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God's ways are not our ways! This might perhaps be our conclusion to
today's readings. Firstly in the Genesis account, we see how the wickedness of humanity so angered God that even He gave up on all of them, Noah excepted, to the extent that He allowed the flood to kill them. In the Gospel reading we see the inability of the disciples to understand what Jesus was talking about. Their minds seem fixed on mundane material matters like bread but Jesus was instead warning them about the aggressive attitudes that both the Pharisees and Herod harboured against himself. Thus, Jesus had to resort to reminding them of His past miracles of multiplying bread for the multitudes. Obviously the disciples had not yet truly understood the power of Jesus. They still needed time to truly digest and understand the words and deeds of Jesus. After the Resurrection, they did grow in their understanding. We too often journey through life with our eyes, ears and minds closed. Often we are unable or even refuse to recognise the action of God in our lives -we cannot or will not see what He is telling us through His words and the events in our lives. It takes growth in our faith lives and a true attentiveness that springs from the heart to move away from our spiritual blindness and deafness. This perhaps is the grace that we should pray for today. Lord, open my eyes, ears and mind that I might discover Your message for me today. |
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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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