Monday 23 August 2021

Today is Monday, the 23 August, in the Twenty First Week of Ordinary Time.

The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing Ecce quam bonum: “How good and how pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity!  It is like precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.”

Today’s reading is from the first Letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 1: 2-5, 8-10

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of people we proved to be among you for your sake. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Paul begins his prayer by thanking God for his friends, his companions in faith.  As you begin your prayer today, is there anyone you would like to thank God for?  Someone whose faith inspires you? Who is especially loving? Who brings you hope?

He calls his friends ‘brothers and sisters beloved by God’.  Do you have a sense of being beloved by God?  Chosen by God? How does that feel?

In being chosen by God, we are invited to become faithful followers of Christ.  As you listen again, be aware of any of the words or phrases which seem to speak directly to you, that move you.

In the closing moments of your prayer, turn to Jesus and share with him what is touching you, perhaps something you are grateful for, or something that you long for.

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.