Message of 9-14-09
Published: Sat, 09/12/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
If we can, by God's grace, turn ourselves entirely to Him, and put
aside everything else in order to speak with Him and worship Him,
this does not mean that we can always imagine Him or feel His
presence. Neither imagination nor feeling are required for a full
conversion of our whole being to God. Nor is intense concentration
on an idea of God especially desirable. Hard as it is to convey in
human language, there is a very real and very recognizable (but
almost entirely undefinable) Presence of God, in which we confront
Him in prayer knowing Him by Whom we are known, aware of Him Who is
aware of us, loving Him by Whom we know ourselves to be loved.
- Thomas Merton
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Nm 21:4b-9; Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38; Phil 2:6-11; Jn
3:13-17
R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have
eternal life."
We shrink from our own crosses because we know that suffering is
involved, the most painful part of which is the surrendering of our
own will to God's will in all things. Jesus, God's only Son, has
gone before us, emptying himself completely to accept the
redemptive mission of God. We must remember that the cross is not
the whole story. Jesus redeemed us by his life, death and
resurrection, and if we accept the cross freely and in love, we too
will come into the glory of the resurrection.
"We pray that we may accept our own crosses humbly and with love."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
Christ also suffered spiritually, in His soul, because of the
hardened hearts of the Jews and of those who were putting Him to
death; for whatever signs and wonders they saw, they remained in
their wickedness. . . Also He suffered from the distress and
anguish of His mother and His disciples, who were in great
affliction. And He suffered still more, because His death would be
of no profit to so many men, and because of the ingratitude of man
and because of the false oaths which many would swear, reviling and
blaspheming Him Who had died out of love for us all. And also His
bodily nature and His lower reason suffered, because God had
withdrawn the inflow of His grace and of His consolations, and had
left them alone in such distress. And of this Christ complained,
exclaiming: My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? But as to
all His sufferings our Lover was silent; and cried to His Father
saying: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And
Christ was heard of His Father because of His reverence; for those
who acted from ignorance were soon afterwards converted.
- Chapter 5, Of Patient Endurance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed