Message of 9-26-17

Published: Tue, 09/26/17

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Message of the Day
Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes. Every day you are alive is a special occasion. Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God
-- M --Beatrice Saunders

(Would that we could truly realize this before facing the prospect of an imminent death.)
 
Image
Help to grow this newsletter by forwarding it to someone.

Lectionary Readings

EZR 6:7-8, 12B, 14-20;   PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5

LK 8:19-21
​​​​​​​
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers 
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

UCCB Lectionary
 
Reflection on the Scriptures

"His mother and brothers came to be with Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd." —Luke 8:19

How many of us are crowded? Our lives, minds, and schedules are crowded. We have so many demands pressing in on us. We can hardly breathe. We feel crowded out from Jesus. We can't seem to reach Him. We feel on the outside looking in (Lk 8:20).

What can we do before we're crushed by the crowd? We can obey Jesus, hear God's Word, act upon it (Lk 8:21), and give our lives, minds, and schedules to the Lord. Jesus never gives us more than we have time for. He never overextends us, although sometimes we know this only by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). "There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens" (Eccl 3:1). Jesus gives us sufficient strength (Phil 4:13) for what He has called us to do.

Jesus promises: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest" (Mt 11:28-29). Rather than the crowd keeping us from Jesus, He keeps us from the crowd of worldly confusion.
 
Prayer: Jesus, may my personal relationship with You keep me from being crowded.

Promise: "The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah." —Ezr 6:14

​​​​​​​- presentationministries.com
​​​​​​​​​​​

DailyScripture.net
 
Image
Spiritual Reading


The Ascent of Mount Carmel, by St. John of the Cross

E. Allison Peers Translation. Paperback, Kindle, Audio Book.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935785982/?tag=christianspiritu


BOOK THE FIRST

Wherein is described the nature of dark night and how necessary it is to pass through it to Divine union; and in particular this book describes the dark night of sense, and desire, and the evils which these work in the soul.


CHAPTER X

​​​​​​​
Wherein is described how the desires weaken the soul in virtue and make it lukewarm.

4. And, even though they reach not this point, it is very piteous to consider how the desires that live in this poor soul treat it, how unhappy it is with regard to itself, how dry with respect to its neighbours, and how weary and slothful with respect to the things of God. For there is no evil humour that makes it as wearisome and difficult for a sick man to walk, or gives him a distaste for eating comparable to the weariness and distaste for following virtue which is given to a soul by desire for creatures. And thus the reason why many souls have no diligence and eagerness to gain virtue is, as a rule, that they have desires and affections which are not pure and are not fixed upon God.
 
Please support this ministry with a tax-deductible donation.
  
 
Image