Shalom

27 Mar Wed	Wednesday of Holy Week
	Is. 50:4-9a Ps. 69:8-10,21bcd-22,31, 33-34 Mt. 26:14-25

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Insults and mistreatment are certainly not pleasant. Who enjoys harsh words or unjust behaviour? And yet both Jesus and Isaiah's Suffering Servant seem to be willing to look beyond it, for they see their role as healing, encouraging, and redeeming others. The Suffering Servant is undeterred by human cruelty and rejection, for He knows He is doing God's work: listening to the struggles of others and offering words of comfort to the weary. Jesus knows that His time has come. He even knows who His betrayer is. But He does not stop Judas, for He also knows that somehow this has to be. Humanity's redemption is at stake. Suffering for its own sake is not to be romanticized, excused or spiritualized. Resignation or fatalism just gives in to suffering and usually results in anger and resentment. But we should know that when we begin a spiritual journey and a commitment to a life of service and commitment to justice, resistance and negative treatment often result. This is not a cause for discouragement, but a sign that we are doing something right! The world has seldom understood or appreciated the ways of God. Let us set our minds on God's kingdom and its righteousness, and continue the Way that Jesus taught us.

Lord, help us to give ourselves joyfully and fearlessly to a life of compassion and justice.

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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