Shalom

7 Jan Mon	Monday after Epiphany
	1 Jn. 3:22-4:6 Ps. 2:7-8, 10-11 Mt. 4:12-17, 23-25

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We have just celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany or the Manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world yesterday. This is indeed a significant moment in the history of humanity, where the infant King is revealed to all of us. His appearing into our lives must make a difference and mean something to us.

The Gospel of today portrays Jesus as the `great light' that has come to rescue those who live in darkness. Jesus is seen as a Teacher of the Word, by His proclamation of the Good News and His preaching in the synagogues. By curing and healing the sick and those with all kinds of ailments, he is akin to a Minister of the Sacraments. With such large crowds following Him from far and wide, He is indeed a Teacher of the Community. Jesus is all this and more.

It is interesting to note that Jesus begins His preaching with the message of Repentance. It is important that before one embarks on a mission, a careful discernment of the will of God must be made. One must check to see if the spirit is from God or the counter-spirit. St John's first letter gives us some clue on the discernment of spirits. The spirit empowers us to submit to the fact that the incarnation (Word made flesh), is from God. The spirit which in humility acknowledges our dependence on God, is truly the spirit of truth which will assist us to give glory to God.

Jesus, give me the grace to discern Your Spirit in all that I do and to serve You as the Light in my life.

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 intensify their efforts to announce together Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of 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 Christians may intensify their efforts to announce together Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world.
In the Apostolic Letter At the Beginning of the New Millennium Pope John Paul II looks towards the future and exhorts the members of the Church not to be afraid to leave the coastal waters "where there is nothing to fish" and move into deep waters. If we are prepared to do this, our catch will be abundant. The Pope particularly exhorts Christ's disciples to intensify their efforts to bring greater unity in the Christian Community. The invocation "Launch out into the deep" is a binding imperative, the strength that sustains us, and a salutary rebuke for our slowness and closed-heartedness. It is on Jesus' prayer and not on our own strength that we base the hope that even within history we shall be able to reach full and visible communion with all Christians. Our trust that we may succeed in attaining the full and visible communion of all Christians, "rests on Jesus' prayer, not on our own capacity". The Lord calls us to unity and will not fail to pour forth His grace on us. But in this context also, as in all our relations with God's salvific grace, we too must do our share. God does not save us against our will; God does not save us if we do not collaborate towards our salvation.
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