Tuesday 8 October 2024

Today is Tuesday the 8th of October in the 27th week of Ordinary Time.

Juliano Ravanello sings, Veni Creator Spiritus:

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest
And in our souls take up Thy rest
Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made

Veni, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.
Tu, septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus:
infunde amorem cordibus:
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.
Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.


Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father,
Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o'erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed, of
both the eternal Spirit blest.

Today’s reading is from St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 1:13-24

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days; but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother. In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only heard it said, ‘The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.

As we begin to pray, spend some time with St Paul’s story… From violently persecuting the church of God, to knowing Christ and following him passionately… What stands out to you?

Now reflect on your own story… do you notice any similarities? Spend time remembering the ways in which you have also been called by God’s grace…

As you hear the reading again, trace Paul's journey with your ears as you listen. Notice the turning point for Paul…

‘The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.’ Is there anyone you can think of, either in your life, or the world around you, who reminds you of Saul before he was Paul? Perhaps they need your prayer today… take a moment to talk with Jesus about them…

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.