Page 5 - The Portal magazine - March 2025

THE P RTAL March 2025 Page 5
Snapdragon
Snapdragon
The “Sacrament of

the Present Moment”

by the 18th century

French Jesuit Jean

Pierre Caussade

An appreciation by Snapdragon

N THE 1980s, romantic comedy film “Groundhog Day” Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) is a cynical,
Iegotistical TV reporter who constantly has to live the same day over and over again. However after this
one day (which is “Groundhog Day”) has been repeated over and over again and again, he slowly but surely
changes, and realises just how unpleasant he is. He becomes a better person. He realises that each moment of
each day is an opportunity to do good, to become a better and generally nicer person. (SPOILER ALERT!!!)
He gets the girl Rita (Andi McDowell).

Now this got me thinking about a book called the about the future. We think about the future which is
“Sacrament of the Present Moment” by an 18th century also a fantasy world over which we have no control
French Jesuit called Jean Pierre Caussade. He stressed whatsoever (except insofar as our decisions made in
certain key things in his book. One of them was the the present moment will affect it).
importance of living in the now. He maintained that
it was essential to live in the present moment and that Some people waste spiritual energies constantly
we should let go of anxiety about the past or about the thinking about the future and what’s going to happen
future. then. “If I only do this, this will happen” They spin a
fantasy of an idyllic future far removed from reality.
We should spend our time focusing on the present,
as the place where grace resides. Now this strikes me And so the Devil moves us out of the present reality,
as being so true. It is surely one of the Devil’s cleverest the time of grace, into a total fantasy world which, of
devices to take us out from the present moment course, the Devil loves. The “sacrament of the present
because by taking us out of the present moment the moment” is absolutely essential to our spiritual well-
Devil in fact takes us out of reality and moves us from being. It is only in the present moment that we can
reality into a world of fantasy. love and serve God and our neighbour. It is only in the
present moment that we can do His will.
I say fantasy for this reason. If we start thinking and
focusing our attention on the past, we are living in a Of course, it’s obvious that Jean-Pierre is going to
fantasy world that no longer exists. You know the kind stress also the importance of daily holiness in finding
of thing. sanctity in ordinary tasks and moments transforming
them into acts of worship. As George Herbert writes in
“Supposing I had said this at that particular time; his poem ‘The Elixir’, Who sweeps the room, as for Thy
or done that instead of what I actually did; imagine laws, makes that and the action fine.” (There’s another
if I’d married that person instead of the person I did bit of Anglican Patrimony for you!)
marry; supposing I got that job. My life would have
been so different and so on.” We waste spiritual energy Let us therefore practice our Lenten observances
thinking about the past, about which we can do with all due diligence so that we may greet our Risen
absolutely nothing at all. Lord at Easter in the greatest of all present moments -
meeting with him on that most holiest of all days, of all
Or then again, the Devil will make us anxious our present days, in the sacrifice of the mass.