Wednesday 26 October 2022

Today is Wednesday the 26th of October, in the 30th week of Ordinary time.

The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing: “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.”

Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum, habitare fratres in unum!
Sicut unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron,
quod descendit in oram vestimenti ejus;
sicut ros Hermon, qui descendit in montem Sion.
Quoniam illic mandavit Dominus benedictionem, et vitam usque in saeculum.

Today’s reading is from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:1-9

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honour your father and mother’—this is the first commandment with a promise: ‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Servants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are servants or free.

And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

In today’s reading, Saint Paul gives instructions for right relationships between people in Christian households.

The first is this: ‘Honour your father and mother so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

Perhaps this honouring within relationships is something that comes naturally for you, or maybe it’s something you struggle with.

What arises in you as you hear this commandment today?

Talk with God about your experience of honouring others and being honoured.

You may like to give thanks where this has happened or acknowledge where honour has been missing.

As you listen to the reading again, notice which instructions or words most speak to you.

Saint Paul continues by addressing the relationship between servants and masters, a reminder that as Christians we are to honour God by doing his will from the heart, to serve with enthusiasm and not just to please others.

This is not always easy, especially if we struggle with an aspect of our work.

Is there a role or task in your life you would like to offer up to God to honour him, from your heart today?

Take a moment to do this and notice the presence of God with you now. Perhaps you can you let God honour your offering.

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.