Friday 5 May 2023

Today is Friday the 5th of May, in the fourth week of Easter.

The community of Taizé sing Da Pacem Cordium: “Give peace to our hearts”. As I listen, I might join in this prayer, asking the Lord for peace in my heart, asking God to help me still myself for a moment, so I can listen to his gentle voice, speaking to my heart.

(Lyrics currently unavailable)

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.

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled’. Take a moment to observe how your heart is today as we begin this time of prayer…is it troubled? Or maybe it’s calm… share this with Jesus now…

Jesus has just told his disciples of the betrayal to come, and of Peter’s denial… can you imagine how they are feeling in this moment? What might they have needed to hear amid their fear?


Yet this is a passage of great comfort…as you listen again, listen with the disciples. Hear Jesus’ reassuring words for you. Which phrase stands out? You might like to carry it around with you today or tomorrow…

There is an invitation here to ‘believe in God’ and also in Jesus… How might this make a difference to any trouble you carry today? Talk with Jesus about this now as one friend speaks to another…


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.