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Pray As You Go - Daily Prayer
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Saturday 16 May 2026 - With the Lord's guidance
Yesterday00:09:33Tap to summarizeSaturday 16 May 2026Welcome to the Saturday Examen. Today, we take a moment to reflect back on our week. Don’t worry if you haven’t prayed with us all week or can’t remember much! It is about asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on our time. So, take a few moments to see the past week with the Lord’s guidance. Prepare yourself for prayer by focussing on your breath…take a deep breath in…and then a releasing breath out. Notice how the change in breath brings stillness and an awareness of God’s presence. We might begin by asking for the wisdom that also weaves throughout the scripture for this week. Is there a particular moment God is drawing you to remember? Notice what rises to the surface naturally… allow the moment to reveal itself … Do you notice any challenges, lack of understanding or frustration? Allow these moments to be witnessed… Where, in the prayer journey of the week, have you found an opening of the heart? Where have you been challenged, invited to transformation? Is there something that calls you to action this week? Again, notice what arises naturally… Look forward to the days to come, with a prayer of thanksgiving, asking for God's grace and guidance to carry the insights gained into each day. 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
Transcribe →Friday 15 May 2026 - Your pain will turn into joy
2d ago00:12:16Tap to summarizeFriday 15 May 2026Today is Friday the 15th of May, in the sixth week of Easter. CalledOut Music sings, ‘Joy’. Take a moment to get in touch with that joy we find in Christ. What image would you give this joy? My Light and salvation, it's You I've got a firm foundation in You, Lord You hold me daily, daily The hope for my soul I'm ever so safe here with You I got Grace everywhere I be With blessings falling on me There's nothing too hard for the God that I serve Tell me why should I be afraid? No matter what comes my way I'll overcome with a smile on my face I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul I feel like dancing, I feel it in my bones I sing, I sing, Lord It feels like a dream 'Cause with You on my team I'm winning Nothing's going to hold me back Nothing's going to stop my praise Nothing's going to keep me silent I'll say it from the rooftops I got grace everywhere I be With blessings falling on me There's nothing too hard for the God that I serve Tell me why should I be afraid? No matter what comes my way I'll overcome with a smile on my face I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul I feel like dancing, I feel it in my bones Joy like a river flowing down, down, down, down… I got joy like a river flowing down, down, down, down… I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 16:20-23 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Jesus makes strong contrasts in this passage. The most obvious one is between feelings of pain and suffering and feelings of joy. But he also contrasts feelings that pass with feelings that last. What, in your life, have been the joys that were short and fleeting, the joys that didn’t last? What, on the other hand, has given you lasting joy in your life? Jesus talks about a woman giving birth, and how the pain of childbirth passes, but the joy of bringing a human being into the world remains. Perhaps you have given birth yourself. What times of personal pain or suffering can you recall, that, in the end, you thought were worth it? Where was God in those experiences? As you hear the reading again, listen to the promise. Listen to what it is that Jesus is promising to you. John 16:20-23 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. “No one will take your joy from you”. Can you give thanks to God now for the sources of deep and lasting joy in your life? 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
Transcribe →Thursday 14 May 2026 - I am with you always
3d ago00:12:18Tap to summarizeThursday 14 May 2026Today is Thursday the 14th of May, the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, in the sixth week of Easter. The monks of Glenstal Abbey sing Viri Galilei, the Antiphon for the Feast of the Ascension. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? The Lord will return, just as you have seen him ascend. Alleluia.” Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ All four gospels tell a story which many in today’s world have forgotten or have never even known. It is the story of how Jesus became the king of the world. That’s where we have been going, ever since, back near the beginning, Jesus came into Galilee announcing that ‘heaven’s kingdom is at hand’. Is this how you think of the Gospels? This is the great message of the whole gospel. Jesus is King and Lord, not just ‘in heaven’ (that would be quite a ‘safe’ idea) but on earth as well. But what – on earth, we might say – does that actually mean? If Jesus is really King and Lord, why is the world still in such a mess? How does he exercise this ‘lordship’? How does this sovereignty, claimed so strongly in this passage, work out on the ground? As you hear this short passage read again, ask yourself this question: how did Jesus come to this point of being king? Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ We find encouragement in the final words of Matthew’s gospel, picking up neatly the promise made to Joseph at the very beginning. His name will be ‘Emmanuel’, said the angel, which means ‘God with us’. That God-with-us promise, that heaven-on-earth assurance, has come true in Jesus. Millions of Christians know this in their daily experience, their praying, their living, their work for his kingdom. ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ That is a promise you can stake your life on. It is also a challenge: if Jesus himself is ‘with you’, what could you be doing? How then could you live? Easter is a time to ask precisely that sort of question. It is also a time to discover God’s powerful answer. 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
Transcribe →Wednesday 13 May 2026 - The Spirit of truth
4d ago00:10:58Tap to summarizeWednesday 13 May 2026Today is Wednesday the 13th of May, in the sixth week of Easter. The Monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Le Dieu de Vérité: ‘The God of truth, begotten by the Father, came down from heaven.’ As you listen, place yourself now before the God of truth, the God with whom you can be completely open and honest, the God with whom there is no pretension, the God who knows us better than we know ourselves. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 16:12-15 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.’ In a world where truth is debated, with AI-generated videos and content being created, discernment becomes even more precious. ‘When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.’ How often do you seek the Spirit of truth in your daily encounters with the world, with media and in your conversations with others? ‘[The Spirit of truth] will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.’ Reflect on some of the things you have heard so far this week that glorify Christ. And then, reflect on the things that didn’t. Notice what sifting through moments in this way does to help your discernment. (You might need a little more time with this one, so feel free to pause and come back when you’re ready!) Listen to the reading again and see if anything speaks to you afresh. John 16:12-15 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.’ “All that the Father has is mine… the Spirit will take what is mine…” Truth emerges in communion and relationship. Speak now, perhaps with the Spirit of truth, or each member of the Trinity, about this invitation to deeper communion with God and others. 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
Transcribe →Tuesday 12 May 2026 - What must I do to be saved?
5d ago00:12:46Tap to summarizeTuesday 12 May 2026Today is Tuesday the 12th of May, in the sixth week of Easter. The Cape Town Camerata sings 'Nkosi Siphe' Amandla': ‘Lord, give us strength’. Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 16:22-34 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. We hear so many moments in this passage that could each have their own time of reflection. Take some time to consider each of the characters and moments in this text – Paul and Silas singing after their flogging, the jailer in his panic, then relief, then conversion, and the jailer’s family all coming to baptism. What strikes you? Spend a moment with the jailer...that feeling of utter relief. He has been ushered towards God in an astounding turn of events. Have you ever felt a similar way? As you listen again, try to imagine the scene in all its drama and notice what you are drawn to in it. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. Let your reflections draw you into God’s presence. Talk to God about what strikes you in this scene, or simply rest in God’s presence, aware of how you are and how God is with you. 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
Transcribe →Monday 11 May 2026 - Stay at my home
6d ago00:12:18Tap to summarizeMonday 11 May 2026Today is Monday the 11th of May, in the sixth week of Easter. One Hope Project sings, ‘My Soul Rests’. As you enter into prayer today, here in this moment, let your soul rest in the presence of the Lord. 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 Acts of the Apostles. Acts 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us. Today we meet Lydia of Thyratira. Join the scene – step into it! You might like to sit down with the women gathered there by the river. Listen to the sounds you hear, the water, the different voices – what can you see? Perhaps Lydia has some purple cloth with her...what does the material feel like? Draw your attention to Lydia. We hear she is a businesswoman. She’s also “a worshipper of God”. Perhaps her heart has been prepared and is already attentive to God’s voice. Is this a posture you have in your life at the moment? “The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly...” Notice that the Lord is the active person here in this moment of consolation for Lydia. We might say that she is moved by grace. As you listen again, pay attention to this movement of grace and see if you can recognise it in your own life in some way. Acts 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us. Lydia responds with a generous and immediate “yes” through baptism. A quick discernment! A fruit of this “yes” is her hospitality: ‘come and stay at my home’. As this time of prayer draws to a close, speak to the Lord as one friend to another about where you might let the fruit of hospitality grow in your life; an area where you could bless others. 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
Transcribe →Sunday 10 May 2026 - Great joy in that city
1w ago00:12:12Tap to summarizeSunday 10 May 2026Today is Sunday the 10th of May, beginning the sixth week of Easter. The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing: Deus in adjutorium meum intende: 'O God come to our aid, O Lord, make haste to help us.' Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. One of the interesting things about this short passage is that it describes a two-stage process that the people of Samaria go through: it doesn’t all happen in one go. First, with Philip, there is a kind of preparatory stage, a preparing of the ground, and then, when the people seem ready, Peter and John arrive to pray for them to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Does that reflect, in any way, your own life, and your own experience of God? - the way “conversion” does not happen all at once? - that God does not come upon us all in one go, but leads us through stages, gradually preparing the ground in us? For the sacramentally-minded, there’s a very explicit connection here, too, with Baptism and Confirmation – Baptism, an initial stage in accepting God’s offer of new life, and Confirmation, the receiving of the fullness of God’s Spirit. If you have experience of those sacraments – your own baptism or confirmation, or one you remember attending – did you make that connection with the preparing of the ground and the receiving of the Holy Spirit in its fullness? Can you make that connection when you reflect on it now? As you hear the reading again, see if you can make that connection with what is described here and the sacraments, or conversions, or Christian initiations that you have witnessed. Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. It’s striking how straightforward and effective Peter and John’s prayer is here – they pray for the people of Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit, and it happens. For us, too, if it is our desire to be filled with the fullness of God’s Spirit, we only have to ask. Is that your desire? Whatever it is you want to ask, whatever it is you want to say to God, whose Spirit is present here now, just say it. 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
Transcribe →Saturday 9 May 2026 - Look back in gratitude
1w ago00:07:47Tap to summarizeSaturday 9 May 2026Welcome to the Saturday Examen. For Saturdays on Pray As You Go, we are encouraged to look back in gratitude. Maybe even in gratitude for the challenges that we have faced. Ask God for that gift of a grateful heart as you enter into this time of prayer. Now look back at the places where you have spent this week, the people you have met, how you have spent your time. What most stands out as gifts to be grateful for? How have you reacted to God’s presence in your life this week? Where have you been aware of it? Where are you most aware of it now, a little while later? Notice how you’ve responded to God this week, both the highs and the lows. Speak to God for a few moments now about whatever you’re noticing here. Finally, look forward to the week ahead. Perhaps it’s all planned out, perhaps there are surprises around the corner. What do you most need from God in the next few days? Ask for those gifts now. 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
Transcribe →Friday 8 May 2026 - Love one another
1w ago00:11:46Tap to summarizeFriday 8 May 2026Today is Friday the 8th of May, in the fifth week of Easter. Jon Guerra sings, ‘In The Beginning Was Love’. In today’s passage, we are commanded to love others as we have been loved. As you enter into prayer, spend some time reflecting on the love of God the Father at the beginning of all things. In the beginning was love And the love was with God And the love was God He was with God in the beginning And the world was made through him And so was I And there was light And the light was the light of heaven And there was goodness And the goodness walked the earth And there was beauty And the beauty would sing Like a voice in the wilderness Calling my name And before I knew what love was Love was in the beginning In the beginning was the song And the song was with God And the song was God He was the voice in the beginning And the stars would sing for him And so will I And there was light And the light was the light of heaven And there was goodness And the goodness walked the earth And there was beauty And the beauty would sing Like a voice in the wilderness Calling my name And before I knew what love was Love was in the beginning The light shines in the dark The dark has not overcome it Love was in the beginning Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 15:12-17 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ Spend some time reflecting on the ways Jesus loved... the listening he did on earth...the healings... the compassion... what stands out to you? Sometimes we can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our lives, so busy doing things for the Lord that we forget we are called friends, not servants. How does it feel to hear this reminder that you are Jesus’ friend? As you listen to the scripture again, notice what stands out to you afresh... John 15:12-17 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.' ‘I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.’ It seems this is the main point Jesus wants to drive home in this passage. We are friends, we are chosen and we are called to love one another as He has loved us. Speak to Jesus about anything that is lingering in your mind as this time of prayer comes to an end. 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
Transcribe →Thursday 7 May 2026 - Abide in my love
1w ago00:10:59Tap to summarizeThursday 7 May 2026Today is Thursday the 7th of May, in the fifth week of Easter. The community of Taizé sing Mane Nobiscum: 'Stay with us, Lord Jesus Christ'. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. We return to the theme of ‘abiding’ today. Does anything remain with you from yesterday? Hear that invitation to abide in Jesus’ love again. How have you already responded to this today? ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you...’ How might this shape your actions towards those around you? How might you pass on to others this love received from the Father and from the Son? As you listen again to the words of Jesus, allow yourself to be at home in God’s love. John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ‘I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.’ Spend these last moments noticing Jesus’ joy in you... Perhaps your joy doesn’t quite feel “complete”. Speak with Jesus about this joy, asking for a fresh awareness of it. 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
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