Monday 19 February 2024

Today is Monday the 19th of February, in the first week of Lent.

Paul Zach sings, ‘From the Dust’.

From the dust we came
To the dust we shall return
From the dust we came
To the dust we shall return
God everlasting
Age unto age, the same
We are a moment
Then like a breath we fade
From the dust we came (From the dust we came)
To the dust we shall return
From the dust we came (From the dust we came)
To the dust wе shall return
God everlasting
Wе are cut down as grass
Seeds in the morning
Then by the night, we pass
O Lord, have mercy




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 25: 31-46

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

Stay with what you have just heard. What stands out to you? What is this story inviting us to?

Spend a moment reflecting on the sheep in this story…What have the “sheep on the right hand” done correctly? Do you recognise echoes in your own life?

Now listen as the story is read to you once more. Are there any ways in which it is inviting you to change your life?

Finally, what do you feel encouraged to offer as a prayer to God after contemplating this powerful reading?

You have given all to me
To you, Lord I return it.
Everything is yours
Do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.
Amen.