After this Jesus went down to Capernaum, with his mother, the brothers, and his disciples, and he stayed there for a quite a few days.

The Passover Feast (of the Jews) was near and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he discovered both sellers of cattle, sheep and pigeon and money-changers sitting there. He made a rope whip and drove them all out of the Temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He scattered the coins of the money-changers and over-turned their tables. And he said to the pigeon-sellers ‘Take everything from here. Do not make my Father’s house a house of commerce.’ His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will burn me up.’

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

His mother said to the servants ‘Do whatever he says.’ Standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish purifications, holding up to nine gallons each Jesus said to them ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them to the top. He said’ Now draw some out, and carry it to the head waiter.’ And they did so. And when the head waiter tasted the water that had become wine, but he did not know from where it came, (although the servants knew who drew the water,) he said to the groom ‘Everyone first puts out the good wine, and when they have had to much to drink, the poorer stuff. But you have kept the best wine until now.’ So Jesus began his signs, in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

And on the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus (and his disciples) had also been invited. And when the wine had run out, Jesus’s mother said to him ‘They don’t have any wine!’ Jesus replied ‘Should I care for what you are care about, Lady? My time has not come yet.’ His mother said to the servants ‘Do whatever he says.’

Lord, you have given me so much,
I ask for one more thing –
a grateful heart.

George Herbert

Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, and said about him: ‘Look, truly an Israelite, there is nothing deceitful in him’.

Nathanael said to him: ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered: ‘I saw you while you were under the fig tree, before Philip called you.’ Nathanael answered ‘Rabbi, you are the son of God, King of Israel!’

Jesus replied: ‘Do you believe because I said that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things that these. Amen, amen, I say to you all – you will see the heavens standing open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man. ‘

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.

St Columba

On the following day Andrew (?) decided to go away to Galilee and find Philip.

Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Philip was from Bethsaida, the village of Andrew and Peter.

Phillip found Nathanael and said to him ‘We have found the one whom Moses (in the Law) and the prophets wrote about: Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’ And Nathanael said to him: ‘From Nazareth! Can there be anything good from there?’ Philip replied ‘Come and see.’

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter was one of the two who had heard what John said and followed him. He found his own brother , Simon, first of all, and said to him ‘I have found the Messiah’ (which is translated as ‘ Christ’)*. He brought him to Jesus. Seeing him Jesus said: ‘You are Simon son of John, you shall be called Kephas.'(which is translated ‘Peter.’)†

* i.e. annointed
† i.e. rock

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

Again on the next day John was standing there with two of his disciples, and watching Jesus closely, as he walked by, he said: ‘Look the Lamb of God.’ And the two disciples heard him saying this and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned around and seeing them following spoke them: ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him: ‘Rabbi, (which is translated as “Teacher”) where are you staying?’ He replied ‘Come and see!’ So they went and saw where he was staying and stayed with him for the rest of the day. It was about four o’clock.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God, blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

John bore witness: ‘I have seen the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and he stayed upon him. And I did not recognise him, but he who sent me to baptise in water he spoke to me: ‘Whoever you see the Spirit coming down upon and staying upon, this is the one who baptises in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and I have borne witness that this one is the Chosen One of God.’

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

On the following day when he saw Jesus coming to him, he said: ‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one about whom I said ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me because he existed before me. And I did not recognise him, though I came to baptise with water, so that he might be revealed to Israel.’

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy, For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

And some who had been sent were Pharisees. And they questioned him: ‘Why then do you baptise if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’ John answered them: ‘I baptise in water. Amongst you stands someone you do not recognise, he is the man who is coming after me – I am not worthy to untie his sandal’s strap.’ These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptising.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.