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As we enter Holy Week we hear as usual the full story of Jesus' suffering and death ending with His burial. It is a story we know well but it is important for us to reflect not just on what happened but why it happened. We need to reflect on who exactly is doing this for us. It is the very Son of God who is being treated in this terrible way. And He is doing it for me! It is enough to bring both tears of shame and of gratitude that my God should love me so much. Let us read especially from the Second Reading where we are reminded that, though His state was divine - He shares the Godhead fully with the Father and Holy Spirit - yet He 'emptied' Himself of all dignity. He took on Himself the status of a slave in total service - to you and me - and went even further in accepting the terrible death of crucifixion. He hung there between two other criminals, seen as another criminal Himself. And all this for me. Let me get down on my knees in thanksgiving and let me ask Him to guide me in imitating His unconditional love for every person. Help us, Lord, to bear witness to You by following Your example of selfless service to all. |
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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 : |
For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social
action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently
the Gospel of Love.
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It is the Church's desire that all social-charitable initiatives might
always be inspired, in their implementation, by the immutable principles of
the Gospel. There is danger, however, that professional organisations
engaged in the social field risk losing the fundamental motivation for their
existence: that is bearing witness to Christ's charity which the Church has
the duty to communicate and to share with others. In order to be effective, then, continual spiritual formation is needed for voluntary co-operators who wish to devote themselves to social action. All these initiatives tend to develop the awareness that the foundation and centre of our action is Christ, in whom the God of love revealed himself and gave himself to men and women. Consequently all those who welcome Christ follow him and answer the call to be faithful witnesses to it. This awareness must totally imbue the hearts and minds of individuals so that it also inspires the Communities they set up for organised action in support of underprivileged persons and communities suffering from material and moral poverty. Being thus imbued and formed it becomes necessary that volunteers pray to draw Christ into their midst and have him accompany them. | |
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