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'you refuse to come to me for life' (Jn. 5:40), said Jesus to
the Jews. Their desire was not centred on God and His will for
them. They were more concerned with human approval than with
God's. Isn't this a frequent temptation, especially when we find
ourselves on the unpopular side, or when things are going badly
for us. Like the Israelites, we turn at times to false gods:
popular approval or convenient solutions to our difficulties,
refusing to acknowledge God's part in our lives. Indeed 'they
have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them' (Ex.
32:8). Moses was angry with the people, yet he pleaded on their behalf and God relented. As the leader of the Israelites, he felt a great responsibility for them and for their welfare. He loved them and gave himself in service for them. Here is a very powerful lesson in intercessory prayer. 'Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring disaster on your people'. Yes, Lord, we need Your blessings. You are our salvation. |
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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
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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 | |
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