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Many religions in general nourish an inward-looking spirituality that hides the people within a cultural matrix and binds them with each other without making them really open to life in the Spirit. Through Jeremiah's prophetic words, God uses the cultural life symbols and signs of the Jewish people to warn them to be more docile to the Spirit. In Jewish culture, "loins" were the centre of intimate affections, movements of the heart and a "girded loin" refers to readiness for action or mission. Those who are ready and willing with an obedient heart for service are useful in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, by being united to his Father, came to communicate things hidden from normal sight and make them transformative for the whole of humanity. Jesus inaugurates this shift from an ethno-centric inward looking mysticism to a universal mysticism of service.
Lord, You have invited us to work for Your reign in human hearts. Help us to be useful servants in Your Kingdom, always ready to be missioned according to Your will. Help us to be agents of transformation in the society in which we are placed by Your providence. United intimately with You, may we be able to serve Your Kingdom effectively for Your greater glory.
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DAILY OFFERING
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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.
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PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
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INTENTION
That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.
Elaboration
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