Message o 4-20-09
Published: Sun, 04/19/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
All the fruits of the Spirit which we are to lay weight upon as
evidential of grace, are summed up in charity, or Christian love;
because this is the sum of all grace. And the only way, therefore,
in which any can know their good estate, is by discerning the
exercises of this divine charity in their hearts; for without
charity, let men have what gifts you please, they are nothing.
- Jonathan Edwards
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 4:23-31; Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9; Jn 3:1-8
R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
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REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"How can a person once grown old be born again?"
Are you born again? It's a question I've been asked on my front
porch by enthusiastic believers. Responding that I'm a Catholic
writer, choir director and sometime counselor does not answer the
question. We Catholics could learn from our evangelical brothers
and sisters. There is something admirable and even enviable about
the passion, the commitment and the sense of a close personal
relationship with God. Even early in the time of the Acts of the
Apostles, such passion was submitted to the church for evaluation.
There is a balance to be sought between charism and order. But to
answer the question,
"Yes, I am. Are you?" Lord Jesus, inspire, arouse, enflame my heart
so that I may serve you with enthusiasm and radiate the joy of
Easter."
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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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THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
Since the time of Adam, Christ, the Wisdom of the Father, has said
to all men, and He says so still, inwardly according to His
Divinity: Behold. And this beholding is needful. Now mark this
well: that for anyone who wishes to see, either in a bodily or a
ghostly manner, three things are necessary.
The first thing is that, if a man will see bodily and outwardly, he
must have the outward light of heaven, or some other material
light, to illuminate the medium, that is, the air, through which he
will see. The second thing is, that he must permit the things which
he wishes to see to be reflected in his eyes. And the third thing is
that the organs, the eyes, must be sound and flawless, so that gross
bodily things can be subtly reflected in them. If a man lack any of
these three things his bodily sight is wanting. Of this sight,
however, we shall say nothing more; but we shall speak of a ghostly
and supernatural sight, in which all our bliss abides.
- Book One, Chapter 1
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