Message of 12-6-09
Published: Wed, 11/04/09
- readings, teachings, references and reviews -
Contents:
- Spiritual Growth Resource of the Month
- Weekend Readings
- Theology Note of the Week
- Saint of the Week
- Book of the Week
- Spiritual Growth Resource of the Month
- Shalom Place Discussion Board
- Personal Spiritual Guidance
- Affiliate Web Sites
- Website of the Week
- Joke of the Week
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SPIRITUAL GROWTH RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
"Pathways to Serenity"
http://shalomplace.com/view/pathview.html for ebook
http://shalomplace.com/inetmin/road/index.html online workshop
- by Philip St. Romain, D. Min.
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WEEKEND READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Saturday: Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11; Lk
16:9-15
Sunday: 1 Kgs 17:10-16; Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10; Heb 9:24-28;
Mk 12:38-44
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
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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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THEOLOGY NOTE OF THE WEEK
- Eternal life
Life everlasting in the presence of God. "This is eternal life,
that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
You have sent," (John 17:3).
There are two senses in which this is used. First, as Christians we
possess eternal life (1 John 5:13), yet we are not in heaven or in
the immediate presence of God. Though we are still in mortal bodies
and we still sin, by faith we are saved (Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9) and
possess eternal life as a free gift from God (Rom. 6:23). Second,
eternal life will reach its final state at the resurrection of the
believers when Christ returns to earth to claim His church. It is
then that eternal life will begin in its complete manifestation. We
will no longer sin.
- http://www.carm.org/dictionary.htm
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SAINT OF THE WEEK
- November 7th. St. Willibrord.
His life and mission run parallel to that of St. Boniface, who was
his contemporary. He was born in Yorkshire in 658, educated at
Ripon under St. Wilfrid, and ordained priest after a spell in
Ireland. In 690 he was encouraged to go with twelve others as a
missioner to Frisia, the Low Countries, and received the support of
Pope Sergius for this task. In 695 he was consecrated bishop by
the same Pope, who gave him the name in religion 'Clement' and sent
him back to establish a base at Utrecht and organise the church
rather in the manner of the mission to Canterbury. Monastic
foundations also aided the work of evangelisation; the largest was
at Echternach (in modern Luxembourg) where Willibrord was to die in
739. The Frisian mission was not without setbacks; the pagan
king Radbod destroyed many of the foundations in Utrecht itself in
714. However Willibrord not only persevered but extended his
mission further east, and north to Denmark and Heligoland. For a
time he worked with Boniface, although the latter's mission was
essentially to Germany. Like Boniface, Willibrord had several
'stand-up encounters' over pagan rites, sacrifices and totems. He
is the patron of Holland. Never formally canonised, he was
recognised as a saint almost immediately after his death. At
celebrations at his shrine there takes place a sacred dance for the
bishop and clergy - not something we normally associate with
stiff-lipped European practice, though there is another in Seville
- the origin of whose steps are lost in antiquity
- http://www.hullp.demon.co.uk/SacredHeart/saint/index.html
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BOOK OF THE WEEK
"Desert Graces, Meditations Inspired by the Sonoran Desert," by
Father Thomas Santa C. Ss.R. Nedder Press. 2009.
-
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1893757633/ref=noism/christianspiritu/
As director of the renewal center located near the Sonoran Desert,
Father Santa is well suited to offer reflective meditations on the
wonders he sees daily in the desert. There he experiences the
mysterious and the sacred, the snowbirds and the dust bearing
winds. Native peoples experienced God's presence in the desert and
developed their own manner of practicing spirituality. Nothing was
discarded. Abused, or considered unworthy of respect.
In the short chapters of this book, Father Santa presents
reflections on objects which intrigued him in very ordinary ways.
He asks his readers to prayerfully consider the bobcats, the
mountain lions, the scorpions, and the rattlesnakes as God's
precious gifts to the people of this region, capable of acting as
teachers of any who wish to be taught. He urges his readers to
read slowly and to be patient, to take time to reflect on God's
possible message in nature.
"Feel the gentle breeze. Reread the meditaion. What struck you?
What is the message God has for you today? End your session with a
prayer or a song which you sing aloud or in the silence of your
heart. "
- Thanks to Sr. Irene Hartman OP for this review.
Make the Christian Spirituality Bookstore your starting point for
online shopping at Amazon.com. You can buy books, cds, videotapes,
software, appliances and many other products at discount prices.
As Amazon.com affiliate, we are paid a small fee for purchases
originating from our web site. Every little bit helps!
http://shalomplace.com/books/index.html
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- PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE -
Need a companion for the spiritual journey? We have several
wonderful people ready to help, using email and telephone
conferences to bridge the miles.
- Now providing -
Consultations: this option is best for short-term guidance
pertaining to a specific issue.
Spiritual Direction: ongoing relationship with a spiritual director
to become more attuned to God's presence in all of life.
See http://shalomplace.com/direction/
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SHALOM PLACE DISCUSSION BOARDS
Topics under discussion include:
Yearning for the Holy Spirit - Christian Spirituality Issues forum.
Health Care Reform - Religion and Culture forum.
- http://shalomplace.org/eve/forums
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AFFILIATE WEB SITES (please give them a visit)
Serenity of the Mind: supportint those who served and who suffer
from PTSD.
http://serenityofthemind.com/default.html
The Ark: Providing a variety of scripture and lectionary study
resources.
http://www.theark1.com
Kyrie Places of Pilgrimmage and Renewal.
http://www.kyrie.com/places/index.htm
Contemplative Rudder: "In the midst of Consecrated Silence'
atmospherics ... a Rudder!
http://www.contemplativerudder.com/
Inner Explorations: a vast array of spirituality resources for the
mature Christian.
http://innerexplorations.com
The Sanctuary Foundation for Prayer: resources for spiritual growth.
http://fromholyground.org/index.htm
SeeScapes. Picturing the deeper dimensions of our spirituality.
http://www.seescapes.com
Temenos Catholic Worker: support for homeless youth in Polk Street
neighborhood, San Francisco
http://www.temenos.org/
Contemplative Ministries of the Pacific Northwest: teaching and
support on contemplative practice
http://www.prayeroftheheart.com
Heartland Center for Spirituality (retreat center in central
Kansas).
http://heartlandspirituality.org/index.html
Emanuella House of Prayer: a place for prayer and silence in
British Columbia
http://members.axion.net/~massf/
(Reach other people who have a similar interest in Christian
spirituality. Simply publish a link to Daily Spiritual Seed--
http://shalomplace.com/seed --on a prominent place on your web site
and we will reciprocate with a weekly link to your site in the
newsletter. Contact the Editor when you're ready to begin.)
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WEB SITE OF THE WEEK
Gifts of the Spirit
- http://www.spirithome.com/gifts-sp.html
A good discussion from a reputable website, explaining the nature
of spiritual gifts and their role in living the Christian life.
Lots of related links to deepen your understanding and to help
discern the gifts in your life.
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JOKE OF THE WEEK
- More jokes that can be told in church
An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she
requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for
her memorial service, she wrote, 'They wouldn't take me out while I
was alive, I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead.'
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At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything,
including human beings. Little Joey seemed especially intent when
they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later
in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were
ill, and she said, 'Joey, what is the matter?' Little Joey
responded, 'I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a
wife.'
(Thanks, Carol. More to come . . .)
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