15 May
Wed
7th Week of Easter
Acts 20: 28-38
Ps.68(67):29-30,33-35a, 35b-36c
Jn.17:11b-19
(Ps Wk III)
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At the Last Supper (Jn 17), Jesus prayed that "all be one". While this is often used in an ecumenical sense of the unity of all Christians, it is more likely that John is suggesting that Jesus had a wider perspective, thinking of the unity of the whole human race, in accordance with the affirmation which he has made earlier in the Gospel (Jn 11:51), that Jesus was to die to gather together in unity the scattered children of God.

When we speak of Original Sin, we generally think only of the story of Adam and Eve. Reading the Bible on a deeper level, however, we come to understand that different aspects of Original Sin and its consequences are revealed in all the stories in the early chapters of Genesis. Thus the story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9) suggests that the main result of Babel was that we are scattered and can "no longer understand each other." Our experience teaches us that this lack of understanding is not due simply to the multiplicity of human languages but lies much deeper in the human psyche.



Father in heaven, in response to the prayer of Jesus, bring all of us, your scattered children, out of Babel to a true unity grounded in your justice and peace.

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 administrators of justice may act always with integrity and right conscience.
Elaboration

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