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God alters our disposition, but he does not make our character. When God alters my disposition, the first thing the new disposition will do is to stir up my brain to think along God's line. As I begin to think, begin to work out what God has worked in, it will become character. Character is consolidated thought. God makes me pure in heart; I must make myself pure in conduct.
- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
(This is a great way to understand God's role and ours in the work of transformation. God will not do for us what we must do ourselves. What might this mean for you at this time?)
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SIR 47:2-11; Psalm 18:31, 47 AND 50, 51
MK 6:14-29
King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;
still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”
Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,
and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to her,
“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,
“I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter
and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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"King Herod came to hear of Jesus, for His reputation had become widespread." —Mark 6:14
King Herod heard about Jesus. This could have been the opportunity for Herod to believe in Jesus (see Rm 10:17) and be saved from self-destruction. Yet Herod jumped to the wrong conclusion that Jesus was actually St. John the Baptizer raised from the dead (Mk 6:16). Possibly Herod was prone to believe this falsehood because he carried guilt from murdering John to save face and look good before the guests at his
birthday party (Mk 6:26). Herod murdered John because he was proud, and this led him astray in other ways.
Herod had an exceptional opportunity to meet and love Jesus shortly before His crucifixion and death. However, Herod was still on his ego-trip. He tried to use Jesus as a pawn in his own proud posturings (Lk 23:8, 11). Jesus would have no part in it and refused to speak to Herod (Lk 23:9). Herod was face to face with Jesus moments before His crucifixion and death, but there was no communication because of
Herod's pride.
Jesus became a man, died on the cross, and rose from the dead to have a deep, personal relationship with you forever. Will you accept, love, and worship Jesus on His terms, or will you be damned forever in pride?
Prayer: Father, may I learn from Jesus to be "gentle and humble of heart" (Mt 11:29).
Promise: "The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty." —Sir 47:11
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
BOOK II,
CHAPTER II. THE DUTIES OF THOSE SOULS CALLED BY GOD TO THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT
SECTION II. The Pains and Consolations of Abandonment.
The soul ought to strip itself of all things created in order to arrive at the state of abandonment.
Happy the soul that understands this lovingly severe conduct of God, and that corresponds faithfully with it. It is raised above all that passes away to repose in the immutable and the infinite. It is no longer dissipated among created things by giving them love and confidence, but allows them only when it becomes a duty to do so, or when enjoined by God, and when His will is made especially manifest in the
matter. It inhabits a region above earthly abundance or dearth, in the fulness of God who is its permanent good. God finds this soul quite empty of its own inclinations, of its own movements, of its own choice. It is a dead subject, and shrouded in universal indifference. The whole of the divine Being, coming thus to fill the heart, casts over all created things a shadow, as of nothingness, absorbing all their distinctions and all their varieties. Thus there remains neither efficacy, nor virtue
in anything created, and the heart is neither drawn towards, nor has any inclination for created things, because the majesty of God fills it to its utmost extent. Living in God in this way, the heart becomes dead to all else, and all is dead to it. It is for God, who gives life to all things, to revive the soul with regard to His creation, and to give a different aspect to all things in the eyes of the soul. It is the order of God which is this life. By this order the heart goes out towards the
creature as far as is necessary or useful, and it is also by this order that the creature is carried towards the soul and is accepted by it. Without this divine virtue of the good pleasure of God, things created are not admitted by the soul; neither is the soul at all inclined towards them. This dissolution of all things as far as the soul is concerned, and then, by the will of God, their being brought once more into existence, compels the soul at each moment to see God in all things, for each
moment is spent for the satisfaction of God only, and in an unreserved self-abandonment with regard to its relations to all possible created things, or rather to those created, or possibly to be created by the order of God. Therefore each moment contains all.them."
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