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Zephaniah was very clear about the way of life that God required of His people. In this he stood alongside many of the great prophets. The prophets seldom isolated moral requirements from an emphasis on God's care and love for people, and indeed his determination to draw them into a wonderful future with Him. Today's reading from Zephaniah is one of real hope for a people who draw close to God. It would not be an exaggeration to say that most of Israel's prophets make reference to the fact that God acted decisively in the past for the nation in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. It was in the light of believing in a God like this that they could hope for the future at all (cf. Is. 12). Hope rested on a reliable God rather than particularly reliable people! Similar convictions underlie practical aspects of Christian living. The Church is dependant on a God who is powerful to guard His people by holding them in the right way. The future is not simply related to the development of the world scene, but is something brought to fulfilment by the Lord's coming (Phil. 4:5). In today's reading from Philippians, Christians are called on to live in a new way because of the future that God intends. God's peace is powerful to transform whole lives - hearts and minds. Lord, let our hearts be filled with the hope of Your promise. |
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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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That the celebration of the Jubilee may become the source of a new commitment in men and women of good will to protect and promote human life.
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In the threshold of the year 2001, it is our duty to renew our commitment to safeguarding the dignity of the poor and marginalised and to recognise in a practical way the rights of those who have no rights. This is the spirit of the new millennium which presupposes the following: The basic right to life which is inviolable which involves a positive choice for life. The development of a culture of this kind embraces all the circumstances of life and ensures the promotion of human dignity in every situation. Recent developments in the field of genetic engineering present a profoundly disquieting challenge. In order that scientific research in this area may be at the service of the person, it must be accompanied at every stage by careful ethical reflection, which will bring about adequate legal norms safeguarding the integrity of human life. Life can never be downgraded to the level of a thing. To choose life involves rejecting every form of violence. In every circumstance, the right to life must be promoted and safeguarded with appropriate legal and political guarantees. Let us raise our voices on their behalf. | |
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