Message of 5-26-09
Published: Sat, 05/23/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
There is a major disaster when a person allows some success to
become a stopping place rather than a way station on to a larger
goal. It often happens that an early success is a greater moral
hazard than an early failure.
... Halford E. Luccock
(The enemy of the "best" is the "good." What might this be for you
at this time?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
Your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.
Blessed day by day be the Lord,
who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.
God is a saving God for us;
the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
What is eternal life? It is more than simply endless time. Science
and medicine today looks for ways to extend the duration of life;
but that doesn't necessarily make life better for us here. Eternal
life is qualitative more than quantitative. To have eternal life is
to have the life of God within us. When we possess eternal life we
experience here and now something of God's majesty, his peace, joy
and love and the holiness which characterizes the life of God.
Jesus also speaks of the knowledge of God. Jesus tells his
disciples that they can know the only true God. Knowledge of God is
not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know
God personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it
distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the knowledge of God
as our Father. Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally
know God as our Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In
Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a God who cares intensely
and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of
laying down his life for them upon the Cross. Jesus is the
revelation of God - a God who loves us completely, unconditionally
and perfectly. Do you seek unity of heart, mind and will with God
and unity of love and peace with your neighbor?
"If only I possessed the grace, good Jesus, to be utterly at one
with you! Amidst all the variety of worldly things around me,
Lord, the only thing I crave is unity with you. You are all my
soul needs. Unite, dear friend of my heart, this unique little
soul of mine to your perfect goodness. You are all mine; when
shall I be yours? Lord Jesus, my beloved, be the magnet of my
heart; clasp, press, unite me for ever to your sacred heart. You
have made me for yourself; make me one with you. Absorb this tiny
drop of life into the ocean of goodness whence it came." (Prayer
of Francis de Sales, 1567-1622)
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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)
118. Ignoring the imperfections of others, preserving silence and a
continual communion with God will eradicate great imperfections
from the soul and make it the possessor of great virtues.
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