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The Gospel reading today calls us to a deeper relationship with God not just a casual acquaintance, like having an occasional meal with someone. What is my relationship with God? Have I really taken Jesus' teaching to heart and try to put it into practice in my life?
St Paul's letter to the Romans gives us some clues about how to build up this relationship with God. Prayer is the key and even if we say we do not know how to pray God has given us His Spirit who prays in us. The Spirit knows our deepest longings and groanings and helps us in our own weak attempts. The Spirit intercedes for us and helps us to live according to God's will. Jesus has told us "It is not those who say Lord, Lord who enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of my Father"
A striking line in this reading is "We know that all things work together to good to those who love God" Let us take heart from this. We are called to imitate Christ and to live as He lived. If we take Christ as our model then whatever we experience, whatever difficulties we encounter we can gain strength from Christ who walked this journey before us. True discipleship means entering the narrow gate and living the Kingdom values.
Let us ask Him for the strength to live out our lives in such a way that we may be numbered among those who will be invited to the banquet in the Kingdom of God.
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DAILY OFFERING
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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.
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PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
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INTENTION
That Christians may not be discouraged by the attacks of secularized society, but with complete trust, may bear witness to their faith and hope.
Elaboration
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