Sacred Heart Parish in Parker recently shared some thoughts about having excitement toward God.

"When doing student report cards, there was a comment the teacher could choose that read: inattentive and easily distracted," the message, published in the parish's Nov. 8 bulletin, said. "Could that comment describe your spiritual life? We can become so consumed with myriad distractions and preoccupations and lose our connection to what is really significant and important. We can become dull."

In our lives on this earth, we can take the love of those around us for granted, and we do the same with God. 

We expect that God will be merciful and forgive us; and even if he does, we overlook the fact that we could be giving so much more of ourselves to him. We could be giving all of our lives and efforts to furthering his kingdom and loving him, but instead we look to other things that shine less brightly. 

"Assuming and presuming too much about our relationships, especially our relationship with God, can lead to neglect and abuse," the message stated. "It can even lead to a sense of entitlement, where we actually believe that something is due us without much effort on our part."

Before we will be able to see God in our lives, we must be able to recognize him. We have to be open to what he is going to do in our lives and be refreshed by the reality that we are called to be ready and alert.

Just as the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, we are called to be vigilant and not fall asleep when God has commanded us to pray with him. 

"If the anticipation of God’s arrival does not excite us and rouse us, then we need to ask why," the message concluded. "The wise person keeps vigilant watch, knowing that in the end they will not be disappointed."