28 Jan Sun 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) Jer. 1:4-5, 17-19 Ps. 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 1 Cor. 12:31-13:13 Lk. 4:21-23 How To Pray With Shalom Home Page of Shalom Index of This Month        As St Paul emphasises today, the essence of our Christian living is love. If love is not behind everything we say and do, then our words and actions are without any real value. Love here is not quite the kind of thing that pop songs sing about. It means having a deep desire for the good of the other person, even if that person is unknown to me, even if that person is hostile and wishes me harm. To return hate for hate, violence for violence is not the way as countless examples that appear in our newspapers clearly show. At the same time, being a loving person is no guarantee that I will receive the same love in return. Jesus said at one time, "The servant is no better than his master". Jesus was the most loving person that ever lived and yet there were people who hated Him so much that they eventually had Him killed. And they hated Him precisely because He was a loving person. He expressed love for people who were not supposed to be loved, like sinners and tax collectors and prostitutes. And there is a long line of martyrs whose love for others, especially the victims of injustice, led to their loss of life.      Lord Jesus, help me also to be filled with the love You have for every single person and give me the courage to extend that love even when it is attacked by those who are blinded by prejudice and fear. 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 -