One of the peculiar sins of the twentieth century which we've developed to a very high level is
the sin of credulity. It has been said that when human beings stop believing in God they believe in nothing. The truth is much worse: they believe in anything.
- Malcolm Muggeridge
(How does belief in God contribute to your understanding of truth? Give thanks for Jesus, the truth who sets us
free.) Help to grow this newsletter by forwarding it to someone.
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ROM 5:12, 15B, 17-19, 20B-21; PS 40:7-8A, 8B-9, 10,
17
LK 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and
knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants."
UCCB Lectionary
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Reflection on the Scriptures |
"As sin reigned through death, grace may reign by way of justice leading to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." —Romans 5:21
The body of Christ is broken. The culture of death is becoming even more oppressive. Millions of babies do not survive long enough to be born. The unfaithfulness of Christians is scandalous. Under these circumstances, you would think we would be depressed
and even despairing.
However, "despite the increase of sin, grace has far surpassed it" (Rm 5:20). Pope St. John Paul II prophesied that we can have a new springtime of the Christian life right now if we are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit (Towards the Third Millennium (TMA), 18). After this new springtime, justice and freedom will be restored to the world (TMA, 16). Jeremiah also prophesied: "I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for
your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope" (Jer 29:11). The bishops of Vatican II have also prophesied that Mary is a sign of sure hope (Lumen Gentium, 68). With Mary leading her children, we will cross the threshold of hope into the new millennium.
In a despairing world, we Christians are a people full of hope, "and this hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has
been given to us" (Rm 5:5). Therefore, "should anyone ask you the reason for this hope of yours, be ever ready to reply" (1 Pt 3:15). There is hope in Christ, and only in Christ.
Prayer: Father, may I be motivated by hope (see Col 1:4).
Promise: "It will go well with those servants whom the Master finds wide-awake on His return. I tell you, He will put on an apron, seat them at table, and proceed to wait on them." —Lk 12:37
- from
presentationministries.com DailyScripture.net
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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 XI Wherein it is proved necessary that the soul that would attain to Divine union should be free from desires, however slight they be.
5. It is greatly to be lamented that, when God has granted them strength to break other and stouter cords — namely, affections for sins
and vanities — they should fail to attain to such blessing because they have not shaken off some childish thing which God had bidden them conquer for love of Him, and which is nothing more than a thread or a hair. And, what is worse, not only do they make no progress, but because of this attachment they fall back, lose that which they have gained, and retrace that part of the road along which they have travelled at the cost of so much time and labour; for it is well known that, on this
road, not to go forward is to turn back, and not to be gaining is to be losing. This Our Lord desired to teach us when He said: He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth.’ He that takes not the trouble to repair the vessel, however slight be the crack in it, is likely to spill all the liquid that is within it. The Preacher taught us this clearly when he said: He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little. For, as he himself
says, a great fire cometh from a single spark. And thus one imperfection is sufficient to lead to another; and these lead to yet more; wherefore you will hardly ever see a soul that is negligent in conquering one desire, and that has not many more arising from the same weakness and imperfection that this desire causes. In this way they are continually filling; we have seen many persons to whom God has been granting the favour of leading them a long way, into a state of great detachment and
liberty, yet who, merely through beginning to indulge some slight attachment, under the pretext of doing good, or in the guise of conversation and friendship, often lose their spirituality and desire for God and holy solitude, fall from the joy and wholehearted devotion which they had in their spiritual exercises, and cease not until they have lost everything; and this because they broke not with that beginning of sensual desire and pleasure and kept not themselves in solitude for
God.
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