Mercy,
A Chance
for Life

 

Reconciliation Beyond Church Community

Day 9: Monday, week 2

 

Instruments of Reconciliation

Being a maternal Church is a lifelong commitment to assist God in the process of forgiveness and reconciliation in and beyond the community. As Johann Roten writes, “This age of ours looks beaten and broken, wounded and helpless. Much of our apostolate and ministry should therefore be done in the name of healing relationships, of reconciliation and restoration: restoration of dignity, restoration of integrity and trust, restoration of wholeness—moral, intellectual and spiritual.”

In spite of conflicts arising from old divisions, Pope Francis asks Christians in communities throughout the world to offer a radiant and attractive witness of fraternal communion. Let everyone admire how you care for one another: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). (Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel, # 99)

We make a commitment to be attentive to the increasing number of broken relationships in families, in communities, in workplaces, in neighbourhoods, between people with different personalities, of different religions, cultures and political persuasions across the world community, and in the Church.

 
 

Reflection

  • How do I accept that making a life-long commitment to assist God in the process of forgiveness and reconciliation in and beyond the community is implicit in my vocation as Church?
  • In what way am I already engaged in this challenge in word and deed?

Prayer

I pray for the grace to be a person who always reaches out in forgiveness and reconciliation.

 

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