1 Sep
Mon
22nd Week in Ordinary Time
1 Thess 4:13-18
Ps. 96: 1, 3-5,11-13
Lk 4:16-30
(Ps Wk II)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 

Israel had many expectations of God. One of the strongest of these expectations was that God would come. This expectation was expressed in two different ways. The first was that God would send a Messiah and, through this representative, would lead the people into freedom. Another expectation gave rise to Israel's very specific notion of time and history. Many other nations thought of time in the same way they thought of the cycle of nature. As the seasons followed one another in a cycle, so they saw history as a closed circle, endlessly repeating itself. Israel, on the other hand, was sure that history moved forward towards a distant objective, the "day of the Lord". Though they could not have used such a modern term, Israel knew that God was "the Lord of history", and that a day of reckoning would come. Jesus sometimes referred to this day of reckoning, warning us that we do not know the day or the hour when the Lord will come. In another sense, the coming of the Messiah and the "day of the Lord" could be combined. Jesus hints at such a combination when He insists: "Today, this prophecy is fulfilled". This "today" is a time of judgement, a time of grace.



Lord, Jesus, may we always respond to Your presence with faith, hope and love.

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 countries suffering from war, terrorism and violence may find the way of reconciliation, concord and peace.
Elaboration

- END -