Thursday 28 August 2025

Today is Thursday the 28th of August, the feast of Saint Augustine, in the 21st week of Ordinary Time. The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing Ecce quam bonum: “ How good and how pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity! It is like precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.” (Lyrics currently unavailable) Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. In yesterday’s reading St Paul addressed the church in Thessalonica as a parent, urging and encouraging. In today’s passage he addresses the church as ‘brothers and sisters’. Abound in love for one another, he says, stand firm in the Lord. And he thanks God for them, expressing sheer joy at their faith journeying, fully acknowledging the ups and downs. How might you experience this generosity of spirit towards the brothers and sisters in Christ around you? Might there be a grace that you need in order to abound in love? As you hear the passage again, sense Paul’s exuberance…exuberance in the face of persecution. How does that sit with you, knowing that Paul himself had been a persecutor of early Christians? Such a change of heart... 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. As this time of prayer draws to a close, pause for a moment to remember how much you yourself are loved by God. Give thanks and ask for the grace to abound in love for others. 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