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Tuesday 1 April 2014
John 5:1–3, 5–16
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha,
which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him
lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you
want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me
into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way,
someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your
mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began
to walk.

Someone once said, ‘I ask God for answers and God sends me people to help
me walk with the questions’. I wonder did Jesus walk with the man to lead
him into the freedom of his new life? Jesus walks with us always on our
journey, and comes to us when, like the man, we are stuck. He walks at our
speed and is always near.
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Wednesday 2 April 2014
John 5:17–30
But Jesus answered them,
‘Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will
hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the
Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself;
and he has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of
Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in
their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to
the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.

Bits of our souls can be dead for a while: our compassion, integrity, our
desires to do good for God. Prayer brings all to life for us; God may
enlighten us in our prayer to what is dead in us. In quiet listening, our
souls live more fully.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Thursday 3 April 2014
John 5:31–47
‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies
on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers
to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but
I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp,
and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony
greater than John’s.

John the Baptist prepares the way for people to hear Jesus. He brought
people near to God and some of them recognised Jesus when he arrived.
Some people we meet in life make it easier to recognise Jesus. It is good in
our lives to have met people who are like Jesus – just as John the Baptist
prepared the way of Jesus by the way he lived. Give thanks for such
people in prayer!
© Sacred Space 2013
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Friday 4 April 2014
John 7:1–2, 10, 25–30
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea
because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish
festival of Booths was near.
But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but
as it were in secret.
Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom
they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to
him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we
know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know
where he is from.’ Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You
know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the
one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am
from him, and he sent me.’ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands
on him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus knew all during his passion where he came from – from the heart of
God the Father. He knew he would return there. He always knew he was
not on his own. Can we walk with him in his passion of today? Where
people suffer, Jesus suffers.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Saturday 5 April 2014
John 7:40–53
When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the
prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah
does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah
is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David
lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them
wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked
them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ The police answered, ‘Never has anyone
spoken like this!’ Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived
too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.’ Nicodemus,
who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, ‘Our law does not
judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing,
does it?’ They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and
you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’

Prayer can allow us be surprised by Jesus Christ - or to be questioned by
him. We can end our prayer with the question, ‘Who is this Man, and what
have I learned about him today?’ He gives no easy answers but walks
with us while we ask the questions.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Sunday 6 April 2014
John 11:3–7, 17, 20–27, 33–45
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary
stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother
would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you
ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I
know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her,
‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they
die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you
believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the
Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

Every time of prayer is an opening of ourselves to the risen love, life and
power of Jesus. The grace he shares now is what he promised to Martha,
Mary and the family a dead man, Lazarus. To open ourselves is to listen, to
spend time with him, just allowing ourselves be loved and our souls
enlivened. Or a time to ask for what we need to be his loving disciples.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Monday 7 April 2014
John 8:12–20
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’

The light of Jesus is the light born in eternity. It is eternal light giving
brightness to ourselves in ordinary life. Giving clarity in times of
decisions, faith in times of doubt, love always. Prayer is opening ourselves
to this light. So it is that candle light at prayer times can remind us of the
gift of God’s light in our prayer.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Tuesday 8 April 2014
John 8:21–30
So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I
am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father
instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I
always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed
in him.

In the days of Jesus’ passion we hear him crying out to God in doubt. He
might remember these words he spoke that God does not leave him alone.
We too are never alone; the love, grace and help of God are always with
us. Give thanks in prayer for these gifts or ask for what you need just now.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Wednesday 9 April 2014
John 8:31–42
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word,
you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make
you free.’ And he said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for
I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.

This ‘abiding’ means we draw life from the word of God. This life is Christ
himself, he is the love of the Father. Being a disciple, a listener, is living
and abiding in truth, knowing that the Jesus of our prayer comes from
God and is with God.
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Thursday 10 April 2014
John 8:51–59
Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews
said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the
prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” Are you
greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you
claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my
Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you do not
know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a
liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham
rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to
him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to
them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones
to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

The Jesus of the gospel knows who he is. He knows he meets opposition
from the leaders of religion and state; he sees through the hypocrisy of
religion and knows he is from God. People can make God in their likeness.
Let prayer keep me humble of heart and mind.
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Friday 11 April 2014
John 10:31–42
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, ‘If I am not doing the
works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do
not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the
Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Then they tried to arrest him again, but he
escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place
where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to
him, and they were saying, ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John
said about this man was true.’ And many believed in him there.

The works of Jesus are the works of love. This is the love we know of him
– love unto death. What we see in Jesus, we can see of the Father. What
the Father sees in Jesus, he sees and loves in us. We pray that our hearts
may be made like the heart of Jesus.
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Saturday 12 April 2014
John 11:45–57
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You
know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one
man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ He did not say
this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was
about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the
dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to put him to death.
Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from
there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he
remained there with the disciples.

Jesus is not the political leader to make the people one. He is the good
shepherd who makes us one community in our following of him, the one
who will soon die for us. Caiaphas was high priest only for one year –
note the irony of this – the one who would condemn Jesus would soon be
forgotten himself.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Sunday 13 April 2014
Matthew 27:11–54
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’
that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the
bystanders heard it, they said, ‘This man is calling for Elijah.’ At once one of them
ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him
to drink. But the others said, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save
him.’ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that
moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth
shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies
of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came
out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the
centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the
earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man
was God’s Son!’

Watch the scene here – the death of the good man. Allow yourself be
touched by it – let Jesus die for you and for all. Then look at the one
guarding the tomb – the one who says that this Man was God’s Son. In
prayer express your belief and faith in this truth.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Monday 14 April 2014
John 12:1–11
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom
he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served,
and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly
perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of
his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume
not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said
this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the
common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her
alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always
have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only
because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So
the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account
of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

The gift of Mary – the most costly gift she could find. Jesus was openhearted enough to receive her gift even though others would need the
money spent on it. What is my gift to give him this day as I pray? Offer the
gift of your loving heart.
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Tuesday 15 April 2014
John 13:21–33, 36–38
When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and
God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also
glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you
only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to
you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I
am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’ Peter said
to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus
answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the
cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

God is glorified in all sorts of ways. He is glorified in the passion of Jesus,
as all that is done is done from love. Even in sending out Judas there is the
beginning of the journey of passion-love which will result in the love of
the Cross.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Wednesday 16 April 2014
Matthew 26:14–25
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty
pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to
betray him.
On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where
do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said,
‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is
near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples
did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were
eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became
greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’
He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will
betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by
whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to
have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied,
‘You have said so.’

Look at Judas and watch him – fearfully betraying Jesus. Look at Jesus as
his heart goes out to the weakness of disciples. In all sorts of weakness in
our lives, the love of God is triumphant. Let him be the strength in your
weakness and sinfulness.
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Thursday 17 April 2014
John 13:1–15
And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his
hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the
table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured
water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with
the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now
what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never
wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’
.....So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash
one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I
have done to you.

Can you watch this scene and allow Jesus wash your feet? Imagine him
looking at you, pouring water and drying your feet. This is what he wants
to do. Allow him! and then maybe you might imagine yourself doing the
same for others. As you do this, pray for them.
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Friday 18 April 2014
John 18:1–19:42
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the
morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s
sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother,
‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’
And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil
the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they
put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.
When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his
head and gave up his spirit.

Can you look at the cross and allow Jesus die for you? Notice how you feel
and what you would like to say. Maybe the questions of Saint Ignatius in
looking at the crucified Christ come to mind, ‘What have I done for Christ?
What am I doing for Christ? What ought I to do for Christ?’
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Saturday 19 April 2014
Romans 6:3–11
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism
into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be
united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was
crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no
longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have
died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ,
being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion
over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he
lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in
Christ Jesus.

This day can be a ‘freeing from sin’ day. Between Friday of death and
Sunday of resurrection , there is the day of allowing the dead self be
raised to new life. What is it in my life I would like to see ‘raised’? Maybe
intolerance of others, boredom with prayer, carelessness about the poor?
Ask sincerely at prayer for what you really want to be ‘raised up’ from.
© Sacred Space 2013
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Sunday 20 April 2014
John 20:1–9
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came
to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran
and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and
said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know
where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went
towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran
Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen
wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following
him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the
cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled
up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also
went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the
scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

First faith: it came slowly for Peter and then others. Joy would come later.
We can imagine them gradually realising that Jesus’ promise to be raised
on the third day was actually true. Faith would turn to thanks. Allow
thanks and joy flood the soul at prayer today.
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Monday 21 April 2014
Matthew 28:8–15
So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold
of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go
and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

When Jesus came in sight, the fear probably disappeared and a joy that
would never be lost flooded them. In future difficulties the joy of this day
would remain with the disciples, even at a time of martyrdom and
persecution.
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Tuesday 22 April 2014
John 20:11–18
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look
into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus
had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her,
‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my
Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she
turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was
Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you
looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have
carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’
(which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have
not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am
ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary
Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she
told them that he had said these things to her.

Do we sometimes think the Lord has been taken away? Prayer and
Christian life can be drab, dry, and tiresome: institutional scandals drain
energy. Jesus is always new, part of the prayer and Christian life of us all.
We are not to hold on to an ‘old Jesus’ but walk with him as he walks the
new journey of life and prayer with us.
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Wednesday 23 April 2014
Luke 24:13–35
As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he
were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is
almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and
gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he
vanished from their sight.

He has never really vanished. In the blessing and breaking of bread he is
present; every altar is Emmaus, the place of this story. Maybe every time
we share a friendship or family meal together we are at Emmaus. Pray for
those we break bread with – Eucharistic or ordinary bread. Maybe now all
bread is holy, and every meal a holy meal.
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Thursday 24 April 2014
Luke 24:35–48
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to
them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they
were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do
doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.
Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I
have.’

The big word of Easter is ‘peace’. It is the greeting of Jesus - like the
signature tune of a radio show. We know with the greeting of peace that
Jesus is near. Allow that word flow through the silence and the words of
your prayer this day.
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Friday 25 April 2014
John 21:1–14
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of
Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. .... When they had gone ashore, they
saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring
some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and
hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and
though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and
have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’
because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to
them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus
appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

The breakfast on the beach is a surprise for the disciples. Maybe they
expected some rebuke. They get fed! And whatever way Jesus fed them,
they recognised him. The invitation to them is to all of us; every time of
prayer is an invitation to breakfast!
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Saturday 26 April 2014
Mark 16:9–15
Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary
Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told
those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when
they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into
the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and
he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not
believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go into all
the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.

To be disciples and share the good news is the invitation of Jesus to all of
us. To do so in silence, or with words, and with our way of life. Hear him
speaking these words to you and ask, ‘What can i do this day to spread
God’s good news’?
© Sacred Space 2013
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Sunday 27 April 2014
John 20:19–31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the
house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ .....A week later his disciples
were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were
shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he
said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand
and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord
and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life
in his name.

We are among those blessed who ‘have not seen the Lord and yet believe’.
Faith for the apostles was deeper that seeing and hearing Jesus. We share
that way of faith. Give thanks today for the gift of faith in Jesus Christ and
how it has influenced your life.
© Sacred Space 2013
Sacred Space
www.sacredspace.ie
Monday 28 April 2014
John 3:1–8
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to
Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has
come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the
presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the
kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How
can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the
mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can
enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of
the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that
I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses,
and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where
it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’

The Spirit of God is everywhere: let’s allow ourselves be surprised by her!
She is the gift of God, and wherever we find joy, peace, compassion,
justice, and anything of live, there we find her. Prayer is our opening to
this Spirit at prayer time and afterwards.
© Sacred Space 2013
Sacred Space
www.sacredspace.ie
Tuesday 29 April 2014
John 3:7–15
Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above. ’ The wind
blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where
it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you
a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have
seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things
and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven,
the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must
the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life

When God loved the world he loved it ‘to bits’ - every bit of it. God loves
all except sin and evil. God enjoys the world, and enjoys our goodness.
Prayer time can fill us with this joy, the gift of the Spirit from above.
© Sacred Space 2013
Sacred Space
www.sacredspace.ie
Wednesday 30 April 2014
John 3:16–21
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in
order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are
not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because
they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the
judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness
rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light
and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those
who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their
deeds have been done in God.’

Prayer saves me – from being puffed up, unforgiven, and lonely. God
wants to save the world from all that is evil, bad, sinful. He wants to save
us from the worst sides of ourselves. He does this by love and
compassion, not by correction nor rebuke.
© Sacred Space 2013