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We must not encourage in ourselves or others any tendency to work up a subjective state which, if we succeeded, we should describe as “faith,” with the idea that this will somehow ensure the granting of our prayer. We have probably all done this as children. But the state of mind which desperate desire working on a strong imagination can manufacture is not faith in the Christian sense.
It is a feat of psychological gymnastics.
- C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), “Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer”
(Lewis suffered from this scruple when young, but came to see the folly of it. Let your faith be a simple act of belief and trust in God's loving care for you this day.)
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ZEP 3:14-18; PS 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
LK 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love. He will sing joyfully because of you." —Zephaniah 3:17
Yesterday we heard of King Ahaz wearying God (Is 7:13). Today we picture God "springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills" (Sg 2:8), and breaking out into song because of us (Zep 3:17). We can (so to speak) make God jubilant or sad.
Then, when God sees you singing Christmas carols, He will want to sing along with you and sing because of you. Consequently, give your life and love to Him totally and ever more deeply. With docility, receive the only true Christmas Spirit: the Holy Spirit. Rejoice in the Spirit and with the Spirit.
Prayer: Father, may I make You jump for joy.
Promise: "Blest is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled." —Lk 1:45
Praise: "O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal light, Sun of Justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
CHAPTER II. THE DIVINE ACTION WORKS UNCEASINGLY FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF SOULS.
SECTION I.The Divine Action.
The divine action, although only visible to the eye of faith, is everywhere, and always present.
Oh! what delightful peace we enjoy when we have learnt by faith to find God thus in all His creatures! Then is darkness luminous, and bitterness sweet. Faith, while showing us things as they are, changes their ugliness into beauty, and their malice into virtue. Faith is the mother of sweetness, confidence and joy. It cannot help feeling tenderness and compassion for its enemies by whose means it is so immeasurably enriched. The
greater the harshness and severity of the creature, the greater by the operation of God, is the advantage to the soul. While the human instrument strives to do harm, the divine Workman in whose hands it is, makes use of its very malice to remove from the soul all that might be prejudicial to it.
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