16Jun
Sun 		11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Ex. 19:2-6a
Ps. 100:2,3,5
Rom. 5:6-11
Mt. 9:36-10:8
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The amazing love and mercy of God is shown in today's readings. Moved with love and pity God ends the Israelites slavery and bears them "up on eagle's wrings". While we were still sinners God sent His only Begotten Son Jesus to die for us. Yes, God's love for the world is revealed in Jesus.

Matthew presents Jesus as "being moved with pity". Jesus is moved with pity because He is a Man for others. He is concerned about the needs of others and what He can do to share their burdens. The harnessed sheep are looking for guidance. The religious leaders failed to provide it, so Jesus commissions His own disciples to carry on His work. Like Him they are to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. And like Him they are to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out devils.

As Christians, we too are called to carry on our Lord's work and like Him, love and compassion should move us into the world of others.


O God may Your love and compassion be a source of inspiration for us to reach out to others. Amen.

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
That the leaders and members of different religions may co-operate in their search for world peace, based on conversion of hearts and brotherly dialogue.
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 : That the leaders and members of different religions may co-operate in their search for world peace, based on conversion of hearts and brotherly dialogue.

While respecting others' beliefs, all religions are called on to form a spiritual United Nations under the common denominator of belief in God who unites us all. We as believers are asked to place our particular faith at the service of the common human good.

This religious goal of humanism should manifest itself in healthy co-operation and not mere coexistence among all the men and women in the world. The universal criterion for achieving a basic common denominator among all the religions is moving from instinctive and sentimental dimensions to social and spiritual ones. And the influence of religions on millions of people is so deep it can be said that without religious peace there cannot be world peace. "Religion and peace go together: unleashing a war in the name of religion is an obvious contradiction". (John Paul II).

Therefore, we must neutralise our disorderly inclinations: selfishness, pride, ambition, lust for money and power, self-sufficiency, a superiority complex. We cannot be at peace with ourselves if we are not at peace with God.



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