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A basic trouble is that most Churches limit themselves unnecessarily by addressing their message almost exclusively to those who are open to religious impression through the intellect, whereas … there are at least four other gateways—the emotions, the imagination, the aesthetic feeling, and the will,
through which they can be reached.
- A. J. Gossip (1873-1954), From the Edge of the Crowd
(Through which of these “gateways” do you experience connection with God?) |
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EPH 1:11-14; PS 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13
LK 12:1-7
At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
"Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.
"There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have
said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the
notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows."
USCCB Lectionary
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Praying the Daily Gospels: A Guide to Meditation, by Philip St. Romain,
2018 (3rd ed.) ____________
Luke 12:1-7 (Fear God alone)
People who are afraid are not free, Jesus tells us in today's
reading. "Perfect love casts out all fear" John wrote in his epistle. If we could eliminate from our lives the fear of death and the fear of harsh judgments from others, we would be truly free. If we really believe that God loves us unconditionally, this fear will leave us.
* When do you most often experience
fear and anxiety? How do you usually handle these feelings? How can you change your thinking concerning these occasions to diminish fear? Write out suggestions for yourself.
* Spend some time with the verse "Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many
sparrows."
Paperback, Kindle and eBook
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God and I: Exploring the Connections between God, Self and Ego, by Philip St. Romain, 2016 (2nd
ed.) ____________ Chapter 8: Mystical Union: Self and God
Direct Approaches Both the contemplative journey and the intuition of being entail a willing
surrender of the Ego into its ground in the Self-God depth of consciousness. What is common to both approaches is the eventual cessation of reflectivity and intentionality, which enables access to the underlying non-reflecting level of the human spirit, and the God who dwells within as its Source. A question that naturally arises is whether the Ego could be directly or intentionally
diminished, and whether this would lead to a beneficial encounter with the Self-God ground?
The answer to both questions is “yes,” but it is a tricky business. For one thing, any “strategy” or “method” implies a course of action, or a “doing-something,” which is the province of the Ego. Hence, we can sometimes find a paradoxical situation wherein the Ego is studying how to bring about its own
demise by “doing-something” (or “not-doing,” as the case may be), which can seem to be a goal to “achieve.” Moving from theory to practice to actually experiencing non-Egoic consciousness is not easy. There are also pitfalls and dangers, such as the premature awakening of powerful energies in the unconscious, or the emergence of psychic gifts that one might not be prepared to deal with. The Egoic self-image ordinarily serves as a regulator of information and energy between the unconscious and
the outer world, and so there are risks to diminishing or weakening it. Such dangers are alleviated somewhat by the slower, gentler theotic process of the contemplative journey, and the intuition of being does nothing to actually subvert the Ego in simply setting aside reflectivity in favor of awareness for a short time.
Hardback, paperback, eBook and free preview versions.
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