Pray As You Go - Daily Prayer

Today is Wednesday the 14th August, the feast of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, in the 19th week of Ordinary Time. The Cape Town Camerata sings, Ndikhokhele Bawo. ‘Father, Lead Me’. How might God be leading you today? Ndikhokhele Bawo, zundikhokhele (Lead me oh Father, lead me) Ndikhokhele mmeli wami ezintsizini, Zalomhlaba Bawo (Lead me my saviour in all the sorrows of this world, Father) Bawo, Bawo, Bawo (Father, Father, Father) Bawo ndiyabonga Ngoba wena usandigcinile (Father I thank you, for you still protect me) Mmeli wami Bawo uhlal’ uhlele duzekwami (Father, Saviour, you calm my fears) Bawo ndiyabonga ngoba wena usandigcinile (Father I thank you, for you still protect me) Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 18:15-20 ‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’ As you consider this reading, how does it echo in your life? Are you aware of being hurt by someone, or worried about a particular relationship? What situations in your life come to mind? Pick out one or two to stay with just for a while. Take a moment to consider how God is looking at you at this time. How do you respond to God’s gaze? How do you respond to God looking at the situations in your life that cause you anxiety or concern? Listen again to Jesus’s words. As a particular word or phrase strikes you, stay with it, perhaps repeating it to yourself and letting it sink deeper into you. As you bring together the words of Jesus and your thoughts about your own life, speak to Jesus about what you’re thinking and feeling. Speak as you would to a friend, then listen to his response, or just remain in silence with him, noticing what you’re feeling. 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 13th August in the 19th week of Ordinary Time. O Lord, my heart is not proud. As I enter into prayer now, can I put aside for a moment my pride, any sense of self-importance I may have, and place myself humbly into the hands of my God, God who knows all my faults and failings and loves me still? O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great, nor marvels beyond me. Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace; at rest, as a child in its mother’s arms, so is my soul. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost. More than once in this passage, Jesus talks about the “little ones”; the “little ones” for whom God has a special care and concern. Who are the “little ones” in the world that you live in – in your country, in your town? Who are the people with no power or strength of their own to rely on? Jesus makes what seems a very strange and blunt demand here. “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” What does he mean? What are the childlike qualities Jesus wants us to have? As you hear the reading again, notice what it is about children and ‘little ones’ that Jesus says makes them special in the eyes of God. Perhaps you see yourself as one of these little ones, one of the lost sheep. Or maybe this passage has said something to you about people you encounter who are lost or vulnerable, or even about your own children. Whatever feelings this passage has stirred in you, bring them before the Lord now. Speak to him about what is in 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 Monday the 12th August in the 19th week of Ordinary Time. Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, sing the Shestopsalmiye from Rachmaninov’s Vespers: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.’ Slava v vyshnikh Bogu, i na zemli mir, v chelovetsekh blagovoleniye. Gospodi, ustne moyi otverzeshi, i usta moya vozvestyat khvalu Tvoyu Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 17:22-27 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?’ He said, ‘Yes, he does.’ And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?’ When Peter said, ‘From others’, Jesus said to him, ‘Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offence to them, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.’ As you listened to this scene, what did you notice? Were you drawn to the conversation about taxes? Or to Jesus’s words about children being free? Or perhaps to his desire not to give offence? What stays with you from this reading? Take a moment to just stay with a part of the scene, recalling the words or images. Let your attention come to Jesus as he speaks to Peter. As you consider Jesus in this passage, what do you feel? How do you react to him? Listen again to this story, to the conversation between these friends, Peter and Jesus. Again, notice what you’re feeling as you listen. Take a few moments now to join the conversation with Jesus. You might want to speak about this story – or there may be something else that’s on your mind. Speak to him as you would to a friend and listen to what he may say to you. 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 11 August, beginning the 19th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra sings, ‘The Lord Will Provide’. Whatever you are facing today, take a moment to recognise the presence of God with you. In some way or another, the Lord will provide It may not be my way It may not be your way, but He will At some time or another, the Lord will provide It may not be my time It may not be your time; we will Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide And the drive was almost over And our love was almost gone But the veins of the blood Of the love between us Held up For the ways of God are higher And the ways of God are small And the days of men amount to Nothing at all Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide Today’s reading is from the First Book of Kings. 1 Kings 19:4-8 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. In this story, the prophet Elijah is fed up with God. Why do you think this is? Have you ever felt like this? God’s provision for you over the years might not have arrived in the form of a nap and a cake… But how has it arrived in times of distress for you? Perhaps you are still waiting for it to arrive now… Now listen as the passage is read once more; what really strikes you about it this time? How have you been feeling during these moments of prayer? Do you think that you might turn these feelings into a prayer to God? 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. Take a moment to become still before God. Where can you recognise God wherever you are right now? Perhaps in another person… perhaps in creation or in something in your house… Begin to let the events of your week naturally rise to the surface of your mind. As you look back over this week of prayer, what really stands out for you? Did you at all feel the presence of God in your prayer this week? Was there one particular scripture passage or verse that really spoke to you this week? What do you think it is saying to you now? Was there a point when you really experienced a lightness of heart, and felt that God was there? Was there a moment when you had no sense at all of the presence of God? Why do you think that might have been? What do you think God is saying to you today in your prayer? How are you going to respond? 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 9 August, the feast of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. Eliza King sings, ‘My Beloved’. How do these words speak to you today? The bread that I feast on The well that I draw from The ground that I stand on And the name that I call My strength in the morning My peace in the evening My reason for living When life just feels too heavy So this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved I shelter in His mercy And in the shadow of His wings Yeah this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved Bearing all my weakness He makes up for all these things All I have to do is lean The bread that I feast on The well that I draw from The ground that I stand on And the name that I call My strength in the morning My peace in the evening My reason for living When life just feels too heavy So this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved I shelter in His mercy And in the shadow of His wings Yeah this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved Bearing all my weakness He makes up for all these things So let my eyes not look for anything but the gaze of my true love And let my hands not reach for anything that may come in between us Let my heart not search for refuge and strength in counterfeit places And let my feet not walk toward any rest that isn't Your presence No this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved Now I've seen His beauty I'm ruined for all the others Yeah this is where you'll find me Leaning on my beloved No one else could draw my heart away, my heart away For I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine And all I have to do is lean All I have to do is lean So this is where you'll find me, where you'll find me This is where you'll find me Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 25:1-13 ‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. This extraordinary story only appears in Matthew’s Gospel. How does this parable speak to you? Notice the “foolish” bridesmaids…what did they get wrong? Do you recognise anything similar in your own life? Notice now the attitude of the “wise” bridesmaids? What do you recognise of their behaviour in your life now? Now listen as the story is read to you once more. What really strikes you about it this time? Finally, can you recall where you were moved as you listened? Do you think that you might turn that into a prayer to God? 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 8 August, the feast of Saint Dominic, in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. The monks of Keur Moussa sing: ‘Lord Jesus, we await your coming in faith, more sure of seeing your day than a watchman awaiting the dawn.’ (Lyrics currently unavailable) Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 16:13-23 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ “Who do you say I am?” How might you answer this question about Jesus? “He ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” Why does Jesus give this instruction, do you think? As you listen to the passage again, spend some time with Peter… you might like to imagine yourself as one of the disciples or as Peter himself. How do you experience this encounter with Jesus? Finally, try to look back over the last few minutes. Was there anything that arose in your heart that you would like to turn into a prayer to God? 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 7 August in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. Josh Garrels sings, ‘Steadfast’. What word would you use to describe God today as you enter into prayer? I will build my house Whether storm or drought On the rock that does not move I will set my hope In your love, O Lord And Your faithfulness will prove You are steadfast, steadfast You are steadfast, steadfast By the word You spoke All the starry host Are called out by name each night In Your watchful care I will rest secure As You lead me with Your light You are steadfast, steadfast You are steadfast, steadfast I will not trust in the strength of kings On Your promise I will stand I will shout for joy, I will raise my voice Hallelujah to the Lamb! You are steadfast, steadfast You are steadfast, steadfast In the moment of emptiness All was fulfilled In the hour of darkness Your light was revealed In the presence of death Your life was affirmed In the absence of holiness You are still God You are steadfast, steadfast You are steadfast, steadfast Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31:1-7 At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’ This is a lovely passage, the glimpse of a glorious future when Israel might at last return from their experience of exile. How would you describe the mood of this passage? Is there a single word or phrase you heard in this passage that, for you, describes what God is up to? Now listen once more as the passage is read again. Does anything really strike you this time? Finally, look back over the feelings and moods that you have experienced during these moments, and try to turn them into a prayer to God. 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 6 August, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing Assumpsit Jesus: ‘Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, and he was transfigured in front of them.’ (Lyrics currently unavailable) Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 9:2-10 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. You might have prayed with this passage of the Transfiguration many times before. Take a moment to imagine the scene before you. Does something draw your attention in particular? Notice Peter’s idea about building “three dwellings”. Is it a good idea, do you think? How might you have responded in his position? “This is my Son the Beloved.” As you listen to the passage again, imagine this moment… how does the voice sound? Finally, see if you can gather together the feelings and thoughts that have arisen within you during this time of prayer. Can you now turn them into a prayer to God? 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 5 August in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. The University of Johannesburg Choir sings the Kyrie from Missa De Meridiana Terra: Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy. These imploring words, which have been sung for centuries, are a reminder of the inexhaustible mercy of God, of God’s unfailing compassion and forgiveness. Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 14:1-12 At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; and he said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been telling him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.’ The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus. This is a most extraordinary story, the gratuitous murder of John the Baptist. How does it sit with you as you’ve listened? Why do you think Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist returned to life? What feelings might have been going on inside him, do you think? We hear that Herod was “afraid of the crowd”. Why do you think that was? What was he so afraid of? Now listen as the passage is read again. Does anything powerfully strike you this time? Finally, see if you can turn all this into a prayer to God, in your own words. 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.