22 Jan Mon 3rd Week in Ordinary Time St Vincent, deacon & martyr Heb. 9:15, 24-28 Ps. 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 Mk. 3:22-30 How To Pray With Shalom Home Page of Shalom Index of This Month        The reality and the significance of Christ's coming, of His life, death, resurrection and of His enthronement at the right hand of the Father, are deep mysteries to be pondered on over and over again. We neglect consideration of the significance at our own peril.     Already during His public life Jesus worked miracles, particularly on ailments which were regarded to as results of the power of Satan. This, we can presume, was to show that a new age was dawning in Him, and age of life in its fulness which Jesus had come to usher in. For a person to deny the significance of what was happening through Jesus was to sin against the light. This is what the Gospel tells us today. Jesus' death was in keeping with this view of His life's work. He died to establish a new covenant, to bring God's people into possession of their promised inheritance of life and grace. To repeat a point already made more than once in these reflections: Now in heaven Jesus continues His priestly work, bringing to perfection in believers what has already begun at baptism.      Lord, renew me always. 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 Christians may favour the evangelisation of the new generations through the constant search for the unity wanted by Christ. Elaboration
- END - P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H     INTENTION : That Christians may favour the evangelisation of the new generations through the constant search for the unity wanted by Christ. The question of full Christian unity and evangelisation led to the beginnings of the ecumenical movement. The Holy Father decries the negative consequences of division among Christians and calls them to search for full Christian Unity as inspired by the Lord's Prayer. As evangelisers we must offer Christ's faithful an image of people who are mature in faith and capable of finding a meeting point beyond all tensions. The destiny of evangelisation is bound up with the witness of unity given to the Church. The urgency of preaching and displaying unity to the world arises from the fact that Christians can impair the vitality of proclaiming the Gospel and even become a scandal to the world, particularly when the churches appear to proclaim "a kingdom against itself". It is clear that the proclamation of the Gospel by divided Christians becomes counter- itness. As Christians we ought to give collaborative common witness which is founded in the common baptism in Christ and faith in the Triune God. Pray for the courage to work positively with other Christians for the purpose of promoting evangelisation. - END -