WE SHALL LIVE IN HIS PRESENCE

PRAYER MOMENT 

Saturday 14 March 2015

WE SHALL LIVE IN HIS PRESENCE

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he hs struck us down but he will bandage our wounds. After a day or two he will bring us to life; on the third day he will raise us and we shall live in his presence.” (Hosea 5:15-6:6)

Reflection. Hosea oscillates between sharp reproofs – ‘your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears’ – and a firm message of healing and hope. And we know that our devotion can be fickle; we are good at going to church and saying prayers but we struggle to build sound relationships, especially with the poor and lonely. Jesus tells a story about a Pharisee, who was full of himself and all his good deeds but he dispised the poor, and a tax collector who knows he is a compromiser and he just burys his head in his hands and asks for mercy and healing. On the second anniversary of Pope Francis’ election we can renew our desire to build sound relationships with those to whom we are not naturally drawn.

            

Prayer. Lord, may our love be more than a morning cloud; may we reach out to those who are poor and ‘on the margins.’ Amen.

davidharoldbarry@hotmail.com