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Going out to another in love means risk - the risks of self-disclosure, rejection, misunderstanding. It means grief, too, from the temporary separations, psychological or physical, to the final separation of death. Whoever insists on personal security and safety as the nonnegotiable
conditions of life will not be willing to pay love’s price or find love’s enrichments. Whoever shuts himself or herself up in the cocoon of self-protective defenses, keeping others always at a safe distance and holding on tightly to personal possessions and privacy, will find the price of love far too high and will remain forever a prisoner of fear.
- John Powell S.J., The Secret of Staying in
Love
(How is Love calling you to risk these days?)
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JER 7:23-28; PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
LK
11:14-23
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their
thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come
upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
USCCB Lectionary
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Luke 11: 14-23: The reign of God is upon you
The gospels reveal that it was impossible for people to encounter Jesus and remain indifferent toward
him. This passage shows that some people interpreted his influence and power as arising from demonic sources. Jesus exposed the irrationality of their accusation and invited them to join him in gathering the kingdom harvest.
* What do you believe it means to be “with” Jesus?
Are you with him?
* What kind of conscience guards the doors of your soul? List some of the values that are most important to you.
Paperback, Kindle
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God and I: Exploring the Connections between God, Self and Ego, by Philip St. Romain, 2016 (2nd ed.) ____________ Chapter 3: Ego (excerpts
Thus far in this book, I have attempted to articulate an understanding of God and Self based more on an experiential than philosophical approach. The reader will have surely noted an implied anthropology, however. For example, we have already made a distinction between God and Self while acknowledging a vital connection between these realities. In doing so, we have distanced ourselves from
Hindu-based approaches, including New Age usages of the term Self. As noted in our previous chapter, Self is considered to be spiritual, but not divine. We did not use philosophy to make this distinction; experiential references were sufficient to make this case. Of course, some still might choose to use another term than “Self” in reference to the experience of human non-reflecting awareness, and that is fine, so long as they qualify their terminology in a manner that makes
sense.
What, then, of Ego? If there is God and Self, then is Ego an impostor masquerading as Self? Is Ego inherently delusional, as so many spiritual writers imply? How might we, using the approach taken thus far, understand the meaning of the term, “Ego”?
Hardback, paperback, eBook and free preview versions.
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