The Feast of St Matthias | Tuesday 14 May 2024

Today is Tuesday 14th May, the feast of Saint Matthias, in the 7th week of Eastertide.

Jonathan Veira sings, ‘Abide With Me’.

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;

the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.


Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 15:9-17

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."

In what ways are we undeserving of love?

Now, after thinking about that, how does it feel knowing that you are loved?

What does it feel like knowing that you abide in Jesus' love?

Let's hear it again and listen out for what Jesus does and gives in his love for you.

What will you do, knowing that you are loved? You might like to close by speaking with Jesus about this…

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.