16th March

Where God Guides – God Provides

Jesus said: “If you believe you will be able to say to this hill, ‘Get up and throw yourself in the sea’, and it will. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer”. Matthew 21: 21,22

Do you sometimes feel that something is unsatisfactory about the path you are on, but since everyone assumes there is nothing anyone can do about it, faith is pigeon-holed and you ‘make the best of a bad job’ with a resigned spirit? The following story of a little known Irish saint reminds us that there is nothing about which we cannot pray.

A wandering Irish monk named Molaise was on a difficult mission journey in a remote part of Ireland. It was easy to get lost and it was dangerous. Then he met a group of monks who had a rare possession – a good map. Molaise would have given his right arm to make a copy of this, but no one had the necessary instruments with them with which to do this. It would have been easy for Molaise to have shrugged his shoulders and continued his unsatisfactory journey, but he decided to go aside and make this a matter of prayer. Before long a loose feather from a goose that was flying overhead fluttered down. Molaise caught it and was able to use his new quill as a pen with which to copy the valuable map!

May the hills lie low
May the sloughs fill up
in your way.
May all evil sleep
May all good awake
In your way
Collected by Kenneth Macleod

Dear Jesus, you guide your straying sheep along lush and fragrant valleys, where the grass is rich and deep.
You guard them from the attacks of wolves, and from the bites of snakes.
You heal their diseases, and teach them always to walk in the ways of God.
When we stray, lead us back; when temptation besets us, give us strength; when our souls are sick, pour upon us your love.
Ancient Celtic song