Sunday 28 April 2024

Today is Sunday 28 April, beginning the 5th week of Eastertide.

The Monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Le Dieu de Vérité: ‘The God of truth, begotten by the Father, came down from heaven’. As I listen, I place myself now before the God of truth, the God with whom I can be completely open and honest, the God with whom there is no pretension, the God who knows me better than I know myself.

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Today’s reading is from the First Letter of John.

1 John 3: 18-24

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.

As we begin, take a moment to ponder the invitation here: ‘let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.’ What would loving from truth and action look like for you? Can you spot this playing out in your own life?

‘…God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.’ Spend some time dwelling in the comfort of these words… How do they speak to you today?

As you listen again, notice the references to love, reassurance and commandments… what is the relationship between these, do you think?

‘And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.’ As we end this time of prayer, speak now to the Spirit God has given us, about anything that has stirred you in this time.

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.