16 May
Thu 		7th Week of Easter
Acts 22:30.23:6-11
Ps. 15:1-2a,5,7-8, 9-10,11
Jn. 17:20-26
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In the first reading St Paul defends himself and exploits the animosity between the Pharisees and Sadducees to his own advantage. He proclaimed his hope in the Resurrection. The matter of the resurrection, that of Jesus and ours as well, is at the heart of our faith. That is why our Lord appeared to Paul and declared: "Keep up your courage! Just as you have given testimony to me here in Jerusalem, so must you do in Rome". This testimony has come down to us and has shaped our faith in the resurrection.

In the Responsorial Psalm we proclaim our faith in the resurrection - "You will show me the path to life, fullness of joy in your presence, the delights at your hand forever". This faith of ours is confirmed by the words of Jesus in the Gospel addressed to His Father" To them I have revealed your name . . . so that your love for me may live in them and I may live in them." Yes, the love which God has for Jesus reaches out to us. This love has granted us a share in the life of Jesus, and this sharing will one day blossom into the fullness of resurrection from the dead.


Loving God we trust Your promise of resurrection, ultimately and in our lives today. Give us new life. Amen.

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 live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel
Elaboration

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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 Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel

That we may live a "coherent faith" that is a faith which produces the testimony of good works is the ecumenical intention of the Holy Father. In the Joint Declaration on the doctrine of justification signed between the Catholic Church and the World Lutheran Federation in 1999 it is stated that "only through grace, by means of faith in Christ and his salvific work, and not through any merit of ours, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit which renews our hearts, enabling us to perform and leading us to good works".

It has to be understood that no human effort is capable of buying salvation. It is fundamentally a gift of God for which we have a duty to respond and co-operate through "faith-in-action" or "practised faith".

Hence, the strengthening of one's inner faith through prayer and the sacraments will assist in the growth of charity which leads us to live the new commandment of love more fervently. Now is the time to look at charity in a new way. It is not a matter of doing the same thing in the same way. It is a time to seek and find new expressions of love for every human being. Then we become "credible witnesses of evangelical hope"



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