Friday 30 October 2026 - Peace or tension

Friday 30 October 2026
Today is Friday the 30th of October, in the 30th week of Ordinary Time.

Whether it is early morning, late at night, or somewhere in between, trust that the Lord is here and waiting for you. Listen to His Word and let it enter your heart. Ask for the grace to hear what He wants to say to you during this time of prayer.

One Hope Project sings, ‘My Soul Rests’.

Here in this mystery
Here in Your majesty
I find myself
With nothing to offer
Your love surrounds me
You give me yourself
My soul rests, my soul rests
In your embrace
My spirit sings, my spirit sings
All your praise
Here in your presence
The whole host of heaven
Bows down low
There’s no higher honour
No love that’s greater
You make us your own
You’re so close, Jesus, so close to me
Like the breath in my lungs
You’re so close, Jesus, so close to me
Like the breath in my lungs
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 14:1-6

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, ‘Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?’ But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?’ And they could not reply to this.
As you picture the scene of today’s passage, try to feel the mood of the room. Jesus is sitting at the table with the ruler of the Pharisees as they break and eat bread together on the Sabbath. Around the table, the group will have wished one another “Shabbat Shalom” meaning ‘peaceful shabbat’ yet Jesus is being closely watched by the group.

As you let this scene come to life in your imagination... take your place at the table...who is also seated here? Look around the room...what does it feel like to be here...do you notice peace or tension in the atmosphere?

Now watch Jesus as he sees the man in front of him with dropsy... he’s looking directly at the man as he asks those gathered: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” Listen to the silence in the room after he has asked this question.

As you hear the reading again, continue to imagine that you are seated at the table and see what else you notice in the scene.
Luke 14:1-6

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, ‘Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?’ But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?’ And they could not reply to this.
As you picture the healed man being released into the fullness of life, ask yourself if there is anything within you that needs to be either challenged or healed by Jesus. Speak with the Lord about this as you come to the end of your prayer.
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