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In today's gospel, Mark depicts a 'crowd' of people who ran on foot to
meet and be with Jesus. Jesus, seeing this great hunger within them,
experienced a great sense of compassion for them. Today, in our own society there are 'crowds'. We hear and read about them daily - the poor, the migrant workers, the sick, drug addicts and others labelled as social outcasts. Society teaches us to think of them as unwanted corruptive elements and we ourselves continue to collaborate with and propagate these images either directly or indirectly. Often, we fail to realize that their condition is not voluntarily chosen but is the effect of the evil social forces that operate within our societies. Today the gospel reminds us that these people hunger for God, hunger for justice and the liberation from the situations that have put them there and that continues to imprison them. Jesus had compassion for them and gave them true life and liberation from their helpless imprisonment. We too are being called to labour with compassion for the liberation of all those who need them in our own societies. Lord, make me Your instrument of compassion for all those who hunger for it in many ways. Amen. |
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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
| INTENTION : |
That children will never again be obliged to participate in
any war, but may be freed from hatred and violence and may live, as
children should, enjoying friendship in their family, school and society.
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The international community is increasingly recognising the
vulnerability of displaced children in refugee camps. They are at particular risk
of being exploited by armed groups. As recruited soldiers children
suffer disproportionately from the general rigours of military life.
Younger children may have deformed backs and shoulders, the result of
carrying loads too heavy for them. Malnutrition, respiratory and skin
infections and other ailments are frequent, as are sexually transmitted
diseases, including AIDS. The use of child soldiers also has repercussion on other children who remain in the conflict area. The risk, is that children will be killed, detained interrogated, or subject to pre-emptive recruitment. We must not close our eyes to the fact that child soldiers are not victims and perpetrators. No matter what the child is guilty of, the main responsibility lies with us, the adults. To stop this abuse, no child under 18 should be recruited for or participate in war. There is simply no excuse, no acceptable argument for arming children. | |
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