Message of 8-26-09
Published: Fri, 08/21/09
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Do what you can, being what you are.
Shine as glow-worm if you cannot be a star.
Work like a pulley if you cannot be crane;
be a wheel grinder if you cannot drive a train.
Be the pliant oar if you cannot be the sailor; be the needle if you
cannot be a tailor...
Be the sharpened sickle if you cannot be the reaper.
Anonymous
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Thes 2:9-13; Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab; Mt 23:27-32
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light"-
For you darkness itself is not dark,
and night shines as the day.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
- http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the
outside."
One day many years ago I insisted that my daughter give her
much-neglected room a thorough cleaning. When I went to check on
her progress, I found her having a great time kicking around a
long-forgotten hacky sack. I told her, "See, when you clean, you
find things!" It became an oft repeated maxim in our house. Indeed,
it seemed a consistent truth: Whenever we deep-cleaned, some
forgotten treasure would surface from within the mess. Jesus
insists upon more than a surface cleaning of our souls. As we look
deep into our hearts to rout out bad habits and attitudes, we can
be sure of finding also the virtue we need to grow in holiness.
"For hope in the Lord's mercy, we pray."
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GOD, SELF AND EGO: Meanings and Discernments
by Philip St. Romain© (doctoral project manuscript)
- see http://shalomplace.com/view/godselfego.html
- On the different possible combinations of God, Self and Ego:
* Self-God union. If Ego's desires could be extinguished, along
with the intellectual convictions which support them, then the
"suchness" of Self and its union with God and creation could be
experienced directly and non-reflectively. God would not be known
as relational partner, however, but would be implicit in the Self
and in creation and known as Void, or Emptiness. Some forms of
Eastern mysticism seem to emphasize this union.
- Part 10 of 15
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REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
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