"Poverty, Justice and Peace" at:
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Pope Benedict XVI, Shepherd of Truth is designed as a bulletin insert
which you can use at your local church to keep up to date on what the Holy
Father is saying. You are free to reproduce it for this purpose.
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Sunday, January 25, 2009, 3rd Sunday Ordinary Time
Jonah 3:1-5, 10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Psalm 25, Mark 1:14-20
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/012509.shtml
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GOD'S WORD
"Jonah began...announcing, 'Forty days more and Nineveh shall be
destroyed,' when the people of Nineveh believed God." —Jonah 3:4-5
At Mass this morning, the gentleman seated directly in front of me paid no
attention whatsoever to the homily. He was fidgeting in his seat, looking
to the right and left as the pastor told several anecdotes related to
today's readings. Halfway through the homily, the pastor quoted from
memory Jesus' words in Matthew 25:35-45. At the very instant the pastor
quoted the first word of the Scripture passage, this man's head literally
whipped around ninety degrees, and he stared intently at the priest. He
listened in rapt attention, riveted and motionless for the remainder of
the homily. The change was striking to observe. There's something
different about the word of God.
Our words can be helpful to others, but it's God's word that has the power
to reach hearts. Jonah announced God's word and got immediate results (Jon
3:4ff). Jesus spoke God's "now-word" (see Ez 33:30) and got immediate
results; the disciples immediately abandoned their nets and followed Him
(Mk 1:17, 20).
God's word is living and effective, and pierces hearts (Heb 4:12). It
always does the job (Is 55:10-11). It reverberates inside people's hearts
and "produces of itself" results in the lives of men and women (Mk 4:28).
Revise your vocabulary. Speak God's word — for a change.
Prayer: Father, may people always take Your word as it truly is, the word
of God rather than the words of men (1 Thes 2:13). May I spend my life
spreading Your word.
Promise: "Come after Me; I will make you fishers of men." —Mk 1:17
Praise: Praise Jesus, the living Word (Heb 4:12). There is no chaining
You, Word of God (2 Tm 2:9). Alleluia!
(This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
December 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, June 17, 2008
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
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