15 Aug
Wed 		Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady
Apoc. 11:19, 12:1-6, 10
Ps. 45:10, 11, 12, 16
1 Cor. 15:20-27
Lk. 1:39-56
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 

"All will be brought to life in Christ". Paul's great and confident proclamation of the meaning of the Resurrection is a powerful affirmation of the central mystery of our faith. Jesus is Lord, for He is truly Risen. Yet, if we are to grasp something of the profoundity of the mystery of the Resurrection, we must look beyond it to all the mysteries of the life of Jesus, for they are all moments in the one great mystery of God's love given us in Christ Jesus. Not only in Christ, but also in Jesus: in His humanity as well as in His divinity. Our hearts will then turn to the one who gave birth to the man Jesus, Mary the mother of God. Chosen by God before all the ages, she is forever part of the mystery of Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Lord.

In formulating its faith insights in its Marian doctrines, the Church has not added something of its own to revelation: the Church has added levels of understanding. What is true of Christ is true of us: "All will be brought to life in Christ". What is true of us is even more true of Mary: she enjoys the fullness of the Resurrection in a way surpassing that of the other saints.


Mary assumed into heaven, guide us in the way of Jesus.

DAILY OFFERING
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.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
The awareness that only God is the master of human life may orientate the decisions of the legislators and leaders of nations
Elaboration

- END -








P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : The awareness that only God is the master of human life may orientate the decisions of the legislators and leaders of nations

Evidence shows with increasing clarity how policies and laws opposed to life are causing societies to decline morally, demographically and economically. The encyclical Evangelium Vitae makes the urgent appeal "that we offer this world of ours new signs of hope, and work to ensure that justice and solidarity will increase and that a new culture of human life will be affirmed, for the building of an authentic civilisation of truth and love".

Thus there is no reason for a defeatist mentality which claims that laws opposed to the right of life are inevitable. On the contrary, they are a seed of corruption for society and its foundations. The civil and moral conscience cannot accept this false inevitability. The relationship between the civil and moral law deserves great attention because of the growing importance they are destined to have in the restoration of social life.

Lawmakers are asked to renew their commitment to change unjust laws that legitimise or tolerate such violence. The changing of laws must be preceded and accompanied by the changing of mentalities and morals on a vast scale. The Church cannot spare any effort nor can she accept negligence or guilty silence.



- END -