Wednesday 22 May 2024

Today is Wednesday 22 May, in the 7th week of Ordinary Time. The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘Instrument of Peace’. Can you make these words your own today? Lord make me An instrument of peace An instrument of peace Where is there hatred let me sow love Where there is darkness let me sow light For in the giving we shall receive And in the dying we’re given life Lord make me An instrument of peace An instrument of peace Where there is sorrow let me sow hope Where there is doubt let me sow faith Where there is injury your pardon give Your consolation to those in pain Lord make me An instrument of peace An instrument of peace Amen Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 9:38-40 John said to [Jesus], ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. John complains about other people doing things in the name of Jesus, and tries to stop them. Does this have any echoes for you of the situation today among different groups of Jesus's followers - the different churches? Does it even reflect something of your own feelings or attitude? Jesus could have said "Whoever is not with us is against us", excluding all but his immediate friends… but he doesn't - he says "whoever is not against us is for us". What might this say about the divisions among Christians today, and Jesus's attitude to those divisions? As you hear this short passage read again, imagine yourself overhearing this conversation from a distance, as someone who has never met Jesus, who is not part of the "in-crowd", but wants to get closer to him. How do you feel when you overhear all this? What feelings has praying with this scene stirred in you? Is there something you have learned, or something you want to say to Jesus now? Speak to him freely now - tell him whatever you want to tell him. 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.