Tuesday 28 April 2026 Today is Tuesday the 28th of April, in the fourth week of Easter. Paul Zach with the Porter’s Gate sings, ‘Spirit Move! (Keep on Moving). The Spirit is moving over the waters of our tears Our bodies are yearning for the joy of coming years But the Spirit turns our empty groaning into prayer Even now we wait in hope for what the Spirit bears Spirit move! Keep on moving Creation is groaning with the pain of giving birth A new life is coming, resurrecting all the earth When we...
Apr 28, 2026•13 min
Monday 27 April 2026 Today is Monday the 27th of April, the feast of Saint Peter Canisius SJ, in the fourth week of Easter. Take a moment to arrive here today. Notice what you are carrying into this time of prayer. Notice too the gentle invitation of Christ to rest in this moment. As Salt of the Sound sings ‘How Great Thou Art’, lift your eyes to the Lord. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart Then I shall bow in humble adoration And ther...
Apr 27, 2026•14 min
Sunday 26 April 2026 Today is Sunday the 26th of April, beginning the fourth week of Easter. Stephen and Fiona Crowther, of the Lee Abbey community, sing ‘Shepherd’. As you hear it, what imagery stirs in you? Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 10:1-10 ‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and...
Apr 26, 2026•13 min
Saturday 25 April 2026 Welcome to the Saturday Examen. At this point in the week, people often find it very helpful to reflect on how the prayer went this week. Perhaps you could think of three moments during the week when you felt God was very close to you. Or can you remember two moments in the week when you turned away from God, or where God seemed to be absent? What was going on here, do you think? In the coming week, is there one area of your life where you think God might be inviting you t...
Apr 25, 2026•7 min
Friday 24 April 2026 Today is Friday the 24th of April, in the third week of Easter. Juliano Ravanello sings, ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’: Come, Creator Spirit. Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 9:1-20 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he w...
Apr 24, 2026•13 min
Thursday 23 April 2026 Today is Thursday the 23rd of April, the feast of Saint George, in the third week of Easter. The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing: This is the time, most Holy Spirit, when you, One with the Father and the Son, come to shed your light in the hearts of your faithful. Pause for a moment, and become aware of the Holy Spirit, present here, come to give life and light. Pause for a moment, and welcome that light into your life. Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostl...
Apr 23, 2026•13 min
Wednesday 22 April 2026 Today is Wednesday the 22nd of April, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Society of Jesus, in the third week of Easter. Gillian Fisher and Michael Chance sing Stabat Mater Dolorosa by Pergolesi. ‘By the cross from which hung her son, his mother stood in sorrow and tears.’ As I listen, I can prepare myself to contemplate, today, Mary’s share in the suffering and the sacrifice of Jesus, a sacrifice made freely, and made out of love for the world. Today’s re...
Apr 22, 2026•12 min
Tuesday 21 April 2026 Today is Tuesday the 21st of April, in the third week of Easter. Jon Guerra sings, ‘I See the Birds.’ Can you rest in the simplicity of Jesus’ care for you today? Do not be anxious about your life I heard you say to me You dress the lilies You leave the weeds The sower of the seed Am I in charge of my own mind Or is it in charge of me? I see the birds up in the air I know you feed them I know you care So won't you teach me How I mean more to you than them In times of troubl...
Apr 21, 2026•13 min
Monday 20 April 2026 Today is Monday the 20th of April, in the third week of Easter. Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. The most important thing for me to do now, as I enter into prayer, is to let go for a moment, to let go of my own concerns, my own worries and fears and reluctance, and let myself be led by God, trusting that God, who loves me, will lead me into life. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 6:22-29 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side ...
Apr 20, 2026•13 min
Sunday 19 April 2026 Today is Sunday the 19th of April, beginning the third week of Easter. Salt of the Sound sings, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus... and the things of the earth will fall strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.’ Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of the earth Will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace In the light of His glory and grace Today’s reading is from the First Letter of Peter. 1 Peter 1:17-21 If you invoke ...
Apr 19, 2026•12 min
Saturday 18 April 2026 Welcome to the Saturday Examen. Take a few moments to calmly and quietly arrive with the Lord in prayer today. If you can, choose a comfortable position in which to pray. Focus on slowing down your breathing. Then, if you notice any distractions or thoughts on your mind clambering for your attention... try to gently release them. Imagine that you open your diary from the past week, running your fingertip across the pages or screen, showing the Lord the events of each day. ...
Apr 18, 2026•8 min
Friday 17 April 2026 Today is Friday the 17th of April, in the second week of Easter. The Porter’s Gate sing ‘New Every Morning’. Can you join in with this song as we prepare for prayer today? You are not what you have done Or what has been done to you You are something like the rising sun Can't you see that you are new You might have your father’s name Or bear the shame he left behind But there's new life flowing through your veins Leave some room to be surprised You are new every morning You a...
Apr 17, 2026•13 min
Thursday 16 April 2026 Today is Thursday the 16th of April, in the second week of Easter. Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing Ngaza Ngambona: ‘They are blessed who keep his commandments; they will have their eternal place. Come in, all of you, so that you may be happy and be able to say, I’ve seen him on the cross, the one who loves me. Teach me, Father, to love you, praise you and pray to you.’ Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 5:27-33 When they had brought [the apostles], they ha...
Apr 16, 2026•13 min
Wednesday 15 April 2026 Today is Wednesday the 15th of April, in the second week of Easter. The Community of Taizé sing Christe Lux Mundi: ‘O Christ, light of the world, whoever follows you will have the light of life.’ Christe, lux mundi, qui sequitur te, habebit lumen vitae, lumen vitae Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. 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 no...
Apr 15, 2026•13 min
Wednesday 15 April 2026 Today is Wednesday the 15th of April, in the second week of Easter. The Community of Taizé sing Christe Lux Mundi: ‘O Christ, light of the world, whoever follows you will have the light of life.’ Christe, lux mundi, qui sequitur te, habebit lumen vitae, lumen vitae Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. 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 no...
Apr 15, 2026•13 min
Tuesday 14 April 2026 Today is Tuesday the 14th of April, in the second week of Easter. The Corydon Singers, conducted by Matthew Best, sing 'Cantique de Jean Racine' by Fauré, a hymn to the invincible power and utter goodness of God, whose fire lights up the darkness, whose grace overcomes all evil. As I enter into prayer today, I trust myself to that grace, to that powerful goodness. I place myself in the hands of my loving God. Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 4:32-37 No...
Apr 14, 2026•13 min
Monday 13 April 2026 Today is Monday the 13th of April, in the second week of Easter. The Kyiv Chamber Choir sing the Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” As I start this prayer today, can I join in with this strong, almost exuberant expression of faith? Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 4:23-31 After [Peter and John] were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When...
Apr 13, 2026•13 min
Sunday 12 April 2026 Today is Sunday the 12th of April, beginning the second week of Easter. Paul Zach, Jessica Fox and iAmSon sing, ‘Total Praise’. Lord, I will lift my eyes to the hills Knowing my help is coming from You Your peace You give me in time of the storm You are the source of my strength You are the strength of my life I lift my hands in total praise to You Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 20:19-31 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the do...
Apr 12, 2026•12 min
Saturday 11 April 2026 Welcome to the Saturday Examen. During this week we have moved rapidly from the Passion to the Resurrection. Perhaps in everyday life the transition doesn’t happen so fast, or so fully. Ask God to show you, in today’s prayer, the real signs of resurrection in your own life. Now look back gently over the last week. Where do you see signs of new life? Of light, and life, and energy? Of the presence of the risen Christ in your own life? What new invitations or gifts might Jes...
Apr 11, 2026•8 min
Friday 10 April 2026 Today is Friday the 10th of April, in the first week of Easter. Emoni Wilkins with The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘By My Side’. O my friend just stay with me Stay with me, stay with me O my friend just stay with me By my side O my friend just weep with me Weep with me, weep with me O my friend just weep with me By my side Wherever I go, by my side Above and below, by my side You know my faith gets low When the waters rise Please be by my side Hold my hand and walk with me Walk wit...
Apr 10, 2026•13 min
Thursday 9 April 2026 Today is Thursday the 9th of April, in the first week of Easter. The community of Taizé sing Frieden, Frieden: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 24:35-48 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 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 th...
Apr 09, 2026•13 min
Wednesday 8 April 2026 Today is Wednesday the 8th of April, in the first week of Easter. 'In our journeying this day, keep us, Father, in your way.' Let me make this my prayer today; to know God’s closeness to me, here, right now, and never to lose sight of it. To let myself be loved, enlivened and guided by God. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. You are probably familiar with the story chosen for today’s prayer. It’s the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. We will hear it only once, ...
Apr 08, 2026•13 min
Tuesday 7 April 2026 Today is Tuesday the 7th of April, in the first week of Easter. The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing 'Venite filii, audite me'. Come, my sons and daughters, listen to me…. Come to the Lord and be enlightened; and your faces will not be put to shame.’ As you enter into prayer now, can you sense that invitation from God? Can you hear those words spoken to you? And accept the welcome, and that reassurance that God wants to give you? Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostle...
Apr 07, 2026•11 min
Monday 6 April 2026 Today is Monday the 6th of April, in the first week of Easter. Salt of the Sound sings, ‘Praise to the Lord’. Take a moment to draw near to the Lord as you begin this time of prayer... Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near Join me in glad adoration Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning Sheltering you under his wings, and so gently s...
Apr 06, 2026•13 min
Sunday 5 April 2026 Today is Easter Sunday, the 5th of April. A very happy Easter to you! We pray that the joy of this day would come alive in you in a new way, as we hear the University of Johannesburg Choir sing 'Ndisondela Kuwe', “I come to you in prayer, almighty God. You are worthy to be praised.” Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. 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 th...
Apr 05, 2026•12 min
Saturday 4 April 2026 Welcome to the Saturday Examen. This week’s readings can be hard to absorb and yet we are invited every year to walk the road to Calvary with Jesus. It needs courage and generosity to do this, yet we know that these days overflow with grace if we can stay with them as they unfold. St. Ignatius emphasizes the importance of entering into the waiting experience of Holy Saturday. The creeds and ancient icons of Jesus ‘descending into hell’ show him in the dark vault of the unde...
Apr 04, 2026•10 min
Friday 3 April 2026 Today is Good Friday, the 3rd of April. Ex Cathedra, directed by Jeffrey Skidmore, sing Versa est in luctum by Alonso Lobo. Versa est in luctum: My harp is tuned for sorrow. ‘Tuning your harp for sorrow’ is a conscious, deliberate preparation for sadness to come. As we begin to recall the suffering and death of Christ, how can you prepare yourself for this sorrow? If you find that difficult, let this music help you. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 19:25-37 Me...
Apr 03, 2026•14 min
Thursday 2 April 2026 Today is Holy Thursday, the 2nd of April. The Cape Town Camerata sings, 'Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est': Wherever love is true, God is there. These words, traditionally sung at tonight’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, during the washing of feet, express the presence of God in every act of goodness, of kindness, of love. What acts of goodness and kindness and love have you seen so far today? Did you recognise God’s presence there? And look at the people around you. Outside ...
Apr 02, 2026•13 min
Wednesday 1 April 2026 Today is Wednesday of Holy Week, the 1st of April. Salt of the Sound sings 'Kyrie Eleison': Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. 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 th...
Apr 01, 2026•13 min
Tuesday 31 March 2026 Today is Tuesday of Holy Week, the 31st of March. Paul Zach, with IAmSon and Jessica Fox, sings, ‘O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus’. O the deep, deep love of Jesus Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free Rolling as a mighty ocean In its fullness over me Underneath me, all around me Is the current of Thy love Leading onward, leading homeward To Thy glorious rest above O the deep, deep love of Jesus Spread His praise from shore to shore How He loveth, ever loveth Changeth never, never...
Mar 31, 2026•13 min
