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"In a word, what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world. The soul is spread over all the limbs of the body, as Christians are spread over all the cities of the world. The soul inhabits the body, as Christians inhabit the world without being of the world."
- Quadratus, Letter to Diognetus, 5
(What does it mean to you to be in the world but not of it?)
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Rom 13:8-10; Psalm 112:1b-2, 4-5, 9
Lk 14:25-33
Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”
Praying the Daily Gospels: A Guide to Meditation, by Philip St. Romain, 2018 (3rd ed.)
Luke 14: 25-33 (Pick up your cross)
The cross is an intensely powerful Christian symbol because it describes so well the quality of love which God expects of us. Christianity alone has been able to extract meaning from human suffering, for our God has suffered with us. Those who decide to follow Jesus can expect struggles and hardships, but perseverance will bring deeper love and new life.
• What battle plan have you developed for your life? What obstacles might frustrate these plans? Where does the cross enter?
• Pray for the grace to remain faithful to Jesus when inconveniences confront you.
Treatise on the Love of God, by St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
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BOOK II: THE HISTORY OF THE GENERATION AND HEAVENLY BIRTH OF DIVINE LOVE
Chapter 15: Of the great sentiment of love we receive by holy hope
As when exposed to the rays of the sun at mid-day, we hardly see the brightness before we suddenly feel the heat; so the light of faith has no sooner spread the splendour of its truths in our understanding, but immediately our will feels the holy heat of heavenly love. Faith makes us know by an infallible certitude that God is, that he is infinite in goodness, that he can communicate himself unto us, and not
only that he can, but that he will; so that by an ineffable sweetness he has provided us with all things requisite to obtain the happiness of immortal glory. Now we have a natural inclination to the sovereign good, by reason of which our heart is touched with a certain inward anxious desire and continual uneasiness, not being able in any way to quiet itself, or to cease to testify that its perfect satisfaction and solid contentment are wanting to it. But when holy faith has represented to our
understanding this lovely object of our natural inclination,--Oh! Theotimus, what joy! what pleasure! how our whole soul is thrilled, and, all amazed at the sight of so excellent a beauty, it cries out with love: Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, behold thou art fair!
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