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If you wish to attain to true knowledge of the Scriptures, hasten to acquire first an unshakeable humility of heart. That alone will lead you, not to the knowledge that puffs up, but to that which enlightens, by the perfecting of love. - John Cassian (Head and heart knowledge must go together in the spiritual life. How are you being invited to practice humility of heart?) |
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2 COR 9:6-10; PS 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9
JN
12:24-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves
me.”
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully
will reap bountifully.” —2 Corinthians 9:6 “In the measure you give you shall receive, and more besides” (Mk 4:24). The Lord promises that we will never out-give Him. If we give bountifully, we will harvest more than we sow and receive more than we give. Then we are to give generously again and receive even more, spiritually and materially. After a few rounds of giving and then receiving more,
we have significantly greater spiritual and material resources than before our rounds of giving and receiving. This may not always be obvious because spiritual resources are not visible and quantifiable as are material resources. Nonetheless, after repeated givings in the spirit of the Gospel, we definitely have much more to give (see Lk 8:18; 19:26).
The Lord calls us to give not only bountifully but totally
to Him. He commands us to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind (Lk 10:27). This command to give all to Him may seem unreasonable until we focus on Jesus’ death on the cross. At the foot of the cross, we see the command to give all to Jesus as a privilege of love, not as a burden. We give all to the Lord. Then we find that not only are our resources transformed, we are transformed. We are no longer our old selves of selfishness; we are new creations in the
love of Jesus. Therefore, accept the grace to give all to Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I get into Your spirit of giving.
Promise: “The man who loves his life loses it, while the man who hates his life in this world preserves it to life eternal.” —Jn
12:25
Presentation Ministries
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Poems from the Little Flower of Jesus: Saint Therese of Lisieux - by Athanasius Press, 2018 Part One: To Live of Love
"If any man love Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. . . My peace I give unto you . . . Abide in My love."
(John 14:23, 27, -- 15:9)
13.
"To live of love, -- what foolishness she sings!" So cries the world. "Renounce such idle joy! Waste not thy perfumes on such trivial things. In useful arts
thy talents now employ!" To love Thee, Jesus! Ah, this loss is gain; For all my perfumes no reward seek I. Quitting the world, I sing in death's sweet pain: Of love I die!
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Paperback
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