Reflection Booklet Updated April 2018 Reverence | Integrity | Compassion | Excellence Written by Cindy Goza Provided by the Values In Action Team LIVING OUR MISSION Devotional: Reverence Respect the CHI St. Vincent What we choose to do with our time can make a difference. Paul wrote about this in Ephesians Spiritual Mission 5:15-17 (NIV): “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most Let’s pretend that your banker calls you up and of every opportunity, because the days are evil. says, “someone who loves you very much wants Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what to give you $864 every day. But there is one the Lord’s will is.” condition. You have to spend it every single day. We have two opportunities to pause and You can’t save it up. You can’t add it to the next collectively spend time with our most important day’s balance. What is not spent at the end of the relationship: Our Creator, God. These prayers day will be taken away.” only last 45 – 60 seconds and can be the key That’s a pretty good chunk of change. to centering your thoughts, starting your day positively, and connecting to the One who loves You know this would never happen in real life. you the most. Is it too much to ask you to pause, So let’s deal with reality. Someone who really bow your head, and invest time into your most does love you very much deposits into your precious relationship? Bank of Time: 86,400 seconds every single day. That someone is God. And the condition is that you must spend it. You can’t save up time today Prayer: and apply it toward tomorrow—there’s no such Lord, you know the little details of my life, my thing as a 27-hour day. Each day you have the comings and goings, my frantic times and still opportunity to invest your precious commodity moments. Help me remember You wherever I am, of time into the lives of the ones you care for the whatever I’m doing. I want to become more than most: family, friends, patients, coworkers, even a person who prays, but a person formed and random strangers. I hope your Creator is at the top shaped and deepened by prayer in every way. of your time investment list as well. Prayer should be a benefit, not a burden. Help me to stay connected to You and make You a priority. You certainly have done that with me. Amen. LIVING OUR MISSION Devotional: Reverence Treat everyone as a regardless of their race and religion. We are therefore called to give generously and freely valued individual without expectations of receiving something in return. The Samaritan saw a person in need of One of our greatest values is our ministry to assistance and assisted him above and beyond. the poor and vulnerable. Not only do we treat Jesus also drew a sharp contrast between those everyone as a valued individual, but we respect who knew the law and those who actively cultural differences and honor everyone’s follow the law. individual preferences. We are therefore called as the Good Samaritan The parable of the Good Samaritan is a to respect the dignity of all persons and never wonderful example of how we can and judge or label anyone based on appearances, should help everyone through the healing socio-economic status, family systems or ministry of The Church. Jesus tells the story disease. A coworker should go the extra mile of a Samaritan (considered by many to be with compassion into the life of the sick, an outcast and unworthy of help), who was their families, the critically ill and the dying waylaid, robbed, deprived and stripped by and provide our compassionate presence, robbers. In this parable and story, Jesus to revitalize them with respect, integrity, compels us to “love your neighbor as compassion and excellence. Remember that yourself.” He never says love only those who Jesus himself said “In so far as you do it daily are like yourself. [to each and every patient] you are doing it to Him” (Matthew 25:40). This is the parable that calls us to compassion, to charity, love and to pity. The parable of the Good Samaritan is the parable that actively Prayer: urges us to get out of ourselves, to move out of Compassionate Savior, our comfort zone, to do good, to reach out and You were never afraid to touch the lepers, heal to put ourselves in another’s shoes (the shoes of the sick, help the poor in spirit. You value all the sufferer). It is compassion that makes us feel persons regardless of their status in life. Help with those who suffer and those who need to be me to see those who cross my path as Children ministered to. of God, who deserve compassionate caring By this parable, Jesus is telling us to follow simply because You are their Creator and You the Samaritan’s example in our conduct and expect nothing less from me. It is more blessed to show compassion and love to those we to give than to receive. Thank you for this encounter in our everyday activities. Jesus divine opportunity to love. demonstrated that we should love others Amen. LIVING OUR MISSION Devotional: Reverence Be mindful of the morning must spend it. You can’t save up time today and apply it toward tomorrow—there’s no such thing and evening prayers. Stop if as a 27-hour day. Each and every day, you have possible and bow your head. the opportunity to invest your precious commodity of time into the lives of the ones you care for the most: family, patients, coworkers even random Let’s say that your phone rings tomorrow strangers. I hope that your Creator is at the top of morning, and it’s a call from the manager of your your list as well. bank. He tells you, “I received a very unusual call the other day. Someone who loves you very What we choose to do with our time can make a much has given you a large sum of money. This difference or not. The psalmist wrote, “Show me, anonymous donor will be depositing 86,400 cents O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; into your account every single day.” let me know how fleeting is my life” (Psalm 39:4). “How’s that again?” you ask. I also like the way Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV): “Be very careful, “Every single day, this person will deposit 86,400 then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, cents into your account.” making the most of every opportunity, because Is that much money?, you wonder at first. Then the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but you get out your calculator and figure out that it understand what the Lord’s will is.” amounts to $864 every day. That’s pretty good, We have two opportunities to pause and you’re thinking. collectively spend time with our most important “But there is one condition,” the banker continues. relationship: Our Creator God. These prayers “You have to spend it every single day. You only last 45 – 60 seconds and can be the key can’t save it up. You can’t add it to the next day’s to centering your thoughts, starting your day balance. Every day, you must spend that money. positively and connecting to the One who loves What is not spent will be taken away. This person you the most. Is it too much to ask you to pause, will do this each and every day, but the condition bow your head and invest time into this most is that you must spend the money.” precious relationship? So you go back to your calculator and figure out Prayer: that $864 x 7 = $6,048 per week. That amount, Jesus, You have said that the most important multiplied by 52, comes to $314,496 per year. commandment is to love the LORD your God That’s a pretty good chunk of change. But you with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And know this would never happen in real life. secondly to love my neighbor as myself. Help me So let’s deal with reality. Someone who really to stay connected to You and make You a priority. does love you very much deposits into your Bank You certainly have done that with me. Amen. of Time: 86,400 seconds every single day. That someone is God. And the condition is that you LIVING OUR MISSION Devotional: Reverence Always greet and welcome We want to develop a genuinely friendly culture where everyone who comes here or everyone with a smile, eye works here feels welcomed. When they walk contact and a friendly greeting. through our doors, we want our employees to look our customers in the eye, say “Hello, How can I help you?, Welcome!” This means Science tells us we are more likely to perform we might have to change our patterns of a thoughtful deed when someone does one for looking at people instead of our cellphones or us. For instance, smiles are usually contagious. other distraction as we walk. When someone smiles at us, we naturally want to smile back. It is a ripple effect. When Be a part of imagining better health. Let your you greet others with a smile enough times, greetings, smiles and eye contact convey genuine it becomes a habit.