5 Jan Fri Weekday of Christmas 1 Jn. 3:11-21 Ps. 100:2, 3, 4, 5 Jn. 1:43-51 How To Pray With Shalom Home Page of Shalom Index of This Month        It has always been a challenge for Christians to integrate faith and life, belief and conduct. Apart from being believing and faithful Christians, we are also called to be moral and morally responsible Christians. In writing to the "Brothers", the members of his community both men and women, St John has much to say on this matter of the integration of religion and life. He sees a terrible contradition between being a "Brother", a Christian, and hating another "Brother", another member of the community. So seriously does he view this lack of congruence between faith and life that he calls such a person a "murderer". He condemns such a lack of love for the harm it does the one who is hated, the one who is not loved. At the same time, he keeps in mind the "murderer", reminding that person that hatred closes the door to eternal life. He does not in so many words urge the "murderer" to repent and to return to the fount of eternal life. We can, however, be sure that his words "eternal life abides in no murderer's heart" are an appeal to those who find themselves in such a situation to return again to love.      Lord Jesus, by Your sacrifice on the Cross, teach us to love in deed and in truth. 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 That Christians may favour the evangelisation of the new generations through the constant search for the unity wanted by Christ. Elaboration
- END - P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H     INTENTION : That Christians may favour the evangelisation of the new generations through the constant search for the unity wanted by Christ. The question of full Christian unity and evangelisation led to the beginnings of the ecumenical movement. The Holy Father decries the negative consequences of division among Christians and calls them to search for full Christian Unity as inspired by the Lord's Prayer. As evangelisers we must offer Christ's faithful an image of people who are mature in faith and capable of finding a meeting point beyond all tensions. The destiny of evangelisation is bound up with the witness of unity given to the Church. The urgency of preaching and displaying unity to the world arises from the fact that Christians can impair the vitality of proclaiming the Gospel and even become a scandal to the world, particularly when the churches appear to proclaim "a kingdom against itself". It is clear that the proclamation of the Gospel by divided Christians becomes counter- itness. As Christians we ought to give collaborative common witness which is founded in the common baptism in Christ and faith in the Triune God. Pray for the courage to work positively with other Christians for the purpose of promoting evangelisation. - END -