1 Apr Sun 5th Sunday of Lent (C) Is. 43:16-21 Ps. 125:1-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 Phil. 3:8-14 Jn. 8:1-11 How To Pray With Shalom Home Page of Shalom Index of This Month        The point about the story of the woman caught committing adultery is that there is no question about her guilt. The question is how should she be treated? According to the Law, as understood by the Pharisees, she should be stoned to death for a very serious wrongdoing in which she either betrayed her own husband or was an accomplice in someone else's husband being unfaithful to his wife. Jesus sees the situation very differently. What concerns Jesus is not what has happened but what should be done now. He would agree with Isaiah in the first reading; "No need to recall the past, no need to think about what was done before." What has been done has been done and that can never be changed. What can be changed is the woman herself. Is there a chance for her to change and be led to a new way of behaving? Jesus sees that possibility. None of her accusers could punish her because they themselves were also sinners. They also had a past. Jesus comes to save, to heal - not to punish. The punishment is our own doing when we turn our back on that healing power of Jesus which makes us whole again.           Help us, Lord Jesus, to be more like You. DAILY OFFERING Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen. PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH INTENTION That consecrated people, answering the call of their particular vocation, may radiate the spirit of the Gospel beatitudes in the present-day world Elaboration
- END - P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H     INTENTION : That consecrated people, answering the call of their particular vocation, may radiate the spirit of the Gospel beatitudes in the present-day world In the world of today there is a widespread search for joy, happiness, serenity, liberty. That is why the consecrated religious is called on to remind every person that the life of a human being comes from God. Religious give outstanding and striking testimony that the world cannot be transformed and offered to God without the spirit of the Beatitudes which proposes a way of living and for people to relate to each other. The consecrated life is for all the faithful a luminous sign of the common vocation to holiness, a model on which to draw inspiration and courage. Besides, the religious community based on motivations of faith, on mutual love and on sharing presents itself as a call to the constant reform of ecclesial communities. The commitment asked of consecrated people needs the support, awareness and prayer of the entire Christian community, so that human weakness may not prevail but may always allow itself to be led and transformed by God's action. In fact, the attitudes indicated by the Beatitudes not only point a sure way towards fulfilment and charity, but also lead directly to the Person of Christ who came so that men and women not only might have life but have it to the full. - END -