If you were to rise early every morning, as an instance of self-denial, as a method of renouncing indulgence, as a means of redeeming your time, and fitting
your spirit for prayer, you would find mighty advantages from it. This method, though it seem such a small circumstance of life, would in all probability be a means of great piety. It would keep it constantly in your head, that softness and idleness were to be avoided, that self-denial was a part of Christianity… It would teach you to exercise power over yourself, and make you able by degrees to renounce other pleasures and tempers that war against the soul.
- William Law (1686-1761), A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life
(Early morning prayer, before activating the mind with other concerns, is a time-tested way to draw closer to God. If you're not already doing so, give it a
try.)
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2 PT 3:12-15A, 17-18; PS 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 AND 16
MK 12:13-17
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to
Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion.
You do not regard a person's status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?"
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
"Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at."
They brought one to him
and he said to them,
"Whose image and inscription is this?"
They replied to him, "Caesar's."
So Jesus said to them,
"Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
They were utterly amazed at him.
UCCB Lectionary
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Reflection on the Scriptures |
In the Gospel reading from Mark, we see the Pharisees and Herodians arguing and trying to catch Jesus by asking if they should pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus doesn’t answer a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but rather shares with them the directions to “repay to
Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”
As followers of Christ, we have a duty to participate and live out our faith in all areas of our lives, including and especially in the public sphere. Jesus highlights this duty for us in this interaction. Religion and the public life/common good are not in opposition with each other. Even more so, it is an important
part of our duty as Christians to hold each other accountable, to promote social justice and help bring about the Kingdom of God here on earth. Our relationship with God has to extend out to others; we can’t just neglect the work and avoid our civic responsibilities. Respectful and just laws, like paying taxes, deserve our support and cooperation.
Finally, what ways might I be able to go a
little deeper in my Christian responsibility to contribute to the common good? What one small change can I make today in this area?
- from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060518.html
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 SECOND 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.
Of the Ascent of Mount Carmel Wherein is treated the proximate means of ascending to union with God, which is faith; and wherein
therefore is described the second part of this night, which, as we said, belongs to the spirit, and is contained in the second stanza, which is as follows. __________________________________________________________________
Second Stanza
Chapter 3
How faith is dark night to the soul. This is proved with arguments and quotations and figures from Scripture.
4. And faith far transcends even that which is indicated by the examples given above. For not only does it give no information and knowledge, but, as we have said, it deprives us of all other information and knowledge, and blinds us
to them, so that they cannot judge it well. For other knowledge can be acquired by the light of the understanding; but the knowledge that is of faith is acquired without the illumination of the understanding, which is rejected for faith; and in its own light, if that light be not darkened, it is lost. Wherefore Isaias said: "If ye believe not, ye shall not understand." It is clear, then, that faith is dark night for the soul, and it is in this way that it gives it light; and the more the
soul is darkened, the greater is the light that comes to it. . . And thus faith was foreshadowed by that cloud which divided the children of Israel and the Egyptians when the former were about to enter the Red Sea, whereof Scripture says: Erat nubes tenebrosa, et illuminans noctem. This is to say that that cloud was full of darkness and gave light to the night.
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