|
Message of the Day
|
|
He (or she) who searches for Divine Reality with all his heart and soul and finds it, becomes aware that, before he began to seek God, God was seeking him, in order to draw him into the joy of fellowship with Him, into the peace of His Presence; even as a child who has strayed, when he is safely back in his mother’s arms, realises that she had been searching for him, with deep maternal love, before he had begun to think about
her.
- Sadhu Sundar Singh God is seeking you! How does that feel? What do you say to God about that?
|
|
Readings of the Day
|
Acts 4:32-37
Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5 John 3:7b-15 Jesus said to Nicodemus:
‘Do not be surprised when I say:
You must be born from above.
The wind blows wherever it pleases;
you hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.
That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’
‘How can that be possible?’ asked Nicodemus. ‘You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!’ replied Jesus.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
we speak only about what we know
and witness only to what we have seen
and yet you people reject our evidence.
If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,
how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down
from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in
him.’ USCCB lectionary
|
|
Reflection on the Scripture
|
“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe may have eternal life in Him.” —John 3:14-15
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus refers to an incident in the Old Testament (Nm 21:4-9). During their forty-year journey in the desert, the Israelites’ patience wore out, and the people “complained against God and Moses” (Nm 21:5). “In punishment the Lord sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died” (Nm 21:6). In His mercy, “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at
it, he will recover’ ” (Nm 21:8). Serpents are still biting people today, through the attack of the original serpent, the devil (Gn 3:1). The poison of the serpent’s bite is the venom of bitterness, unforgiveness, disbelief, and rebellion. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells us that He removes this venom when we simply look upon Him (Jn 3:14-15). So, we are to look at the Son of
Man, Jesus, when He is lifted up. How can we look at Him? Gazing upon a crucifix is a literal way to fulfill this command. Reading the Word of God, especially the Gospels, helps to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus” (Heb 12:2). Eucharistic Adoration is a prime way. Best of all, attend Mass as often as possible, even daily. Jesus is lifted up in the Mass at the consecration. Gazing on Him at that moment is the supreme way of being healed of the poison of the serpent’s bite. All the ways of fixing
your eyes on the lifted-up Jesus are present at each Mass, plus much more. “Fix your eyes on Jesus” (Heb 3:1, NAB). Prayer: Father, give me the overwhelming desire to help wounded people fix their eyes on Jesus and be healed. Promise: “The community of believers were of one heart and one mind.” —Acts
4:32 Presentation Ministries
|
|
Spiritual Reading
|
|
|
|
The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence (1611 - 1691). Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
https://ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice/practice Fifth Letter Prayer for a sister who is about to make a vow and profession. * A fresh in- sisting upon the necessity and virtue of practising the Presence of
God. I RECEIVED this day two books and a letter from Sister, who is preparing to make her profession, and upon that account desires the prayers of your holy society, and yours in particular. I perceive that she reckons much upon them; pray do not disappoint her. Beg of GOD that she may make her sacrifice in the view of His love alone, and with a firm resolution to be wholly devoted to Him. I will send you one of those books which treat of the presence of GOD; a subject which, in my opinion, contains the whole spiritual life; and it seems to me that whoever duly practises it will soon become spiritual. I know that for the right practice of it, the heart must be empty of all other things; because GOD will possess the heart alone; and as He cannot possess it alone, without emptying it of all besides, so
neither can He act there, and do in it what He pleases, unless it be left vacant to Him.
Paperback and eBook versions
|
Please support this outreach with a tax-deductible donation. |
|
|
