“If something has become deeply united with your soul, you should not only regard it as your possession in this life, but believe that it will accompany you into the life to come. If it is something good, rejoice and give thanks to God in your mind; if it is something bad, grieve and sigh, and strive to free yourself
from it while you are still in the body.”
- St. Isaak of Syria -
(The decisions we make and the attachments we encourage have lasting consequences. How do St. Isaak’s counsels speak to your current life
situation?)
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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."
Reflection on the Scriptures
The reading from 2nd Corinthians, often dubbed “The Cheerful Giver” is one with
which we are all familiar. If we were asked to name a cheerful giver, someone who finds great joy in sharing their wealth with others, most of us would probably think of someone on the list of billionaires in America. And truth in fact, they are generous. The top 25 wealthiest people in the United States gave away $27 billion in 2022. But if we think even harder about someone who gives without counting the cost, who gives without expecting anything in return, and, who always gives out of love, then the person we are thinking about is God. What person, living or dead, can exceed the gifts that God bestows on us every day? The gifts from God are too numerous to mention. Where would we be, had he not given us the gifts of the church, of faith, of forgiveness and the gift of eternal life? And like all his gifts, each one of these is not only cheerfully given, but also wrapped in endless love for us. So, now the question to reflect upon is what gifts from God, both spiritual and personal, do we cherish the most? And equally as important, what are we doing with these endless gifts from God? Are we like the charity that receives a multi-million dollar contribution and
then spends the vast majority of it for the “overhead expenses” of their foundation instead of distributing to those in need? Are we sharing God’s gifts to us, or are we hoarding them for our own personal benefit? by Steve
Scholer
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
13. In prayer, you confront the Spotless Mirror that reflects back to you who you really are. Prayer is thus the barometer that measures the
quality of your life. Peaceful prayer reflects a peaceful lifestyle; turmoil encountered in prayer indicates a need for lifestyle changes.
14. Do not discuss your prayer with a spiritual director who does not pray or who is not as serious about prayer as you are. Such a person will distort your growth. It is much better to
progress in prayer without spiritual direction than to submit yourself to a poor director.
15. Remember this about contemplative prayer:
The wind blows the sails, the vessel moves.
The wind subsides, the streams carry.
The oarsmen rest.
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