The Feast of St Justin | Wednesday 1 June 2022

Today is Wednesday the 1st of June, the feast of St Justin, in the seventh week of Easter.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. The most important thing for me to do now, as I enter into prayer, is to let go for a moment, to let go of my own concerns, my own worries and fears and reluctance, and let myself be led by God, trusting that God, who loves me, will lead me into life.
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.


Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 20:28-38
'Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ’
When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

Today we hear a moving scene of farewell. He describes the elders as people whom God’s Holy Spirit has made ‘overseers’ of the church, shepherds of a flock. What an appointment! What a responsibility! Are you aware of any appointment in your life? It doesn’t need to be a grand role. It could be the humblest of jobs. What do you need in order to fulfil the role God’s Holy Spirit has appointed you to do?
“I commend you to God and to the message of his grace.” How does it feel to have those words spoken over you?

As you hear the passage again, how does Paul’s character - as one sure of his appointment - strike you?
In these closing moments you might want to talk with the Lord about what you need to fulfil a particular role.

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.