3 Mar
Sat
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Is. 58:9b-14
Ps. 86:1-6
Lk. 5:27-32
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 
     In today's readings we are urged to change from the ways of selfishness to those of loving and caring for others. Self-centred actions separate us from the blessings and peace that right living bring. Right living is honouring our baptismal commitment, accepting God's laws, giving Him first place in our lives. Then He will guide us and sustain us, He will give us the strength we need in our difficulties.

     Levi evidently had a heart ready and waiting to hear the Lord's call. His response was immediate. It was also one of generosity and gratitude. He held a great reception in Jesus' honour and he wanted his friends and neighbours to share in his new-found joy and to know the one whom he had come to know. He recognised his need of Jesus and what he was being offered. Jesus' call to sinners to repent is offered still. Let us respond wholeheartedly as Levi did.

    

     'Give joy to your servant, O Lord, for to You I lift up my soul'.
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, with the committed help of all believers, the scourge of poverty may come to an end, eliminating the intolerable social and economic inequality in the world
Elaboration

- END -









P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That, with the committed help of all believers, the scourge of poverty may come to an end, eliminating the intolerable social and economic inequality in the world

One might also say that poverty is the negation of economic and social rights and that the poor who suffer from absolute poverty are denied the most fundamental right which is the right to life. The international community too is becoming progressively more aware of the gravity of the problem and has declared solemnly to fight and reduce extreme poverty by 2015. Besides, how can we not realise the situation growing worse in spite of the increase in available resources.

The problem of unequal distribution of resources in its correct setting is an ethical one, since it is a problem of justice: the poor are in the first place victims of injustice. In the era of globalisation we can no longer tolerate a world in which the very rich live side by side with the poor, the property less who lack even the essentials with people who shamelessly waste what others desterately need. One of the more evident worrying consequences of this phenomenon is in fact the progressive increase instead of the decrease of inequalities, in both poor countries and rich countries, and between the North and South.

Let us pray that the scourge of poverty may come to an end




- END -