19 Jun
Sun
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Zec. 12:10-11; 13:1
Ps. 63(62):2abc,2d-4,5-6,8-9
Gal. 3:26-29
Lk. 9:18-24
(Ps Wk IV)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 
 

Today, in some countries, we celebrate Father's Day. The Gospel reading of the day is very apt for this celebration. We are human beings. Among the great gifts that God has bestowed upon us is the gift of our five senses. Through our senses we experience this world around us. To a large extent, it is through our parents' unconditional love that we comprehend and taste God's unconditional love. Therefore we can freely say that God is our father and our mother. In the Gospel, Peter gave an enlightened reply to Jesus' question: "You are the Messiah of God." Peter had already been with Jesus for some time. He had experienced Jesus very closely: from his deep experience of Jesus and God's grace he was able to identify him as the Messiah. Today Jesus is putting the same question to each of us. Jesus' question calls us to name our personal relationship with God. From our childhood onwards we learn to call our earthly father as father and through him we receive unconditional love, care and concern. Therefore we always identify him as our father. To answer Jesus' question, we need, like Peter, to have a personal encounter with Christ through prayer.



Father in Heaven, grant us the grace to grow in our personal relationship with Jesus, Your Son.


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 aged, marginalized, and those who have no one may find - even within the huge cities of the world - opportunities for encounter and solidarity.
Elaboration

- END -


© Copyright Shalom 2015. All rights reserved.