A COMMUNITY PRAYER FOR ALL GRANDPARENTS AND ELDERLY IN A COMMUNITY. (adapted) from a personal prayer for the occasion of the 6TH WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY

Heavenly Father, We give you praise and thanks for the great gift of life you have given to them. With wonder and awe we acknowledge that through their lives you granted life to their children and they in turn became the parents of grandchildren. Many elderly people who are not grandparents also belong in families. The world in which they live is different from today’s world and sometimes we do not understand each other. We need your gifts of acceptance and forgiveness so that we can all be at peace. We need your gifts of love and joy so that together we may all live your plan for all the families of the world. We ask you to grant them these gifts in Jesus’ name. Amen.

July 25. SEE.   Mr Mosemane had been a school principal in his day.   He was known to be strict but fair but still quite an intimidating person to most of his family.  Even his wife, sons and grandsons held him in awe.  It was Portia, the youngest daughter who had grown close to him and cared for him after his beloved wife, Bernadette died.  One day he explained. “I had a policy that in my school no child would be expelled except as an absolute last resort. Troublesome boys and girls were left in their classes but had to be disciplined appropriately whenever necessary. I spoke to them, to parents and families, to other teachers and the school board about all that.  I probably also  left that message with all of you too.”   

JUDGE. Reflect and share. Scripture.   Jesus explained a parable. “Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first and burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.”  Matthew 13:24-30.  Pope Francis: It is essential to help children and adolescents to realise that misbehaviour has consequence.  They need to be encouraged to put themselves in other people’s shoes and to acknowledge the hurt they have caused. Some punishments for aggressive and antisocial conduct can partially serve this purpose. AL 268.  Pope Leo:  The Holy Spirit challenges us today regarding our relationship with technology and the ongoing digital revolution. Scientific discoveries are talents entrusted to humanity so that they may bear fruit (cf. Mt 25:14-30). Technology has the power to heal, connect, educate and protect our common home; but it can also divide, exclude and generate new forms of injustice. In the abstract, technology in and of itself is not a solution to humanity’s problems, just as it is not inherently evil. In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it. MH 9  

ACT AND PRAY.  For responsible use of AI and all technology.  Also traditionally the feast of St Christopher, patron saint of travellers. Many people still pray for his protection as we set out on a journey and have a medal in their car or bicycle. . .