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In today's readings we are urged to change from the ways of
selfishness to those of loving and caring for others.
Self-centred actions separate us from the blessings and peace
that right living bring. Right living is honouring our baptismal
commitment, accepting God's laws, giving Him first place in our
lives. Then He will guide us and sustain us, He will give us the
strength we need in our difficulties. Levi evidently had a heart ready and waiting to hear the Lord's call. His response was immediate. It was also one of generosity and gratitude. He held a great reception in Jesus' honour and he wanted his friends and neighbours to share in his new-found joy and to know the one whom he had come to know. He recognised his need of Jesus and what he was being offered. Jesus' call to sinners to repent is offered still. Let us respond wholeheartedly as Levi did. 'Give joy to your servant, O Lord, for to You I lift up my soul'. |
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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 : |
That, with the committed help of all believers, the
scourge of poverty may come to an end, eliminating the
intolerable social and economic inequality in the world
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One might also say that poverty is the negation of economic and
social rights and that the poor who suffer from absolute poverty
are denied the most fundamental right which is the right to life.
The international community too is becoming progressively more
aware of the gravity of the problem and has declared solemnly to
fight and reduce extreme poverty by 2015. Besides, how can we not
realise the situation growing worse in spite of the increase in
available resources. The problem of unequal distribution of resources in its correct setting is an ethical one, since it is a problem of justice: the poor are in the first place victims of injustice. In the era of globalisation we can no longer tolerate a world in which the very rich live side by side with the poor, the property less who lack even the essentials with people who shamelessly waste what others desterately need. One of the more evident worrying consequences of this phenomenon is in fact the progressive increase instead of the decrease of inequalities, in both poor countries and rich countries, and between the North and South. Let us pray that the scourge of poverty may come to an end | |
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