Monday 12 September 2022

Today is Monday the 12th of September, in the twenty fourth week of Ordinary time.


The Kings singers sing Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis.
‘I have never put my hope in any other but in you’.
As I begin this time of prayer today, can I speak those words to God?
Can I place all my hope, all my trust, all my faith in him?

Spem in alium nunquam habui
Praeter in te, Deus Israel
Qui irasceris et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum
in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator caeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostrum


I have never put my hope in any other
but in Thee, God of Israel
who canst show both wrath and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins
of man in suffering
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
Regard our humility


Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 7:1-10
After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’ And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.

A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death.

When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave.

When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us."

And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.

For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it."

When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

The Centurion was a man of authority, yet a humble person and a person of faith. Which of these – authority, humility or faith – do you value most and want most?

The Jewish elders believed in Jesus’s power to heal, so did the Centurion. What do you believe about Jesus’s power to heal you? What healing do you want from him?

The elders called the Centurion “worthy”. How worthy do you feel to ask, and to receive, any favours from Jesus?

Listen again to the reading and this time pay more attention to the Centurion. Notice how he loves and acts out of love.

What, right now, do you want to ask for from Jesus?


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.