Message of 9-18-09
Published: Sat, 09/12/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
What God asks is a will which will no longer be divided between Him
and any creature, a will pliant in His hands, which neither desires
anything nor refuses anything, which wants without reservation
everything which He wants, and which never, under any pretext,
wants anything which He does not want.
- Francois Fenelon
(Although this might sound like "quietism" it's really the kind of
detachment and resignation that enables us to truly say, "thy will
be done.")
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Tm 6:2c-12; Ps 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20; Lk 8:1-3
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one's life; he would never have
enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
"They will praise you for doing well for yourself,"
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
In the first reading we are told that it is important that people
are taught correctly regarding religion. It is devastating for the
people to learn wrong information, but it is also bad for the
teacher - who should know better. Religion, for the teacher and the
learner, is about spiritual, not material gain. I've heard
televangelists talk about giving to charity (usually their own
church), not as a spiritual gift but as an investment strategy. If
the good we do is returned tenfold, then for every dollar you give
to charity (perhaps to this preacher's megachurch) you would get
ten back. That's a way better rate than you could get at the bank
or in the stock market. But almsgiving is not about return on
investment. The spiritual gain is the point, not the monetary gain.
We can't take it with us, and we can't buy our way to heaven. We
need to do good works because it's the right thing to do, not
because we expect to be handsomely paid for them. Money can't buy
you love. Money can't buy you God. And anyone who tells you
otherwise is a bad teacher.
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence
Be satisfied with the condition in which GOD places you: however
happy you may think me, I envy you. Pains and suffering would be a
paradise to me, while I should suffer with my GOD; and the greatest
pleasure would be hell to me, if I could relish them without Him;
all my consolation would be to suffer something for His sake.
- 11th Letter - to one who is in great pain.
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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Benedictine Approach)
1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking
directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it
slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments
awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage
and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in
loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.
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