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We are Easter people, redeemed by Jesus and filled with the hope that His Resurrection brings. This is part of our faith. But we face the question: how do we integrate the mysteries of our faith into our spiritual lives, so that they become real sources of faith, hope and love in daily life? What difference does Jesus' Resurrection make in our ordinary life? Once, during the Easter vigil, I heard a priest preaching a parable from ordinary life, which may help us to answer these questions. Think of a man with a family, refugees in a squalid camp with no hope of resettlement. However, he is suddenly approved for immigration into another country. Of course, the process will take another three months to complete but the end is certain: a chance to begin a new life in another country. During the remaining three months the family is still stuck in the camp with others who are still facing a very uncertain future. Since their resettlement is confirmed, however, they look at their camp and their conditions with very different eyes. They live with a new hope. Lord Jesus, let the glory of Your Resurrection enlighten us with hope in the midst of a world on the edge of despair. |
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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 : |
For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social
action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently
the Gospel of Love.
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It is the Church's desire that all social-charitable initiatives might
always be inspired, in their implementation, by the immutable principles of
the Gospel. There is danger, however, that professional organisations
engaged in the social field risk losing the fundamental motivation for their
existence: that is bearing witness to Christ's charity which the Church has
the duty to communicate and to share with others. In order to be effective, then, continual spiritual formation is needed for voluntary co-operators who wish to devote themselves to social action. All these initiatives tend to develop the awareness that the foundation and centre of our action is Christ, in whom the God of love revealed himself and gave himself to men and women. Consequently all those who welcome Christ follow him and answer the call to be faithful witnesses to it. This awareness must totally imbue the hearts and minds of individuals so that it also inspires the Communities they set up for organised action in support of underprivileged persons and communities suffering from material and moral poverty. Being thus imbued and formed it becomes necessary that volunteers pray to draw Christ into their midst and have him accompany them. | |
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