Message of 12-9-09
Published: Thu, 12/03/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Our knowledge of God is paradoxically a knowledge not of him as the
object of our scrutiny, but of ourselves as utterly dependent on
his saving and merciful knowledge of us. It is in proportion, as we
are known to him that we find our real being and identity in
Christ. We know him in and through ourselves in so far as his truth
is the source of our being and his merciful love is the very heart
of our life and existence.
... Thomas Merton (1915-1968), "The Climate of Monastic Prayer"
(Who do you say that you are? What do you know of yourself from
your relationship with God? Compare the two lists and see how it
goes.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Is 40:25-31; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10; Mt 11:28-30
R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
From "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Come to me ... and I will give you rest."
Both readings today refer to weariness and the strength that is
available to those who hope in the Lord. Today we remember Juan
Diego, canonized in 2002 by John Paul II, whose homily was a moving
tribute to the faith of the indigenous people of Mexico. There is
conflict today for citizens of the United States. What is to be
done about immigrants? What does our faith say? Is the civil law
more important to us than the natural law that compels good people
to feed their children?
"Isn't it possible that the passionate faith of the countrymen and
women of Juan Diego might be a source of strength to the
world-weary wealthy who have lost hope? St. Juan Diego, pray for
us."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN LOVE?
by Philip St. Romain©
Adapted from "Freedom from Codependency: A Christian Response"
http://shalomplace.com/view/codep.html
God hates sin. God, who is Love, created human beings to know and
share in that love by helping to shape the creation. Therefore,
we, created in God's image and likeness, are also love. When we
sin, we act against our true nature. We distort what God has
created, and we spread our evil and distortion to others by
mistreating them. The consequences of our non-love have even
spread to creation, threatening the very basis of life on our
planet. What we have done with the gift of life God has given us
is equivalent to hoodlums throwing mud on the masterpiece of a
painter. It destroys the masterpiece and insults the painter. We
are magnificent beings acting like spoiled children, and this is an
injustice toward God and one another. God still loves each of us
but nonetheless hates all this non-loving selfish behavior.
(Part 10 of 12 part series)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed