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Throughout the Old Testament, the sigh of God is quite audible: God sighed so many times over Israel, much-loved and often recalcitrant Israel. God's sigh is clearly audible in the voice of Jesus when, with something of a broken heart, He asks "Where are the other nine?" For the Jews in the group, the Law was important and they had to comply with it before anything else, even before thanking and praising God. Their attitude was not entirely blameworthy. After all, the Law of Moses was the Law of God, and, by extension, every other law was somehow holy and related to the will of God. This attitude, however, could be vitiated by tending to make something relative like the Law more important than God. Jesus would not have required a disrespect or disregard for the law. He would rather have required a deeper sensitivity to God's gift. For the Samaritan, the law could wait: praise and gratitude took precedence. Praise and gratitude enable us to enter more directly into a loving relationship with God. We must learn never to value God's gifts more than God. While we enjoy God's consolation, our hearts must rise in praise and thanksgiving to Him who gives the consolation. Lord, draw our hearts beyond all Your gifts and graces into deeper intimacy with You. |
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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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That politicians and economists may feel it their duty to attend to the welfare of all people, giving first place to the most poverty-stricken
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This prophetic year 2000 projecting into the 3rd millennium is faced with people suffering from hunger, under-development, lack of work, abandoned old people, the sick without care and those suffering from the scourge of drugs. In front of these facts we are called to review our conduct, choices, commitment in the light of the causes which have determined them. Every Christian who is a member of a state and an economic system must take on himself specific responsibilities to overcome these negative elements which greatly disturb the harmonious development of persons and peoples and are at the root of poverty and of its increase. We cannot place ourselves in a situation of passive waiting for other people's conversion. Our personal conversion is the starting point for hope for the necessary changes of direction. It is our hearts we must change. Conversion is a grace given to those who ask the Saviour for it. We turn to the Lord, with insistent prayer, and ask that we may influence the "politicians and economists to feel it their duty to attend to the welfare of all people and especially the most poverty-stricken". | |
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