Message of 9-9-09
Published: Mon, 09/07/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
When we are spiritually free, we do not have to worry about what to
say or do in unexpected, difficult circumstances. When we are not
concerned about what others think of us or what we will get for
what we do, the right words and actions will emerge from the centre
of our beings because the Spirit of God, who makes us children of
God and sets us free, will speak and act through us.
- Henri J. M. Nouwen
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Col 3:1-11; Ps 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab; Lk 6:20-26
R. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
- http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep."
Our lives appear to be an unending string of blessings and woes. We
learn to question happiness as a precursor to inevitable grief. We
waste moments of joy fearing anticipated sorrow. This is a symptom
of our inability to recognize the value and the truth of the
kingdom of God and the many gifts we receive every day. We must be
grateful for our blessings, while not acting skeptical or
complacent. We must recognize that we're worthy of God's favor but
not entitled to it. We need only anticipate woe when we fail to see
just how blessed we truly are.
"In gratitude for the Lord's generosity and compassion, 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:
* Ego-Self-God union. This is contemplative union as understood in
the Catholic mystical tradition. Here, the Ego relates to God
intellectually and affectively, as described above, but also
experiences God through the unconscious realm of the psyche, of
which the Self is central. Thus does the Ego develop its
connection with Self in the context of its relationship with God.
During ecstatic experiences, the Ego may be lost for awhile,
with the Self-God union predominating, but eventually the Ego
returns to integrate the ecstatic experience consciously and in the
overall lifestyle. The Ego-Self-God union, then, is both mystical
and individuating.
- Part 12 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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Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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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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