Friday 30 June 2023

Today is Friday the 30th of June, in the 12th week of Ordinary time.

The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing the Benedictus: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people and redeemed them. He has raised up for us a mighty saviour in the house of David his servant, as he promised by the lips of holy men, those who were his prophets from of old. A saviour who would free us from our foes, from the hands of all who hate us.

So his love for our ancestors is fulfilled and his holy covenant remembered. He swore to Abraham our father to grant us, that free from fear, and saved from the hands of our foes, we might serve him in holiness and justice all the days of our life in his presence.”

Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel;
quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebi suae
Et erexit cornu salutis nobis,
in domo David pueri sui,
Sicut locutus est per os sanctorum,
qui a saeculo sunt, prophetarum eius,
Salutem ex inimicis nostris,
et de manu omnium, qui oderunt nos;
Ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris,
et memorari testamenti sui sancti,
Iusiurandum, quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum,
daturum se nobis,
Ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum liberati,
serviamus illi
In sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso
omnibus diebus nostris.
Et tu, puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis:
praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius,
Ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius
n remissionem peccatorum eorum,
Per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri,
in quibus visitabit nos oriens ex alto,
Illuminare his, qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent,
ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis.

Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis.


Genesis 17: 1,9-10, 15-22

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.

God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight!’ God said, ‘No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.’ And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

At the age of ninety-nine Abraham receives astounding news from God. We read that “God appeared to Abraham.” And there follows a conversation. What do you make of the conversation? What made Abraham able to converse with God, do you think?


God begins with a statement: “I am God Almighty.” How might that clarity inspire confidence in Abraham? Is this something you are also inspired by?

As you hear the passage again, listen carefully to the conversation, how it develops, and who says what.


As this prayer time draws to a close, how might I develop a conversational style with God? Abraham was brutally honest in expressing his doubts, even to the Almighty. Talk to God. Let God know whatever is on your heart.


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.