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Daily Prayer

September 19th, 2010

"Let Justice flow like water"
Amos 5 : 24

In today’s first reading the prophet Amos confronts the problem of social injustice. As God’s mouthpiece he speaks frankly and critically to a society which is sharply and cruelly divided between rich and poor. Amos feels passionately for the poor who are permanent victims of an unjust system, which is perpetuated by people who worship God on the Sabbath. He warns them that they cannot enjoy the protection of God while living off the misery of the poor.

Centuries later Jesus again voices God’s concern for justice and his preferential love for the poor when He warns us that we ‘cannot be slave both of God and money’ ( Luke 16, 31 ) Whenever God speaks to us either through the Prophets or through His own Son, Jesus, a reminder about the poor and needy is never far away. Our liturgical celebrations must influence our behaviour especially our relationship with the poor, the marginalised, the victims of an unjust society. We are called to live as God’s children respecting all of creation as God’s gift-a gift to be appreciated and enjoyed by all and not greedily possessed by a few.

Prayer


Lord, thank you for making us stewards of your creation. May we always act justly so that all your children may enjoy your gifts.We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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The prayer for each day has been prepared by various members of the Holy Family Association. All who visit our website are remembered in prayer. If you would like us to pray for a particular need, simply complete and submit the form on the right hand side of this page. You may wish to leave a comment in the space below.

Just a Thought

How the Holy Family prayer: A Reflection by Pope Benedict XVI

“I would like to invite you to reflect on the place of prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The home of Nazareth, in fact, is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to ponder and to penetrate the profound meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

Pope Paul VI during his visit to Nazareth said “we come to understand the need for a spiritual discipline, if we wish to follow the teaching of the Gospel and become disciples of Christ.” And he added: “First, it teaches us silence. Oh! That there would be reborn in us the esteem for silence, that wonderful and indispensable atmosphere of the spirit: while we are deafened by so many noises, sounds and clamorous voices in the frantic and tumultuous times of modern life. Oh! Silence of Nazareth, teach us to be resolute in good thoughts, intent upon the interior life, ready to listen well to the secret inspirations of God and the exhortations of the true masters.”

We can glean several insights on the Holy Family’s prayer and relationship with God from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ childhood. We may begin with the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph, “when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”(2:22). Like every observant Jewish family, Jesus’ parents go up to the temple to consecrate the firstborn son to God and to offer sacrifice. Moved by fidelity to the law’s prescriptions, they set off from Bethlehem and go up to Jerusalem with Jesus, who is now forty days old. Instead of a one-year-old lamb, they present the offering of simple families; that is two young pigeons. The Holy Family’s pilgrimage is one of faith, of the offering of gifts, a symbol of prayer, and of encounter with the Lord, whom Mary and Joseph already see in the son Jesus.”

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