Friday 23 October 2026
Today is Friday the 23rd of October, in the 29th week of Ordinary Time.Paul Zach and Tenielle Neda sing, ‘Be Thou My Vision’. Can you turn these well-known and beloved words into your own prayer as you enter into prayer today?Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
All else be nought to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father; thine own may I be;
Thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.High King of heaven, when victory is won,
May I reach heaven's joys, bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Today’s reading is from Saint Paul's Letter to the Ephesians.Ephesians 4:1-6I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
In today’s reading, Paul wants his audience to “lead a life worthy of your calling”. What might such a life look like, do you think?The word “one” appears no less than seven times in this text. What is Paul saying to his readers?As you listen again, notice this statement of “oneness”.
Ephesians 4:1-6I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.God is the “Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in all.” As this prayer closes, speak to God about what this means to you, speaking as one friend to another.
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
