Message of 11-19-09
Published: Sat, 11/14/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
ANNUAL APPEAL
Every month I compile a detailed report of what's going on with our
Internet ministry for the leadership at Heartland Center for
Spirituality. Here's what I submitted for October 2009:
Visitors to Shalom Place home page: 3,128
Visitors to HCS home page: 693
Subscribers to Daily Spiritual Seed: 1,242
Subscribers to "The Way of Christian Spirituality" series: 143
Subscribers to "The Five Consents" series: 185
Bookstore visitors: 256
Discussion board (now includes Premium groups)
1,190 members
136,368 page views
24 forums open
2,339 topics open
36,791 posts
As you can see, the discussion forum has become an enormous
resource, with hundreds of open topics and tens of thousands of
posts. We had to move the board from shalomplace.com to
shalomplace.org this past spring, as the older forum software had
become buggy. There are lots of expenses to keeping all this
going, none the least of which is my time.
Thanks for your support,
Phil St. Romain
Editor, Daily Spiritual Seed
-
To support Daily Spiritual Seed and our online ministries, see
http://shalomplace.com/seed/donations.html which includes secure
credit card options and information for check payments.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Francis of Assisi and his community established a hospital for
lepers.
Compassion was the root of this ministry. Francis wrote of his call
to this
service:
"This is how God inspired me to embark upon a life of penance. When
I
was in sin, the sight of lepers nauseated me beyond measure; but
then
God himself led me into their company, and I had pity on them. When
I
had once become acquainted with them, what had previously nauseated
me became a source of spiritual and physical consolation for me."
(from, "Praying with Francis of Assissi")
Breathprayer:
Keep me open (breathing in)
To your presence (breathing out).
Journaling Question:
What person or task repels you and yet transforms you?
(by Sr. Joel Christoph OP)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Mc 2:15-29; Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15; Lk 19:41-44
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
"Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
"Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress;
I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Luke 19: 41-44 (Jesus weeps over Jerusalem)
God wants so very much for us, and we often settle for so very
little! This is what Jesus laments as he stands outside the gates
of Jerusalem, longing to share with the people of the city his many
graces. He knows he will be rejected, however, so he weeps for the
suffering this will bring to his people.
- What are some reasons why we settle for less than what God wants
to give us? With which of these blocks to growth have you recently
struggled?
- Are you satisfied with the promises made and goods delivered by
proponents of the great American dream? Why? Why not?
- Pray for the grace to hunger for the things of God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas A. Kempis
The Disciple
Just Father, ever to be praised, the hour is come for Your
servant to
be tried. Beloved Father, it is right that in this hour Your
servant
should suffer something for You. O Father, forever to be
honored, the
hour which You knew from all eternity is at hand, when for a
short
time Your servant should be outwardly oppressed, but inwardly
should
ever live with You.
-------- Bk. 3, Chapter 50
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
You can help to "grow" this newsletter by forwarding copies to
friends and family members. Subscribe info is listed below.
Thanks for your support.
- - - -
Please help support Heartland Center's Internet ministries:
- For more info on tax-deductible donations, see
http://shalomplace.com/seed/donations.html.
Thanks for your consideration!
--------------------------------------
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed