26 Aug
Sun
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Is. 66:18-21
Ps. 116:1, 2
Heb. 12:5-7, 11-13
Lk. 13:22-30
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"Will there be only a few saved"? That question put to Jesus might stand for all of the 'theory' questions we ask of God or of ourselves in times of doubt, in anxiety, in fear, maybe in self-justification or just in curiosity. Jesus didn't answer directly, and neither does our Father, because it's really irrelevant: counting heads doesn't matter. And comparing ourselves with other people, favourably or not, is also irrelevant. What matters is not learning an item of information but acting rightly, choosing the right road, the right door to enter, the company of Jesus. It's a narrow door, Jesus said. To find it and keep going requires perseverance and staying with Him on the way. There are no 'easy rides' and no short cuts to avoid the pain of the world, the suffering of people, Jesus' way of the cross. We go His way and with Him, or we don't get there. There are no complimentary tickets to salvation, no reserved seats at the banquet of the Kingdom. It's been said: "If you have not paradise in the depth of your heart, don't hope to enter there". People who think themselves to be important, to be the best, the first, the chosen, will find themselves last because they've lost the way, perhaps even lost the Way.



Lord Jesus, keep me close to You on my journey, keep reminding me that Yours is the road I need to go by, and that You are the gateway to my fullness of life, my peace and my joy with the Father.

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

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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 : 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.




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