Shalom

20 Jan Sun	2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
	Is. 49:3, 5-6 Ps. 39:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 8b-9.10 1 Cor. 1:1-3 Jn. 1:29-34

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Like the prophet Isaiah before him, John the Baptist knew his mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah. And when Jesus came to the Jordan river, John then recognised Him and publicly proclaimed that this man was the 'Chosen One of God'. Pointing Him out, John said, "Look there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world". Those words prompted some of John's disciples to go and follow Jesus: those very same words are still said to us each time we take part in the Eucharistic liturgy. They are words that invite a reaction, a response. What is our response? The words we say in answer, "Lord, I am not worthy . . . ", are an act of faith and a plea for healing. But what about our actions, the way we live? In what ways do we respond like John's disciples did, in going out to follow Jesus, to see where He was living, to spend time with Him? Jesus Himself said that those who believe in Him are greater even than John the Baptist. So we might ask ourselves in what ways do we, in our lives and words and actions, proclaim that Jesus really is the "Chosen One of God", the Messiah-Saviour, and point Him out to other people as the Lamb of God and taker away of sin?

Lord Jesus, make us Your heralds and messengers not only in the words we say about You, but in the ways we recognise You and point You out to others.

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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