Day 02 – Joy

Through Lent with Pope Francis

Sometimes I wonder if there are people in today’s world who are really concerned about generating processes of people-building, as opposed to obtaining immediate results which yield easy, quick, short-term political gains, but do not enhance human fullness.
How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving?
I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor!
I am firmly convinced that openness to the transcendent can bring about a new political and economic mindset which would help to break down the wall of separation between the economy and the common good of society.

Evangelii Gaudium 53, 175, 224

Scripture

Finding Jesus in the Temple

Luke 2:42-47 NCB

And when Jesus was twelve years old, they made the journey as usual for the feast. 
When the days of the feast were over and they set off for home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents were not aware of this.  Assuming that he was somewhere in the group of travellers, they journeyed for a day. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends, but when they failed to find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, where he was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers.


Thought for Today

What genuinely disturbs you?

How are you called to be a people-builder?


Music

God has chosen me – written by Bernadette Farrell