Pray As You Go - Daily Prayer

Wednesday 27 May 2026 - The word of the Lord endures

Wednesday 27 May 2026 Today is Wednesday the 27th of May, the feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, in the 8th week of Ordinary Time. The Monks of Glenstal Abbey sing Nos autem gloriari: ‘We should glory in nothing other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection; through him we are saved and set free. May God have mercy upon us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us and be merciful to us.’ Today’s reading is from the First Letter of Peter. 1 Peter 1:18-25 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures for ever.’ That word is the good news that was announced to you. Peter tells us that we have been “ransomed from futile ways”. Can you think of an example of “futile ways”? We hear that obedience to the truth leads to "genuine mutual love”, a love that moves “deeply from the heart”. Where do you recognise this playing out in your walk of faith? “The word of the Lord endures forever…the good news that was announced to you”. As you listen to the passage again, can you hear it all as “good news” afresh? 1 Peter 1:18-25 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures for ever.’ That word is the good news that was announced to you. What would you like to say now to the Lord, whose word endures forever? 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

Wednesday 27 May 2026 - The word of the Lord endures

Wednesday 27 May 2026 Today is Wednesday the 27th of May, the feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, in the 8th week of Ordinary Time. The Monks of Glenstal Abbey sing Nos autem gloriari: ‘We should glory in nothing other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection; through him we are saved and set free. May God have mercy upon us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us and be merciful to us.’ Today’s reading is from the First Letter of Peter. 1 Peter 1:18-25 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures for ever.’ That word is the good news that was announced to you. Peter tells us that we have been “ransomed from futile ways”. Can you think of an example of “futile ways”? We hear that obedience to the truth leads to "genuine mutual love”, a love that moves “deeply from the heart”. Where do you recognise this playing out in your walk of faith? “The word of the Lord endures forever…the good news that was announced to you”. As you listen to the passage again, can you hear it all as “good news” afresh? 1 Peter 1:18-25 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures for ever.’ That word is the good news that was announced to you. What would you like to say now to the Lord, whose word endures forever? 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

Tuesday 26 May 2026 - The last will be first

Tuesday 26 May 2026 Today is Tuesday the 26th of May, the feast of Saint Philip Neri, in the 8th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra sings, ‘Take Up Your Cross’. How does this song speak to you today? If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it If anyone claims to worship God Let him give all away Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it What would it profit a man If he gains the whole world And forfeits his soul What would it profit a man at all What would it profit a man If he dies with a barn full of silver and gold What would it profit a man at all If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 10:28-31 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ In this reading, Peter is starting to wonder “What’s in it for us?” or perhaps “What is the point of this discipleship?”. Have you ever felt like this? How did you handle it? Jesus replies that everyone who accepted the invitation to discipleship “will receive a hundredfold”. Have you found that to be true in your life? Jesus says, “many who are first will be last”. What does this mean to you? Prepare to hear the passage read a second time, listening with an attentive awareness... Mark 10:28-31 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ Finally, as you look back over these last few minutes, what really stands out for you. Could you turn that into 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

Tuesday 26 May 2026 - The last will be first

Tuesday 26 May 2026 Today is Tuesday the 26th of May, the feast of Saint Philip Neri, in the 8th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra sings, ‘Take Up Your Cross’. How does this song speak to you today? If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it If anyone claims to worship God Let him give all away Take up his cross Follow me Whoever would save his life Will lose it Whoever loses his life for me Will find it What would it profit a man If he gains the whole world And forfeits his soul What would it profit a man at all What would it profit a man If he dies with a barn full of silver and gold What would it profit a man at all If anyone would come after me Let him deny himself Take up his cross Follow me Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 10:28-31 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ In this reading, Peter is starting to wonder “What’s in it for us?” or perhaps “What is the point of this discipleship?”. Have you ever felt like this? How did you handle it? Jesus replies that everyone who accepted the invitation to discipleship “will receive a hundredfold”. Have you found that to be true in your life? Jesus says, “many who are first will be last”. What does this mean to you? Prepare to hear the passage read a second time, listening with an attentive awareness... Mark 10:28-31 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ Finally, as you look back over these last few minutes, what really stands out for you. Could you turn that into 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

Monday 25 May 2026 - Here is your mother

Monday 25 May 2026 Today is Monday the 25th of May, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, in the 8th week of Ordinary Time. The Gaudete Ensemble sings Ave Maria by Margaret Rizza: ‘Hail, Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with you.’ Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 19:25-27 Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. Today we celebrate the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. Our reading gives us an agonising picture of that 'motherhood'. The dying Jesus is attended by his mother and Mary Magdalene and 'the disciple whom he loved'. What emotions are going through them at this moment? “Here is your son”…”here is your mother”. Hold the weight of this moment with the Lord now. What is Jesus really saying to them here? “The disciple took her into his own home”. Spend some time imagining their life after this moment... What is it like? What would you like to ask them? Now listen as the passage is read for you once more. This time what do you find touches you most? John 19:25-27 Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. As this time of prayer comes to a close, speak with Jesus about what has arisen for you. What is staying with you? Linger there with the Lord. 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