Message of 10-8-09
Published: Fri, 09/25/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
There are... few stronger indications of ignorance of the power and
evil of sin, than the confident assertion of our ability to resist
and subdue it.
- Charles Hodge (1797-1878), "Commentary on the Epistle to the
Romans"
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Mal 3:13-20b; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Lk 11:5-13
R. (Ps 40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
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- Luke 11: 5-13 (The value of persistence)
Jesus often taught about God by using analogies in human behavior.
One of his most frequent themes is that God is at least as good as
good human beings. God is therefore approachable, interested, and
willing to help us if we take the trouble to address him.
- "The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is
without a dream," Harry Kemp wrote. What are some of your dreams
for the future? How do you keep these dreams alive?
- What are you doing to keep yourself growing and learning about
the spiritual life?
- Pray for the grace to dream "the impossible dream."
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas A. Kempis
The Voice of Christ
You must put on the new man. You must be changed into another
man. You
must often do the things you do not wish to do and forego those
you do
wish. What pleases others will succeed; what pleases you will
not. The
words of others will be heard; what you say will be accounted as
nothing. Others will ask and receive; you will ask and not
receive.
Others will gain great fame among men; about you nothing will be
said.
To others the doing of this or that will be entrusted; you will
be
judged useless. At all this nature will sometimes be sad, and it
will
be a great thing if you bear this sadness in silence. For in
these and
many similar ways the faithful servant of the Lord is wont to be
tried, to see how far he can deny himself and break himself in
all
things.
-------- Bk. 3, Chapter 49
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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Carmelite Method)
A. Introduction: settling in, relaxing in awareness of God's
presence.
B. Reading the text slowly, prayerfully.
C. Meditation: imaginative representation of the material;
reflection
on the meaning of the material and its application to one's life.
D. Affective prayer: conversation with God, attentive to sharing
feelings awakened in meditation. Prayer of petition, thanksgiving,
remorse.
E. Resting in God in silent loving awareness, if moved to do so.
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