Saturday 31 October 2026 - The Lord is nearby

Saturday 31 October 2026
Welcome to the Saturday Examen.

Take a moment to arrive in your prayer space today

Become aware of your surroundings...the place where you are standing, walking or seated...notice any sounds...anything that catches your attention...now turn inward in prayer by listening to the sound of your own breathing.

The Lord is nearby... invite him to enter your prayer space now... perhaps you can imagine him drawing closer to you...Take a moment to greet him.

Our readings this week have been about the Kingdom of God, with illustrations from Jesus and signs of the Kingdom in Jesus’s encounters with those around him.

As you reflect upon your past week, can you recall a moment when you saw or experienced evidence of the Kingdom of God?

Give thanks for this moment.

Perhaps there was a time when you felt distanced from the Kingdom? Perhaps doubtful or distracted or something else.

Offer this time to the Lord.

Now, an excerpt from each of our daily readings from the past week will be read to refresh your memory of them. Notice which one moves you today.

And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are set free from your ailment.’

[Jesus] said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.

Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him and let him go.

Which of these most moved you this week?

Give thanks to the Lord for his presence with you during this past week.

You might like to end your prayer time today by simply enjoying the company of Jesus in your prayer space.

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