Message of 2-18-09
Published: Sat, 02/14/09
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The last and highest result of prayer is not the securing of this
or that gift, the avoiding of this or that danger. The last and
highest result of prayer is the knowledge of God -- the knowledge
which is eternal life -- and by that knowledge, the transformation
of human character, and of the world.
... George John Blewett
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 8:6-13, 20-22; Ps 116:12-13, 14-15, 18-19; Mk 8:22-26
R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
- http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
When the ark at last reached dry land, Noah built an altar to the
Lord and gave thanks. We are not slow to ask God to help us when
trouble assails us, but when we are safe, when our immediate crisis
has passed, are we quick to thank God? We may be burdened by
illness, financial worries, great personal loss or concerns for
loved ones, or we may only be depressed because it seems that
winter will never end. Take comfort in knowing that God is
constantly present to sustain us and to give us what we need to see
us through.
"Lord, we praise you for your constant, loving care; let us show
our gratitude through our generosity to others."
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Meister Eckhart's Sermons"
Grace is from God, and works in the depth of the soul whose powers
it employs. It is a light which issues forth to do service under
the guidance of the Spirit. The Divine Light permeates the soul,
and lifts it above the turmoil of temporal things to rest in God.
The soul cannot progress except with the light which God has given
it as a nuptial gift; love works the likeness of God into the soul.
The peace, freedom and blessedness of all souls consist in their
abiding in God's will. Towards this union with God for which it is
created the soul strives perpetually. Fire converts wood into its
own likeness, and the stronger the wind blows, the greater grows
the fire. Now by the fire understand love, and by the wind the Holy
Spirit. The stronger the influence of the Holy Spirit, the brighter
grows the fire of love; but not all at once, rather gradually as the
soul grows. Light causes flowers and plants to grow and bear fruit;
in animals it produces life, but in men blessedness. This comes
from the grace of God, Who uplifts the soul, for if the soul is to
grow God-like it must be lifted above itself.
- #7, Outward and Inward Morality
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REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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I. Dark Night of the Soul
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