14 Apr Sat Holy Saturday 7 Old Testament readings Rom 6:3-11 Ps. 118:1-2,16-17,22-23 Lk. 24:1-12 How To Pray With Shalom Home Page of Shalom Index of This Month        Yesterday on Good Friday Jesus ended His earthly life in slow agony on the cross. Today on Holy Saturday, especially during the night, in the words of St Augustine we celebrate the "Mother of all vigils". For tonight the Church keeps watch, waiting for the return of our Lord. In faith we keep vigil recalling the saving death of Jesus and His glorious resurrection.      In the Gospel we are told that Jesus has risen. His Resurrection is confirmed by an empty tomb. The empty tomb is God's radical sign that redemption is not a mere escape to a better world but an extraordinary transformation of this world. Yes, through dying Jesus destroyed our death and through rising He restored our lives. Sin is swallowed up in victory, death does not have the final word. Hope and not despair carries the day. The tree of Adam's defeat has become the tree of Christ's victory. Therefore let us roll back the stone that covers our hearts and receive the glorious Body of our Risen Lord in a spirit of faith and joy. We must begin anew and let Jesus rise in our hearts.           Cleanse us O God and make us ready to accept the Risen Christ whom You love and who is our Lord forever and ever. Amen. 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 -