Message of 5-18-09
Published: Sat, 05/16/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
To be risen with Christ means not only that one has a choice and
that one may live by a higher law--the law of grace and love--but
that one *must* do so. The first obligation of the Christian is to
maintain their freedom from all superstitions, all blind taboos and
religious formalities, indeed from all empty forms of legalism.
- Thomas Merton
(How free are you from these obstacles?)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b; Jn 15:26-16:4a
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"The hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is
offering worship to God."
The readings of these weeks of Easter tell us to expect
persecution. Often persecution is subtle. Sometimes it's just the
look of amusement or contempt or amazement on the faces of those
who discover you're Catholic. (You? You seem so ... intelligent or
modern or cool.) If we must endure persecution, on whatever scale,
let's be sure it's because we're like Jesus and not because we're
playing a game of holier-than-thou.
"Jesus, help me to be like you when I am faced with the derision of
others."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
The light of Divine grace is a fruit-bearing shoot, coming forth
from the living paradise of the eternal kingdom; and no deed can
bring refreshment or profit to man if it be not born of this shoot.
This shoot of Divine grace, which makes man pleasing to God, and
through which he merits eternal life, is offered to all men. But it
is not grafted into all, because some will not cut away the wild
branches of their trees; that is, unbelief, and a perverse and
disobedient will opposed to the commandments of God.
- Chapter 1, Of the Active Life
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed