Message of 6-23-09
Published: Mon, 06/08/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The more you praise God, the more you become God-conscious and
absorbed in His greatness, wisdom, faithfulness, and love. Praise
reminds you of all that God is able to do and of great things He
has already done. Faith comes through God's Word and through
praise. Faith grows as you praise the Lord.
- Wesley L. Duewel
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 13:2,5-18; Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5; Mt 7:12-14
R. (1b) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively
seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the law and the
prophets, namely what God requires of us - loving God with all that
we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The personal
love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The
Holy Spirit is every ready to transform our lives in Jesus' way of
love. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of God's love?
"Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am
- a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love
all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me or those under
my authority, my friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger
with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to
forget myself and reach out towards others." (Prayer attributed to
Clement XI of Rome)
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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)
122. Habitual voluntary imperfections that are never completely
overcome not only hinder the divine union, but also the attainment
of perfection. Such imperfections are: the habit of being very
talkative; a small unconquered attachment, such as to a person, to
clothing, to a cell, a book, or to the way food is prepared, and to
other conversations and little satisfactions in tasting things, in
knowing, and hearing, and the like
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