Message of 6-30-08
Published: Tue, 06/24/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
"To a preacher who kept saying, "We must put God in our lives," the
Master said, "He is already there. Our business is to recognize
this."
- Anthony de Mello, "One Minute Wisdom"
(Pray the grace to recognize God's presence this day.)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Am 2:6-10, 13-16; Ps. 50:16bc-17-23; Mt 8:18-22
R. (22a) Remember this, you who never think of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
"When you see a thief, you keep pace with him,
and with adulterers you throw in your lot.
To your mouth you give free rein for evil,
you harness your tongue to deceit."
"You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother's son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes."
"Consider this, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be no one to rescue you.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God."
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REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Easier said than done, as they say. Some have the idea that the
suffering part of being a Christian was taken care of by Jesus on
the cross, and the glory part -- the pastel Easter eggs, soft
bunnies, good weather, parking-place-for-the-asking part -- that's
what we have now. But then there are folks like those we remember
today: the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. They were
burned alive. There are those who are living witnesses -- whether in
big ways, like those who dedicate their lives to the service of
others, or in small ways like anyone who sacrifices the purchase of
some doodad in order to give more to the truly poor. We don't want
to be one of the people Amos condemns: one who sells out the poor
man for a pair of sandals. No wonder we want the glory without the
cross.
"Lord Jesus, give us the courage, the strength and enough love to
really follow wherever you go."
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LECTIO DIVINA PROCESS
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
* Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.
* Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?
* Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.
* Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God.
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THEOLOGICAL GEMS FROM EMIL MERCH'S "THEOLOGY OF THE MYSTICAL BODY"
from http://www.innerexplorations.com/chtheomortext/theolgems.htm
396. -- Christ is the supernatural unity and life of all humanity.
397. The harmony between Christ's two natures is so perfect... that
the sacred humanity was completely enlightened from the first
instant of its illumination by the Word.
The sun rose in the heart of one man to enlighten all humanity
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