Presence

As I enter this time of prayer, I become aware of my breath that is God’s life-sustaining gift to me. I allow myself to breathe a little more slowly, deeply and gently for a couple of moments.

Freedom

If God were trying to tell me something, would I know?
If God were reassuring me or challenging me, would I notice?
I ask for the grace to be free of my own preoccupations
and open to what God may be saying to me.

Consciousness

Dear Lord, open me to hear and receive Your Word today. May it bear much fruit in my life, and in the lives of others.

The Word of God

¹Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. ²These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; ⁴Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, ⁶but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’^,

Inspiration

In the presence of Jesus, as he walked among us, the kingdom of God came near to us. He still walks with us and invites us to be his eyes, his hands, his voice and his feet to bring to others the Good News of the kingdom. Let us pray the Prayer of St Teresa of Avila: ‘Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. You are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Amen.’

Conversation

Jesus, You always welcomed little children when You walked on this earth.
Teach me to have a childlike trust in You,
to live in the knowledge that You will never abandon me.

Conclusion

I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text.

Amen