Message of 7-17-17

Published: Mon, 07/17/17

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Monday: July 17, 2017
Message of the Day
“I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”
- Helen Keller -

(Here’s a good attitude to join with the affirmation, “Thy will be done.” What is the “something” you can and need to do this day?)
Readings of the Day
EX 1:8-14, 22;   PS 124:1B-3, 4-6, 7-8

MT 10:34—11:1

Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one's enemies will be those of his household.

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet's reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous 
will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

Reflection on the Scripture
"Look how numerous and powerful the Israelite people are growing, more so than we ourselves! Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase." —Exodus 1:9-10

Most people don't recognize Satan's attempts to impose his will on us. Satan disguises the fact that he seeks nothing less than a totalitarian dictatorship. He likes to let his pawns think that they are doing their own thing. It is amusing to him when his slaves pretend they are free.

Therefore, "choose life" (Dt 30:19), and rebel against the tyranny of the prince of death (see Heb 2:14). Choose Jesus, "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (Jn 14:6). Reject sin and its deadly wages (Rm 6:23). Don't let yourself be used and abused by our culture of death. Join the exodus of God's people from death, sin, and damnation into life eternal.
 
Prayer: Father, I accept fully the abundant life given to me through your Son's death (see Jn 10:10).


Promise: "Whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward." —Mt 10:42

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Spiritual Reading
Theological Gems from Emile Merch's Theology of the Mystical Body
- selected by Jim and Tyra Arraj

Book V: In Christ
 
Chapter 15: The Holy Supernatural
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464. The personal God is three persons, for such is His way of possessing personality.
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468. The central truth: Christ the incarnate Word, and the incorporation of men into Christ.