Friday 13 May 2022

Today is Friday the 13th of May in the fourth week of Easter.

The St Thomas Music Group sing the Prayer of St Theresa by Margaret Rizza. Let nothing disturb you, nothing distress you. While all things fade away, God is unchanging. Be patient, for with God in your heart, nothing is lacking. God is enough.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.
John 14:1-6
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We return to the theme of belief in today’s passage. Earlier this week, you were invited to locate where your own belief in Christ might reside in your body… In our passage today, Jesus calls for belief. “Believe in God, believe also in me.” How do you experience this invitation? Notice what stirs in you, perhaps physically…
As we walk our Christian pilgrimages, we are faced with so many unknowns; so many mysteries and uncertainties… “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Can you recall a moment of asking something similar to Thomas’ question? Maybe this is where you find yourself at the moment…

As you hear the passage read again, listen out for the hopeful reassurances Jesus provides…
As we close this time of prayer, was there a particular reassurance given by Jesus that has stayed with you?
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places…
I go to prepare a place for you…
I will come again and will take you to myself…
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…
You might like to choose one of these to sit with in these last few moments.

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.