24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE COUPLE THAT PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER

September 15th 2013

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

He Welcomes Sinners

“This man”, the scribes complained, “welcomes sinners and eats with them”. One of the lovely features of the Gospels is the number of meals Jesus shares with people, culminating in the Last Supper with his disciples. When we think of a meal we immediately focus on food. For Jesus in his time the main focus was on the people with whom he shared food, as a meal was a sign of friendship and a pledge of friendship. No one was excluded from this sign and this was a source of scandal to the good people when they saw him eating with sinners. But his message is loud and clear – he is there for everyone. One of the major challenges for us today is to restore this sense of the meal as an occasion to constantly renew our relationships, especially in our families. The regular family meal will do more to unite us than any other action we can take as it helps us to include each other in our lives.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Morning Prayer, when together

Almighty God, our creator and guide,

may we serve you with all our hearts

and know your forgiveness and love in our lives.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

During the day, when apart

Lord hear the prayers of your people

and receive the gift of our married love.

May our love for each other

bring salvation to us and to all whom we meet.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord.

Evening/Night Prayer together

Lord, may the gift of love you have given us

influence our thoughts and actions.

May your Spirit guide and direct us in your way.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Questions for Action for the week

For your marriage: In what ways do you need forgiveness from your wife/husband? How will you work on that this week?

For others: Could you make a special effort to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession/Penance this week?