Presence

I reflect for a moment on God’s presence around me and in me.
Creator of the universe, the sun and the moon, the earth,
every molecule, every atom, everything that is:
God is in every beat of my heart. God is with me, now.

Freedom

Lord, I pray for Your gift of freedom.
May Your Holy Spirit
guide those in power to work for
true justice for all Your people.

Consciousness

To be conscious of something is to be aware of it. Dear Lord, help me to remember that You gave me life. Thank You for the gift of life. Teach me to slow down, to be still and to enjoy the pleasures created for me, to be aware of the beauty that surrounds me: the marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility of a flower petal. I need to remember that all these things come from You.

The Word of God

¹³He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴And he appointed twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), ¹⁷James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder), ¹⁸and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over.

Inspiration

In St Luke’s account of Jesus choosing his apostles we read that Jesus spent the whole of previous night in prayer. In our big decisions we too need to pray earnestly for light and guidance, especially to the Holy Spirit.

It is consoling for us that from a human point of view Jesus did not get it totally right – he chose Judas Iscariot – but then we are always left free in our following of Jesus. May we use this freedom well in our decisions.

Conversation

What feelings are rising in me as I pray and reflect on God’s Word?
I imagine Jesus Himself sitting or standing near me and I open my heart to Him.

Conclusion

I thank God for His gift of love
as I go forth with joy and hope
to serve His people.

Amen