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To enter into God's rest and peace, we must listen to the good news of God's kingdom coming with Christ and respond with obedient faith (Heb. 4). The crowds gathered around the Capernaum house to listen as Jesus delivered "God's word to them." But the miracle of curing the paralyzed man gave a more dramatic message both to the people and the hostile teachers of the law. The four men carrying their friend on a sort of stretcher and letting him down most unconventionally through the roof, impressed Jesus because of their faith. They believed He had the power to heal and the goodness to grant this favour. They were right! But this account shows that Jesus was more immediately concerned about the man's spiritual sickness. He touched the man's heart by forgiving his sins and restoring him to total peace with God. But the scribes were shocked. They regarded the miracle Jesus worked as a blasphemous act. In fact, the wonderful cure was a sign and proof that He also had power over sins, the terrible disease affecting any person's soul. Lord, we believe, help our unbelief. Give us the courage to forgive, as You continually forgive us. |
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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 Christians may favour the evangelisation of the new generations through the constant search for the unity wanted by Christ.
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The question of full Christian unity and evangelisation led to the beginnings of the ecumenical movement. The Holy Father decries the negative consequences of division among Christians and calls them to search for full Christian Unity as inspired by the Lord's Prayer. As evangelisers we must offer Christ's faithful an image of people who are mature in faith and capable of finding a meeting point beyond all tensions. The destiny of evangelisation is bound up with the witness of unity given to the Church. The urgency of preaching and displaying unity to the world arises from the fact that Christians can impair the vitality of proclaiming the Gospel and even become a scandal to the world, particularly when the churches appear to proclaim "a kingdom against itself". It is clear that the proclamation of the Gospel by divided Christians becomes counter- itness. As Christians we ought to give collaborative common witness which is founded in the common baptism in Christ and faith in the Triune God. Pray for the courage to work positively with other Christians for the purpose of promoting evangelisation. | |
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