29 Apr
Wed
3rd Week of Easter
St Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor
Acts 8:1-8
Ps. 65(66):1-3,4-5,6-7
Jn. 6:35-40
(Ps Wk III)
How To Pray With Shalom
Home Page of Shalom
Index of This Month
 

One of the things that distinguishes the Old Testament from the New is the sort of reward offered for serving God. Christ offers something better than the fertile fields and big harvests which showed God's favour in the Old Testament. Here He offers Himself.

The Gospel also discourages the service of God for merely selfish motives, even spiritual ones. Our Lord speaks of forgetting self, of losing oneself in serving Him and others, so that, while He freely offers reward, it is clear that no one who accepts service under Him for mercenary reasons can be close to Him or stay with Him for long. They must take up the cross: they may be persecuted, even killed.

Yes, the early disciples knew pain and the anguish of grief, and beloved Stephen had just been martyred. But they who had tasted the bread of life went on preaching the Good News of the Kingdom fearlessly. There was great joy in that city, because they remembered those words of Jesus: "For what my Father wants is that all who see the Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. And I will raise them to life on the last day."



Jesus, Bread of Life, nourish us so that we may bring hope and comfort to those who are in pain and suffering. 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 the Lord may bless the farmers' work with an abundant harvest and sensitize the richer populations to the drama of hunger in the world.
Elaboration

- END -


© Copyright Shalom 2009. All rights reserved.