Pray As You Go - Daily Prayer

Today is Sunday the 22nd of September, beginning the 25th week of Ordinary Time. Moira Smiley sings, ‘Keep Me Safe’, a setting of Psalm 16 by Steven Faux. As you listen, can you make these words your own, turning this song into your own prayer? Today’s reading is from the Book of Wisdom. Wisdom 2:12,17-20 ‘Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.’ Disturbing words today from what sounds like a group of trap-setters, a gang of bullies, lying in wait for an opportune moment to catch their prey, here ‘the righteous man’. Do the words remind you of any other part of Scripture? Or of any other events or characters? Perhaps you are subjected to testing of this kind. Let God hold you very close in this moment. Spend some time, right now, praying for followers of Christ - the world over - who are being persecuted for what they believe. As you hear the passage again, immerse yourself in the darkness of it. It might help you to understand the kind of trouble that people who are persecuted today are going through. It might give you a window into the very testing that Jesus himself experienced. As this prayer time comes to a close, on this Sunday, a day when many can worship God in freedom, ask God to renew your prayers for those who are persecuted. 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.

Welcome to the Saturday Examen. Start by quietening down. Become still. Let God throw light on your prayer today. Ask for that illumination. Imagine the light flooding into the place where you are sitting. Breathe in the life of God. Breathe out your tensions in this very moment. Breathe in the life of God. Breathe out your tensions in this very moment. Take time over this life-giving practice. What signs of life do you see around you right now? Focus. Perhaps an animal nearby, its playful behaviour; perhaps a plant, its shape, the detail in its leaves, the intensity of its colour; perhaps your own body, its own intricate workings. Marvel at the life and breath in and around you. Give thanks for life in all its fullness. Think back over your week. Where did you notice life and light? A handshake, a surprise, a smile, an enlightening conversation? God’s gift. Give God thanks. Was there a time when you struggled? Let God know about it. All of it. How it made you feel. Become aware of God’s compassion, deep compassion. What will you need help with in the coming days? Invite God to look at your diary with you. Spread it all out before God. Just ask for what you need. 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.

Today is Friday the 20th of September, the feast of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and Companions, in the 24th week of Ordinary Time. The Community of Taizé sing “the Kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom.” Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 8:1-3 Soon afterwards [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. Picture Jesus going through cities and villages. What strikes you about the work he is doing? Is it tiring? Relentless? Purposeful? He’s ‘proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God’. How do you imagine he’s doing this? With words? Actions? Addressing crowds? Private conversations? Stay with those images of his day-to-day life and work. What does he need to sustain this constant giving out of himself? Notice his companions. The writer of this gospel, Luke, mentions ‘the twelve’, but also a number of women by name. As you hear the passage again, imagine how it might have felt to be supporting Jesus in his work. You might want to join in. In these closing moments, you might want to ask Jesus how he felt about his supporters during his ministry. You might want to share with him how you spend your day-to-day life, and ask him to share his thoughts. 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.

Today is Thursday the 19th of September in the 24th week of Ordinary Time. Juliano Ravanello sings 'Sanctus'. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts: heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Today, we will only hear the scripture through once… Luke 7:36-50 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’ ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’ Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ Today’s reflection will take the form of imaginative contemplation, (an Ignatian method of encountering Jesus in the gospels). Take your time over this exercise. You might want to pause the recording as you go along, or perhaps listen to it again during the day. Let the scene stay with you for a while. Picture the scene. Perhaps it’s a stage production, or a painting, or a scene in which you can place yourself. Immerse yourself in any surprises that come your way, the sights, any sounds however subtle, any rich aromas, any array of textures. You might choose to be one of the characters. Be that character with all its complexities, all its depth of humanity. You might simply choose to be yourself. What do you notice about the home you are in? The people around you, their clothes, their facial expressions? Take it all in. The scene opens with a table laid for a meal. How does the table look? Take time to admire it, perhaps even sample something to eat. Simon, the host, is receiving his guests, Jesus himself amongst them. Watch as he takes his place at the table. How does he move? Talk with people? How do he and Simon converse? Watch how the woman with the alabaster jar arrives. Notice how she approaches. What does she look like? Do you recognise her? Can you empathise with her, or is she somehow in a place that feels unfamiliar to you? Sit with whatever comes naturally to you. Take in everything about her. The woman begins to weep. Can you hear her crying? How does that make you feel? Consider the alabaster jar of ointment for a moment. Take it in… Notice its value. Breathe in its scent. What are your thoughts? Let the scene unfold. Notice your reaction to everything that plays out in front of you. Jesus reading Simon’s thoughts. Simon’s facial expression. Listen to Jesus telling the story that will reveal Simon as he truly is. Listen as Jesus compares the woman’s outpouring of love with Simon’s calculated cold-heartedness. How would you describe Jesus’ tone of voice as he speaks to Simon? Jesus says to the woman “Your sins are forgiven.” Notice your reaction. How do you feel having witnessed this scene, perhaps even having been a part of it? Now, finally, let Jesus turn to you and address you. In this closing moment, tell Jesus whatever is on your heart. Ask any questions you need to. You might need help to express love. Let Jesus know. 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.

Today is Wednesday the 18th of September in the 24th week of Ordinary Time. Leslie Jordan sings, ‘Love Will Never Fail’. Love is patient, love is kind It has no arrogance or pride It seeks the good of others first It keeps no record of wrong or hurt It finds no joy in wickedness But rejoices in the truth Through it all, it will endure Love will never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never fail Though all prophecy will cease Though all knowledge, it will fade Oh, an end will come to speech Even death will pass away We will see You face to face And Your mercy will prevail Faith and hope they will remain Love will never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never, never fail Love will never fail Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. How can any of us measure up when we hear these familiar yet deeply challenging words? But remember, God is love. God encompasses all the loving attributes described in the passage. Stay with that for a moment. How has God shown patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness to you recently? If you were to express regret to God for a time you have withheld love in a particular situation, how might you word it? As you listen to the passage again, let your heart be lifted up. There will be times - many times - when you’ve been deeply loving towards others. Call to mind those times with joy and let God smile on the love that you show. What do you want to say to God now? Let God know how deeply you feel, expressing both your regrets and your joys. 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.

Today is Tuesday the 17th of September, the feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine SJ, in the 24th week of Ordinary Time. Josh Garrels, with The Porter’s Gate, sings ‘Christ Has No Body Now But Yours’. Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He sees, Yours are the feet with which He walks, Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world: Yours are the hands. Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. How does it feel to be part of a group? Included? Valued? Needed? What are the gifts you bring to the community around you? It’s sometimes difficult to work together. How can we rise above that, making sure we function well as a whole? As you hear the passage again, picture your role in the Body of Christ. What do you need to do to feel included or, just as importantly, to draw in someone else? Perhaps you are longing to play your part in the Body of Christ. Or perhaps you’re aware of someone who needs to be recognised. What do you want to say to Jesus, to the very Body of Christ? Do that now as honestly as you can… 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.

Today is Monday the 16th of September, the feast of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, in the 24th week of Ordinary Time. The Cape Town Camerata sings ‘Wana Baraka’: They have blessings, those who pray; Jesus himself said so. Alleluia! They have peace. They have joy. They have well-being. Alleluia! Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 7:1-10 After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’ And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health. Notice the behaviours, attitudes, values that stand out in this account… Love? Loyalty? Humility? Name some others. Does anything surprise you about the centurion, as it surprised Jesus? The centurion asks from Jesus what he deeply desires. Are you able to do the same? The centurion and Jesus don’t physically meet in this account. But each has a strong and accurate picture of the other. How would Jesus accurately describe you? Listen again, picture these deeply human scenes of longing, and try to feel the emotions of all the characters involved. Speak with this very same Jesus, who met the needs of the centurion from afar, and let him know what is on your heart. 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.

Today is Sunday the 15th of September, beginning the 24th week of Ordinary Time. Jon and Valerie Guerra with the Porter’s Gate sing, ‘Do With It What You Will’. You have given all to me To you O Lord I return it Everything I have is yours Do with it what you will You will gather all of me Every gift, every burden Every day and every hour Do with it what you will I lift it up; I lay it down at your table. Multiply my sacrifice; for you are able. I will take my daily cross Every step of the journey I will bear it for your sake Do with it what you will Take my laughter and my loss Make them tools of your mercy Anything my hands can make Do with it what you will Today’s reading is from the Letter of James. James 2:14-18 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. Today’s reading may present a challenge, as James writes that, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. In what practical ways is your faith lived out with those around you? Imagine now, that you invite Jesus into your everyday space, your journey to work…your office… or the street where you live for example. Take an imaginary walk with Jesus around this area…. Talk with him about someone you are concerned about. Now let Jesus speak to you about the people around you. Perhaps there is someone he would like you to help, by offering love in a practical way. What might this be? Listen to the reading again, continuing to be with Jesus in this space. What, or who, comes to mind as you listen? Finally, end this prayer time in gratitude for God’s abiding love and presence in your daily life. You might like to open your hands as a sign of your faith and your openness to the Lord’s unexpected ways of working through you 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.

Welcome to the Saturday Examen. As you begin your time of prayer, look around the space in which you are praying… try to feel at home in yourself and ready to welcome the Lord during this prayer time. Now imagine that Jesus comes to join you in your prayer space. How do you greet one another? Picture where does he sits or stands? Now begin reviewing your week together. Perhaps Jesus asks you, “How has your week been?” What do you reply? This past week, we have already spent time in the presence of Jesus as we’ve heard readings from Luke’s Gospel. The following sentences serve as a reminder of the reading from each day. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. Now during those days, he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Now, as you reflect on the past week, share with the Lord anything that was challenging or perhaps difficult, asking how this might bring some kind of change out of challenge. Recall a moment when you felt consoled or enlivened in your faith and give thanks to the Lord for this gift to you. Spend a while with Jesus in your prayer space, together as one friend with another, perhaps in quietness, or maybe by letting your conversation continue for as long as you wish. 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.

Today is Friday the 13th of September, the feast of Saint John Chrysostom, in the 23rd week of Ordinary Time. The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Aveugle de Coeur: “Blind in heart since my birth, I come to you, Light of the world…. Let me live as a child of light”. As you listen, spend some time asking the Lord to open your eyes to what God wants you to see. Ask God to shine God’s light into your life. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 6:39-42 He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye. In today’s reading, Jesus is teaching about judging others and the hypocrisy of not noticing our own imperfections. How do these words of Jesus impact you? Can you recall a time recently when you’ve been critical of another person? Remember before the Lord the words you said or the thoughts you had. There is a big difference between a small speck in another’s eye and having a log in your own eye. Jesus is using a vivid and perhaps funny metaphor… those around him might have laughed. But perhaps we can imagine a little discomfort as they noticed the truth in his words. Take a moment to ask the Lord to help you locate any “logs” in your own eye… perhaps something in your life that might affect the way you see and judge others. There could be a hardness of heart or a bitterness… or maybe a time when you yourself were unfairly judged or criticised. As you hear the reading again, try to receive them as if the Lord were saying these words to you personally. Take a few moments to respond to the Lord, perhaps asking for a gentle healing or a “log removal” of something that is affecting your relationships with others. What does the Lord want to say or do for you 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.