LENTEN MESSAGE OF POPE FRANCIS BASED ON FRATELLI TUTTI NO. 36

Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction


TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

John: 11:49-50 "Caiaphas, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”


TODAY'S REFLECTION

There is a focus on unifying people in both of today’s readings. 


In the first reading, God speaking through the prophet Ezekiel expresses his intention to gather the people of Israel together who were then scattered among the nations. 


They will form one nation on their own soil with one king over them all. 


The gospel reading declares that Jesus died to gather together in unity the scattered children of God, and that includes both Jews and non-Jews. 


In the following chapter of John’s gospel Jesus will declare that when he is lifted up he will draw all people to himself. 


The risen Lord is always in the business of bringing people together in unity around himself and under God. 


Any effort that people make on the international stage or at the local level to bring people together in mutual respect and understanding is a sharing in the work of the risen Lord. 


In that regard, Pope Francis has been a wonderful inspiration. 


He recently visited Iraq and one of the highpoints of that visit was his meeting with the leader of Shia Muslims in Iraq. 


It is one example of this Pope’s efforts to build bridges with people of other faiths. 


The Lord is constantly at work trying to gather together in unity the scattered children of God.


Any effort we make to cross over to the other side, to meet with those who are different from us and to try and understand them, is a sharing in this work of the Lord. 


We live in a world where there are many polarizing forces that work to divide people. 


RESOLUTION

Let's resolve to make efforts to share in the Lord’s work of gathering people together is all the more important in the face of such polarizing forces.

HAVE A HAPPIE WEEKEND 

FRUITFUL PASSION WEEK