear, I must remember that it is only for today. Tomorrow is entirely in God's hands. I only have today to fulfill my duties.  

The Father loves me with infinite love and takes care of every detail of my life, with much greater care than He has for all other things created: plants, animals, the climate. Thus, my most important concern must be the salvation of my soul. This is my responsibility, and even though God is all-powerful, He needs my participation. If I do not seek my salvation, He cannot give it to me. He needs my yes, my cooperation. As Saint Augustine said: “The God who created you without you will not save you without you” (Sermo 169) 

What Do I Say to Myself Based on This Reality? 

I see that so many things still trouble my heart. Often, I want to concentrate on prayer or Holy Mass, but my thoughts turn to all my daily obligations, what I need to do, to decide. There are so many little details that distract me from the main thing: seeing that the Father is taking care of me right now! He rejoices in these moments we are spending together, putting aside everything that worries me, so that I can focus solely on Him, Who is my ultimate goal, where I am heading. 

I often behave like a rebellious teenager who wants to be independent from the Father, who wants to live his life without following the Father's loving advice, who wants to take the helm of his own life and suddenly finds himself in the middle of a great storm. Then despair strikes, and I anxiously seek the Father, so that He may once again take the helm of the little boat of my life and lead me to a safe harbor.  

How Do I Answer the Lord? 

I believe, Lord, but increase my faith. Only with a living faith will I be able to rest in Your hands. I want to ask You every day to increase my faith, so that I can live this total surrender to Your care. I want to occupy myself with the things of God, take better care of my life of prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments, take care of the salvation of my soul, and everything I need to achieve this end, the Father will provide in abundance. Jesus, I trust in you!  

Conclude this moment of prayer by writing down the inspirations you have received in your personal notebook. Give a brief thanksgiving for having been able to spend a few minutes talking with the Father. Make a resolution to meditate again the next day and ask your holy guardian angel to remind you throughout the day of these brief moments you have spent with God. 

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Copyright 2025 Flávia Ghelardi
Images: Canva