Shalom

16 Nov Fri	St Margaret of Scotland
	Wis. 13:1-9 Ps. 19:1-4 Lk. 17:26-37

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Today's first reading is a beautiful hymn in honour of God's wisdom. God's wisdom is beyond our imagination and His values are not like our human values. As a result God's ways often seem strange to us. They are indeed mysterious and incomprehensible to us. Jesus, in today's Gospel makes a strange statement, a reflection of God's unique wisdom. He declares that before He comes in glory, He must suffer and be rejected. Likewise, as His disciples we too will suffer and be rejected.

One of the greatest mysteries of God is that He sent His beloved Son to suffer and die. Even more astounding is the fact that it was through His suffering and death that Jesus was brought to the glory of the Resurrection. Only God could think of a plan like that. It is a plan for us as well. Faith leads us to accept God's wisdom in our lives, to believe that our own suffering and death in this life will lead us with Jesus to the fulness of life in the resurrection. Some may think us too foolish to follow a crucified Lord, but following Him is the greatest wisdom.

Lord, You have a plan and a purpose for our lives. Give us wisdom, strength and courage to follow You closely and faithfully. Amen.

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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