WITHDRAWN FROM THE WORLD

PRAYER PAUSE

Saturday 5 May 2018

WITHDRAWN FROM THE WORLD

Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading:  “If you belonged to the world the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world; because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-21)

Reflection. Our understanding changes and develops. In earlier times the Church saw herself as hostile to the world; the values of the world were the opposite of those of the Church and the Church often denounced the world. Today we do not see the division so clear cut.  Many of the values of the world are life giving and liberating. It was not the Church that adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since the Second Vatican Council the Church has had a positive attitude towards the world.  But the words of Jesus remain valid today. There are values the world holds that are at odds with the gospel: the pursuit of wealth and power without concern for the poor and weak, for instance.  We have been withdrawn from these and othetr values by our baptism. Our task today is to discern in the world what is good and what is not good..  

   

Prayer. Lord, give us your Spirit of wisdom; to affirm those things that are good, to avoid those that are not – and to know the difference. Amen