|
Happiness depends on what happens; joy does not.
The joy that Jesus gives is the result of our own disposition being at one with his own.
- Oswald Chambers
(Pray for the grace to be a joyful presence this day.)
|
|
|
ROM 10:9-18; PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11
MT 4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
USCCB Lectionary
|
|
|
|
Praying the Daily Gospels: A Guide to Meditation, by Philip St. Romain, 2018 (3rd ed.)
____________
Feast of St. Andrew
What kind of disciples did Jesus choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work - he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position of power or fame in society. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special marks of education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary
people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would become under his direction and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples, we must not think we have nothing to offer him in exchange. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?
Jesus calls each of us to bring the joy of the Gospel to those around us
Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will "catch people" for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the Gospel. Paul the Apostles says, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being
saved and among those who are perishing" (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you show others around you the joy of the gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to personally know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?
"Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, and James. Fill me with the joy of your gospel and help me to be a good and faithful witness of your kingdom to all I meet."
- from dailyscripture.net
Paperback, Kindle and eBook
|
|
|
|
|
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
Summary
Nevertheless, “non-duality” is a major buzzword in spirituality these days. Thanks to Oprah Winfrey, for example, the non-dual spirituality of Eckhart Tolle has become extremely popular, his books topping the best-seller lists month after month. Christian groups study Tolle, who comments liberally on the teachings of
Jesus, thus giving the impression that the non-dual mysticism that he promotes is really what Jesus intended.
This all raises questions concerning the merits of different spiritual pathways. If, as is often implied, the whole point of the spiritual journey is to come to abide in the Self-God zone of consciousness, then does it really matter how one gets there? We know that different ideas and behaviors have different consequences, so it would seem that different spiritual philosophies and systems of practice
would as well. Writers like Jim Arraj, Thomas Merton, William Johnston, Bede Griffiths and Henri La Saux explored deeply the similarities and differences between Christian spirituality and Eastern pathways. Their overall verdict was that there are substantive (not merely linguistic) differences, and that one needs to be discerning about what one is doing and why. For example: how does the journey affect one’s physical health, relationships, critical thinking skills, and the individuation
process? Do some pathways support a more holistic integration than others? These are all questions that need to be considered during the course of inter-religious dialogue.
Hardback, paperback, eBook and free preview versions.
|
|
|
|
|
