Monday 28 April 2025 - Increasing faith

Monday 28 April 2025

Today is Monday the 28th of April, the feast of St George, in the 2nd week of Eastertide. Harpa Dei sing, Abune dbashmayo; the Our Father in Aramaic. As you listen to this prayer in the same language Jesus would have spoken, notice what is staying with you… you might like to pray the Our Father alongside in your native, heart language. Abune d'bashmayo nithqadash shmokh tithe malkuthokh nehwe sebyonokh aykano d'bashmayo oph bar`o hab lan lahmo d'sunqonan yowmono washbuq lan hawbayn wahtohayn aykano doph hnan shbaqan l'hayobayn lo ta`lan l'nesyuno elo paso lan men bisho metul d'dylokh hi malkutho whaylo wteshbuhto l`olam `olmin Amin Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 4:23-31 After [Peter and John] were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.” For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. In today’s reading we join the disciples with Peter and John. Having healed the man at the Temple gate, they are released from being apprehended by the Sadducees. They have spoken the praises of God publicly and boldly and have been given a strict warning not to continue to speak about Jesus. Together as they gather now, the community raise their voices in worship. Try for a moment to picture this prayer meeting as if you are there, listening to the voices of the believers, singing their praises to God. Try to imagine what feelings are around, with increasing faith and their wonderment in witnessing healings, signs and wonders. Can you recall a time when you have experienced a sense of awe in the presence of God? What was this like? As you listen to the reading again, continue to imagine that you are present with the apostles and their friends. Acts 4:23-31 After [Peter and John] were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.” For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. ‘The place where they were gathered was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness’. Although under constant threat of punishment, the believers are being given grace to keep on speaking about Jesus. End your prayer time today by speaking with the Lord about the reading. Where might you need his grace today? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen