IAmSon, Jessica Fox and Paul Zach 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 Saint Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:6-8

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

It looks as though Paul is writing this when he has been sentenced to death; he is in prison, with presumably not much chance of avoiding his fate. How is he coping with this?

“I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith”. What is Paul’s mood here? Have you ever found yourself feeling this form of consolation? Perhaps it’s something that could help you...

Paul uses, as he often does, a sporting metaphor: “the crown of righteousness” is the equivalent in his day to “a gold medal in the Olympics”. Do these metaphors and images help you in some way today?

Now listen to the passage as it is read for you once more. Is there anything that you find surprising in it?

2 Timothy 4:6-8

As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

“The time off my departure is come: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith”. How is Paul facing the crisis here? As we end this time of prayer, you might like to ask God for the grace and consolation Paul has been given even during his trials...

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