Shalom

11 Mar Mon	4th Week of Lent
	Is. 65:17-21 Ps. 30:2,4,5-6,11-12a, 13b Jn. 4:43-54

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The last two chapters in the Book of Isaiah depict a vision of the final judgement. The announcement of a new heaven and a new earth rings out. In light of this vision we come to know that radical choices are demanded of all of us, especially, at crucial moments. In today's world such acts of faith become part of God's plan to create a new heaven and a new earth. The story of the royal official's faith in Jesus and Jesus' sign to him are a beautiful example of the results of this radical choice. The son is on the point of death and the official, acting on what he has heard about Jesus' healing mission, makes a radical decision to ask Jesus to come before the boy dies. There must have been much at the royal court that could have prevented the official from seeking Jesus out; there was nothing official about Jesus' mission and He was constantly challenging established authority.

Today's readings are not a call to jump up and flout all of established authority. Rather they are there to remind us that there are moments when we will be faced with the choice to either join Jesus in His mission - the announcement of the new heaven and the new earth - or to continue to accept the status quo.

Loving God, may I not be deaf to the prompting of Your Holy Spirit. May I always be ready to choose that which will help to build the new heaven and the new earth.

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
For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently the Gospel of Love.
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 :	For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently the Gospel of Love.
It is the Church's desire that all social-charitable initiatives might always be inspired, in their implementation, by the immutable principles of the Gospel. There is danger, however, that professional organisations engaged in the social field risk losing the fundamental motivation for their existence: that is bearing witness to Christ's charity which the Church has the duty to communicate and to share with others. In order to be effective, then, continual spiritual formation is needed for voluntary co-operators who wish to devote themselves to social action. All these initiatives tend to develop the awareness that the foundation and centre of our action is Christ, in whom the God of love revealed himself and gave himself to men and women. Consequently all those who welcome Christ follow him and answer the call to be faithful witnesses to it. This awareness must totally imbue the hearts and minds of individuals so that it also inspires the Communities they set up for organised action in support of underprivileged persons and communities suffering from material and moral poverty. Being thus imbued and formed it becomes necessary that volunteers pray to draw Christ into their midst and have him accompany them.
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