Message of 3-17-09
Published: Tue, 03/10/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith
what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe
is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray
is past my comprehension too.
- James Charles J. C. Ryle
(Believing without praying is sort of like trying to be in a
relationship without communication. It doesn't work. Easy enough
to reverse that situation, however.)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9; Mt 18:21-35
R. (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
Jesus paid the price for us and won for us pardon for our sins and
freedom from slavery to our unruly desires and sinful habits. God
in his mercy offers us the grace and help of his Holy Spirit so we
can love as he loves, pardon as he pardons, and treat others with
the same mercy and kindness which he has shown to us. God has made
his peace with us. Have you made your peace with God? If we
understand God's love and accept it, than we have no other choice
but to be merciful towards others as our heavenly Father is
merciful towards us. Are you a peacemaker?
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred
let me sow love. Where there is injury let me sow pardon. Where
there is doubt let me sow faith. Where there is despair let me
give hope. Where there is darkness let me give light. Where there
is sadness let me give joy."
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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Ignatian Method)
A. Preparation: acts of faith and reverence in the presence of God;
asking grace of a good meditation; petition for specific graces
sought in meditation.
B. Reading the Scriptures slowly, prayerfully.
C. Exercise of the memory, imagination, and intellect:
consideration of the material.. What practical applications are
suggested?
D. Expression of feelings and sentiments awakened in meditation.
Conversation with God.
E. Exercise of will and imagination in making resolutions. Prayer
for grace to fulfill resolutions.
F. Vocal prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, other prayers).
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
"Sayings of Light and Love," by St. John of the Cross (jottings
from his notebooks)
105. Frequent combing gives the hair more luster and makes it
easier to comb; a soul that frequently examines its thoughts,
words, and deeds, which are its hair, doing all things for the love
of God, will have lustrous hair. Then the Bridegroom will look on
the neck of the bride and thereby be captivated; and will be
wounded by one of her eyes, that is, by the purity of intention she
has in all she does. If in combing hair one wants it to have
luster, one begins from the crown. All our works must begin from
the crown (the love of God) if we wish them to be pure and lustrous.
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