The Feast of St Irenaeus | Wednesday 28 June 2023

Today is Wednesday the 28th of June, the feast of St Irenaeus, in the 12th week of Ordinary time.

Oculi mei ad Dominum Deum: My eyes are on the Lord God. Wherever I am right now, on the way to work, walking in the park, sitting at home… what can I see? What can I see around me? I remember for a moment that God is present in all of this, that all of this has been made by God, and is loved by God, that God holds me, and all of this, in the palm of his hand.

Oculi mei ad Dominum Deum
Like the deer that yearns for running streams
So my soul is yearning for my God
My tears have become my bread day and night
As I hear it said: ‘Where is your God?’
Oculi mei ad Dominum Deum
By day the Lord will send His loving Spirit
By night I will sing praises to the God of my life
Send our Your light and Your truth as my guide
To lead me to Your holy ground
Oculi mei ad Dominum Deum
Then shall I go to the God of my joy
Singing praise, praise on the lyre and the harp
Why so downcast my soul?
Put your hope and trust in my Saviour, my God
Oculi mei ad Dominum Deum

Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis.


Genesis 13: 2, 5-18

Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, and there was strife between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’ Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastwards; thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northwards and southwards and eastwards and westwards; for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring for ever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.’ So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Today’s reading shows a vivid, cinematic scene of nomadic life. Let your imagination roam over the rich colours… hear the noise… look into the tents, watch the herds of animals, the people. Shade your eyes. Take a broad look over the sweeping landscape, the plains, stretching out in front of you.


Yesterday’s reading included Jesus’ words to treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. Abram demonstrates this here, putting his nephew’s wishes before his own. He could just as easily have exerted his right, as the elder, to be respected. What do you make of this older family member keeping the peace by putting the younger one first? It seems that Abram is holding what he has - his possessions, his future - with a light touch. Do you have that kind of confidence?


As you hear the passage again, notice where God is. What do you make of the relationship that Abram has with God, and God with Abram?

As this reflection time comes to a close, you might want to speak to God about what you hold tightly… Notice how God responds to you…

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.