“Sin is destroyed not so much by our own efforts but by the gift of the Spirit who permeates us with a new, divine life within us that orientates all things to the Father in union with Jesus Christ. By the Holy Spirit we are transformed into genuine children of God and we grow into that divine filiation by His infusion
of greater faith, hope and love.”
- George Maloney, Invaded by God (Surrender your sinful tendencies to the Spirit and let yourself be
transformed this day.) |
Christianity and Spirituality monthly forum
August 3, 2023: 7:30 - 8:30 CDT
"God, Creation, and Spirituality"
Our focus will be the unique approach taken in Christian theism to explain the origin of creation, its connection with God, and implications for spirituality. We will contrast this with atheism, pantheism, and
deism.
More info and sign-up
YouTube archive of July 6 presentation: The Uniqueness of Christ.
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Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b; Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 Mt 13:10-17 The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he
will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed
look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their
eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted
and I heal them. "But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Reflection on the Scriptures
I’m sure you, as I and most people I’ve talked to, have at one point wished that
God would be as clear to us as to the Israelites in today’s readings. “Give me a sign!” we say. “Tell me what you want me to do!” say many college students making decisions about their major, career, or relationships. Or, as a character in one of my favorite TV shows said, “If there’s a right way to live, a right way to be… why isn’t it obvious?”
And yet, even after preparing to hear God and see God, the people could not understand what God was saying to Moses. It sounded like thunder to them, but they knew it was God. They trusted Moses to interpret. In the Gospel reading, the people have God speaking directly to them in their language (like us, reading this scripture passage), and somehow find Jesus less clear than the cloud, thunder, lightning, and fire. What is going on here? The disciples certainly seem
to think Jesus could be more direct. But then, the disciples believe that God is speaking to them in Jesus. They have been prepared with the foundation to receive what Jesus is saying, and even they don’t understand most of the parables on the first hearing. It seems likely to me that Jesus gives the truth in parables because a story or metaphor encourages us to wonder about the meaning, to reflect and interpret and discuss and pray about it in the context of our own lives. By that very process
we can open our eyes, ears, and hearts to receive Jesus’ message and healing. It’s a collaborative process.
In which areas of my life do I want to close my eyes, cover my ears, and harden my heart rather than allow God to heal me? Where have I already experienced spiritual revelation and healing?
Proverbs for Perspective and Spiritual Living by Philip St. Romain, M.S., D. Min. From Pathways to Serenity, 1989, Liguori Publications; reprinted by Contemplative Ministries, Inc., 2013 (Minor editing applied.)
- https://shalomplace.com/view/pathview.html Included in Light for the Christian Journey, 2020: Contemplative Ministries, Inc.
https://shalomplace.com/view/light-journey.html
VI.Prayer
5.To pray with others is to allow the Trinity to become manifest among human beings.
In prayer, seek only to grow in the love and knowledge of God and you shall never be disappointed.
8. Most people who say “everything I do is prayer” are people who know nothing about prayer, and who
merely wish to excuse themselves from the discipline of prayer. There is no spirituality that will bear loving fruit without formal times of prayer. This is the witness of the saints and the mystics. |
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