It is an
old custom of the servants of God to have some little prayer ready and to be frequently darting them up to Heaven during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world. those who adopt this plan will get great fruits with little pains.
- St. Philip Neri -
(Short prayers throughout the day . . . attentiveness to God.)
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Christianity and Spirituality monthly forum
May 2nd: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. CDT
Topic: "The Gift of the Spirit"
More info via the link below
Free sign up for Zoom link
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Acts 5:27-33; PS 34:2 and 9, 17-20
Jn 3:31-36
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has
given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon
him.
Come Holy Spirit: a study series for the Easter season.
Free access to 16 video teachings on the Holy Spirit, with
handouts
Two Zoom sessions for discussion and sharing.
Registration is open.
https://shalomplace.com/inetmin/holyspirit.html
Reflection on the Scriptures
In today’s gospel from John, we hear (we know not from whose mouth) words concerning the truth of the Son’s nature and the nature of his relationship with the Father. We
hear that He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. When faced with unbelievable things through life, how do we know whose testimony to accept and whose to reject? Some things in life that we find truly un-believable are thus because they are so preposterous, like the absurdity of my Aunt Elma fitting inside a Hot Wheel. It just would not happen. Other things, however, we find un-believable because they are so beyond our scope of understanding. They are not
preposterous but, rather, unfathomable. It is not that they are not true; rather, they are so weighty they cannot be totally grasped. Such are the references today in John. Earlier in this third chapter of John, Jesus leaves Nicodemus confounded by his testimony. John the Baptist also addresses his followers with abstract statements of Jesus’ nature. In this Easter season, we rejoice in Jesus’ rising from the dead. Talk about unfathomable… and Jesus knows this would be especially hard for you and for me to believe. Two thousand years ago, Jesus was thinking of us when he told Thomas, You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me… blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe! Such is the nature of the transcendent. We, the created, cannot completely comprehend our
Creator. Still, let us accept Jesus’ testimony with the eyes of faith and, in his words, be among the blessed. -by Scott McClure
Psychic Energy and Contemplation by James
Arraj From St. John of the Cross and Dr. C. J. Jung, Part III, Chapter 7. Inner Growth Books, 1986. When there is an adequate adaptation to reality, the flow of psychic energy is smooth and the opposites contained in the psyche are united in working towards the same goal, and this produces a feeling of vitality and a sense of balance. However, under the pressure of new demands, the opposites tend to work in different directions, the flow of energy
is impeded, often one of the opposing forces is repressed and an unresolved tension grows in the psyche. In St. John's writings there exist descriptions that exemplify Jung's principle of equivalence and the dynamics of psychic energy.
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