4 Jun
Tue 		9th Week in Ordinary Time
2 Pt. 3:12-15a, 17-18
Ps. 90:2,3-4,10, 14,16
Mk. 12:13-17
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Say the daily
Novena to the Sacred Heart

The two opposite parties - collaborators and zealots - coming together? It can be only to fight a common enemy - Jesus. This is just the beginning of a trap that has always come upon the Church all through its history: to involve her in politics, as a way to destroy her.

Will Jesus take sides? "Give the emperor what is his due, and God what is His". But is there anything under the sun which is not God's due? Nothing but sin! But a coin is too insignificant a thing to stir up God's zeal. Let politics go its way, let humans defend different positions or views, as long as they respect God's property - His people! Whether in Egypt, or through the desert, or in the Promised Land, or in Babylon, he has never given up his claim.

Now, once Jesus died for all, God's people knows no frontiers. And God's stand remains the same: let human history keep moving, let all natural and human sciences go on with their autonomous laws, but touch not the very pupil of God's eye - His people.


Lord, make me sensitive enough to respect other people as the pupil of Your eye. Give me courage to defend them as Your dearest property.

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 the leaders and members of different religions may co-operate in their search for world peace, based on conversion of hearts and brotherly dialogue.
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 the leaders and members of different religions may co-operate in their search for world peace, based on conversion of hearts and brotherly dialogue.

While respecting others' beliefs, all religions are called on to form a spiritual United Nations under the common denominator of belief in God who unites us all. We as believers are asked to place our particular faith at the service of the common human good.

This religious goal of humanism should manifest itself in healthy co-operation and not mere coexistence among all the men and women in the world. The universal criterion for achieving a basic common denominator among all the religions is moving from instinctive and sentimental dimensions to social and spiritual ones. And the influence of religions on millions of people is so deep it can be said that without religious peace there cannot be world peace. "Religion and peace go together: unleashing a war in the name of religion is an obvious contradiction". (John Paul II).

Therefore, we must neutralise our disorderly inclinations: selfishness, pride, ambition, lust for money and power, self-sufficiency, a superiority complex. We cannot be at peace with ourselves if we are not at peace with God.



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