3 Feb
Thu
4th Week in Ordinary Time
St Blaise, bishop & martyr
Heb. 12:18-19,21-24
Ps. 48:1-3,8-10
Mk. 6:7-13
(Ps Wk IV)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 

When the New Testament writers tried to understand the new thing which God had done in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, they naturally turned to the Old Testament. This is especially true of the Letter to the Hebrews. Some fervent Hebrews, who had accepted Jesus as Messiah and Lord, were nostalgic for the "old religion" of the Old Testament, especially for the liturgy of the Temple. The author of Hebrews goes to great pains to underline the difference between the old and the new dispensations of grace. Today he paints a rather dark picture of the Israelites' experience of God in the desert: he piles up frightening words: "untouchable", "blazing fire", "gloomy darkness", "storm".

None of this occurred at Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. But there is the danger that the overall gentleness of the account of Jesus' birth may blind us to the harsher reality which did in fact accompany that birth: a long hazardous journey, rejection, birth in an animals' cave, threat of death, exile as refugees. While the bright side of Christmas tends to become childish romanticism, our daily readings about the public life of Jesus bring us back to reality. Jesus warns His disciples of the possibility of rejection.



Lord Jesus, grant us the wisdom to appreciate realistically the beauty and joy of our faith.

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 sick, and especially the poorest among them, may receive the care and medical treatment worthy of human beings.
Elaboration

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