Home

The Charism of Sion

The Family of Sion

Sion in the UK and Ireland

Events

News

Our History

More about Sion

Links

The first reading is from the section of Deuteronomy which begins, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your heart and with all your strength." These words are written on the doorpost of every Jewish house as a reminder of God's commandment that it is God alone who should be worshipped and no other god. The same words should also be written on the heart and the soul, the seat of each person's desires and will. Here God sets before the people two ways - obeying the commands of God which will bring life and prosperity; or disobedience which will bring the opposite.

The context of the Gospel passage is the Sermon on the Mount where the teachings of Jesus are set out. Jesus words are reminiscent of the first reading's emphasis on doing the will of God. It is when our will is in harmony with God's will that we are in a right relationship with God. There is an echo of the choice we are faced with - of listening to the words of Jesus and acting or listening and not acting. Doing God's will strengthens our foundations so that we don't collapse in the face of adversity.

How do we cope when life gets tough? Do we have strong foundations to support us? If our lives are rooted in God by doing what God wants of us, we will find the strength to live even when life is hard.

This week you are invited to pray with the psalmist, "Be a rock of refuge to me, a mighty stronghold to save me."