21 Aug
Thu
20th Week in Ordinary Time
St Pius X, Pope
Ez 36:23-28
Ps 51(50):12-13,14-15,18-19
Mt 22:1-14
(Ps Wk IV)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 
 

Pope Pius X is especially remembered for two things which affect the ordinary life of the Church: he encouraged the Faithful to receive Holy Communion frequently, even daily; he urged that children be allowed and encouraged to receive their first Holy Communion when they reached the age of reason or as soon as possible. As a Cardinal he was concerned "to restore all things in Christ" (Ephesians 1:10). Due to his various pastoral experiences as priest, bishop, seminary rector, and Pope he felt a great need to deal with deficiencies in the Church, especially in the formation of priests.

In the Greek text of Ephesians, the word we translate here as "restore" means, more exactly "to gather under one head".

In the third Eucharistic Prayer, whatever the translation, we pray that God may gather together all his scattered children wherever we may be. This is almost certainly not meant to be a prayer for Christian unity, but a much more all-embracing prayer that, through the Church, Jesus may gather all human beings together with himself and offer us to the Father as the completion of the work of our creation, redemption and sanctification.



Father in Heaven, through Jesus Christ, Our crucified and risen Lord, gather together all Your scattered children wherever we may be, for Your greater honour and glory.


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 refugees, forced by violence to abandon their homes, may find a generous welcome and the protection of their rights.
Elaboration

- END -


© Copyright Shalom 2014. All rights reserved.