Tuesday 25 June 2024

Today is Tuesday 25 June, in the 12th week of Ordinary Time. Come, my way, my truth, my life. As you enter this time of prayer today, begin by inviting the Lord into your life. Take a moment to acknowledge the need for God to show you the way, to teach you the truth, to give you life. Come, my way, my truth, my life; Such a way, as gives us breath. Such a truth, as ends all strife： Such a life as killeth death. Come, my light, my feast, my strength; Such a light as shows a feast. Such a feast as mends in length, Such a strength as makes his guest, Come, my joy, my love, my heart; Such a joy as none can move. Such a love as none can part, Such a heart, as joys in love. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 7:6, 12-14 ‘Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you. ‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This is probably one of Jesus’ most famous sayings. He invites us to be as generous in our lives as God is generous to each of us. Would you say you treat other people generously? Do you feel that you are treated generously by others? “Enter through the narrow gate.” That, Jesus tells us, is the way to the kingdom of God. What baggage might you need to leave behind, in order to enter by that narrow gate? What do you need to let go of? These words, these sayings of Jesus are well-known, perhaps too well-known for us to hear them properly, so it takes a real effort to really hear what is being said to us. Listen again. Do you need help from the Lord to live in this way? Can you ask the Lord to help you to ‘travel light’, to help you leave behind all that clutters your journey, all that holds you back from living your life with the same generosity that God shows us? 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.