Message of 3-11-09
Published: Thu, 03/05/09
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
We can do nothing, we say sometimes, we can only pray. That, we
feel, is a terribly precarious second-best. So long as we can fuss
and work and rush about, so long as we can lend a hand, we have
some hope; but if we have to fall back upon God -- ah, then things
must be critical indeed!
... A. J. Gossip
(Prayer as foundational . . . If not prayer, then what, and with
what results?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jer 18:18-20; Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16; Mt 20:17-28
R. (17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
- http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave."
The desire for power isn't new. (Neither is relying on Mom to help
you get what you want.) Jesus' response is one we know by heart.
Perhaps there is a double meaning. If our desire is power, then we
do indeed become slaves to that desire and those who can grant it
to us. Witness the politician who started out with the desire to
serve the common good only to become taken up with ambition.
Witness the priest who entered the seminary with service in mind,
but gets distracted by the possibilities of position.
"Lord Jesus, help me not to be a slave to ambition, but a servant
to you and those you place on my path today."
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Meister Eckhart's Sermons"
As for outward works they are ordained for this purpose that the
outward man may be directed to God. But the inner work, the work of
God in the soul is the chief matter; when a man finds this within
himself, he can let go externals. No law is given to the righteous,
because he fulfils the law inwardly, and bears it in himself, for
the least thing done by God is better than all the work of
creatures. But this is intended for those who are enlightened by
God and the Holy Scriptures.
- #6 - 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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SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
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