Message of 3-23-09
Published: Mon, 03/23/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Forgive, forget. Bear with the faults of others as you would have
them bear with yours. Be patient and understanding. Life is too
short to be vengeful or malicious.
- Phillips Brooks
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b; Jn 4:43-54
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
"Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper."
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
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REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I
create."
Most of us are noticing the change of seasons, winter giving way to
spring, buds forming, soon to burst forth as leaf and flower, a
foretaste of Isaiah's prophecy: new heavens and a new earth! At the
same time we know that abuse and neglect of the earth has had
disastrous effects on the planet. As we marvel over how the earth
renews itself year after year, let us also examine our role as
stewards of the earth and its resources. May we cooperate with
God's desire through a new sense of stewardship and a new
solidarity with all of God's creation?
"For joy in the blessings of creation ... for prudent, responsible
use of earth's resources, we pray."
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LECTIO DIVINA PROCESS
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
* Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.
* Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?
* Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.
* Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God.
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THEOLOGICAL GEMS FROM EMIL MERCH'S "THEOLOGY OF THE MYSTICAL BODY"
from http://www.innerexplorations.com/chtheomortext/theolgems.htm
613. Grace is personal in each person.
The supernaturally personal character of grace is what causes the
supernaturally personal character of holiness, of the theological
virtues, and of the whole eternal life of each Christian, and ... of
each saint in heaven.
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