Wednesday 5 June 2024

Today is Wednesday 5 June, the feast of St Boniface, in the 9th week of Ordinary Time. The community of Taizé sing Tui amoris ignem. ‘Holy Spirit, come to us. Kindle in us the fire of your love.’ Veni Sancte Spiritus Tui amoris ignem accende Today’s reading is from St Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. ‘Fan into a flame the gift that God gave you’: what gift are you aware of that God has given you, that needs to be fanned into a flame, kindled, nurtured…. ? Can you ask God for help with this? The Spirit of Timidity… and the Spirit of Power, Love and Self-Control: do you recognise those different spirits? Do you see them in yourself? As you listen to the reading again, notice which words or phrases strike you and how you respond in your mind and heart. Talk to God about what has struck you in this reading and how it affects your life and your relationships. 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.