The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary | Tuesday 12 September 2023

Today is Tuesday 12 September, the feast of the most Holy name of Mary, in the 23rd week of Ordinary time.



The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing: Ego vos elegi ‘I have chosen you out of the world, so that you might go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.’ As I listen to this chant, I remind myself that God calls me, calls me by my name. However unsuitable or unworthy I may think I am, God has chosen me.


Ego vos elegi de mundo, ut eatis,
et fructum afferatis: et fructus vester maneat




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 6:12-19

Now during those days, he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Twice in this passage the idea of “prayer“ is mentioned. What difference do you feel Jesus’ prayer makes to the story? Can you echo this in your life?

Does it make a difference that he “spent the whole night in prayer to God” before choosing these disciples? What do you think that difference might be?


Now listen as the passage is read once more; is there one word or phrase that really speaks to you?

Finally, can you sum up all this in your own words and offer it as a prayer to God?

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.