3 Nov
Sat 		St Martin de Porres, religious
Rom. 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29
Ps. 94:12-15, 17-18
Lk. 14:1, 7-11
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Some Jews were not clear about their call to be the chosen people and they missed the Messiah. They are still loved by God. He never revokes His choice. We too can be blind to the Lord's call to us. We stumble and often fall. He never rejects us but uses our fall to reach out to us untiringly. He invites us to become strong, and drink from the fountain of living water. He assures us if we take the gift of life He is offering we shall never give up. The Lord has His plan for us; it is often not the one we would choose for ourselves.

Let us pray for a deeper understanding of the Lord's plan for our lives and that we may live in union with that plan for us. If we respond to our call and continue to answer it with fidelity we shall have a place of honour at the great feast of our Lord and King.


Lord, help me to understand and fulfil Your plan.

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 holy and exemplary men and women may be our companions in proclaiming boldly the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
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 holy and exemplary men and women may be our companions in proclaiming boldly the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

"They began to proclaim the word of God boldly" (Acts 4:31). The word "boldly" can also be translated as "audaciously" or with "forthrightness" in announcing the Christian message. The ideal agents of evangelisation should be "holy and exemplary persons". Though God could have spread His Kingdom without human collaboration, He has always sought human partners, who as suitable and free instruments, work for the salvation of humankind.

The laity can evangelise chiefly through prayer, the testimony of life and the establishment of a temporal order inspired by the Gospel. Though preaching the Gospel is the competence and principal duty of those who have been ordained, lay people, who have the necessary theological training, can preach.

Vatican II stresses the need for priests to be holy preachers. God ordinarily prefers to show his wonders through those men who are more submissive to the impulse and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because of their intimate union with Christ and their holiness of life, they are able to say with St Paul: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). Let us therefore pray that all those who devote themselves directly to evangelisation may live a holy life that emphasises the credibility of the Christian message.



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