From today’s New Testament reading, from Philippians: ‘I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will […]

From today’s New Testament reading: ‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world […]

‘In these days he went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and […]

Here is today’s Gospel reading, from St Luke: ‘He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made […]

From today’s New Testament reading, from Ephesians: ‘Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God’. St John Chrysostom wrote: ‘Behold, here, the groundwork of all! So then where this is, there is no wrath, no anger, […]

From our New Testament reading today, from 1 Thessalonians: ‘We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has […]

Alcuin of York, who had a deep personal devotion to Our Lady, wrote: ‘To me you are my dear love, my beauty, the great hope of salvation. My voice tells of you tearfully; my heart burns for love. Give heed as well to the prayers of all my brothers who cry unto you. O Virgin, […]

Here is today’s first reading, from Ephesians: ‘I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one […]

On 22 October 1978, the day of the inauguration of his pontificate, St John Paul II spoke these words: ‘All of you who are still seeking God, all of you who already have the inestimable good fortune to believe, and also you who are tormented by doubt: please listen once again, today in this sacred […]

Here is part of Chapter 3 of the fourteenth century anonymous ‘Cloud of Unknowing’: ‘Lift up thine heart unto God with a meek stirring of love; and mean Himself, and none of His goods. … For at the first time when thou dost it, thou findest but a darkness; and as it were a cloud […]