Presence

Dear Jesus, today I call on You in a special way. Mostly I come asking for favours. Today I’d like just to be in Your presence. Let my heart respond to Your Love.

Freedom

Your death on the Cross has set me free.
I can live joyously and freely,
without fear of death.
Your mercy knows no bounds.

Consciousness

I am surrounded by Your loving presence, Lord,
but I am aware of my fragility and weakness.
Thank You that I can face my shortcomings
in Your merciful embrace.

The Word of God

³⁴As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. ³⁵When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; ³⁶send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” ³⁷But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. ⁴¹Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴²And all ate and were filled, ⁴³and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ⁴⁴Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Inspiration

Even when it grew late these hungry ‘sheep’ did not grumble and complain about Jesus preaching to them in this ‘ deserted place’. They were being fed in their spirits by his words and his message. When the soul is being fed the needs of the body are lessened and we can attend more to the hunger in our souls.

Our God is a God who provides for all our needs. Let us thank him for everything, but especially for the bread of life that we receive in the Eucharist.

Conversation

I settle myself once again after hearing the Word of God. What would I like to take with me into my day? What do I want to remember from today’s reading or prayer time?

Conclusion

Filled with the loving presence of God,
I ask Him to bless me and guide my steps
as I go to do His work in my daily life.

Amen