19 Mar
Mon
St Joseph, husband of BVM
2 Sam. 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Ps. 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
Rom. 4:13, 16-18, 22
Mt. 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a
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     As Christians and as children of God we are called to believe and to live lives of faith as Abraham did. To live a faith that surpasses the observation of laws, mind and sense perceptions, even hope (Rom. 4:18). We are called to live that kind of faith which despite all things and everything, stands absolutely sure that He, God, is the great I am and He is the Word who is able to do what He has promised (Rom. 4:21). It is only in responding to God with this kind of faith that we become true worshippers and therefore can be accepted as righteous by the Father. In looking closer into the texts of the Bible or the Word of God, we also begin to realize that it is in worship, when our being is righteous before God that miracles or great things can happen. The Gospel texts of Matthew shows us that Joseph was a righteous man (Mt. 1:19) and he had the same unquestioning faith as Abraham and it was this great faith of Joseph together with Mary's that allowed the Word to become flesh and thus brought salvation into the world and turned death into life.
    

     Lord, we have faith but not enough, increase our faith.
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, 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
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 : 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

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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