Thursday 30 June 2022

Today is Thursday the 30th June, in the 13th week of Ordinary Time.

One Hope Project sings, ‘My Soul Rests’. As you settle in to prayer today, become aware of the God of love gazing on you now, beckoning you into God’s presence.

Here in this mystery
Here in Your majesty
I find myself
With nothing to offer
Your love surrounds me
You give me yourself
My soul rests my soul rests
In your embrace
My spirit sings my spirit sings
All your praise
Here in your presence
The whole host of heaven
Bows down low
There’s no higher honour
No love that’s greater
You make us your own
You’re so close Jesus so close to me
Like the breath in my lungs
You’re so close Jesus so close to me
Like the breath in my lungs

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 9:1-8

And after getting into a boat he crossed the water and came to his own town.

And just then some people were carrying a paralysed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’ Then some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he then said to the paralytic—‘Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.’ And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

“Take heart, son.” Hear the tone Jesus uses. How does it sound to you? Warm? Compassionate? Notice how Jesus sounds here and stay with his voice for a moment…

“Your sins are forgiven.” How do you imagine the reaction of those around at this moment? Those scribes who said to themselves ‘This man is blaspheming’…what do they sound like to you? How is their tone in contrast to Jesus’s?

As you hear the passage again notice what touches you afresh.
In these closing moments bring what has touched you to the Lord in prayer.

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.