Message of 12-11-09
Published: Thu, 12/03/09
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Never was fount so clear, undimm'd and bright;
From it alone, I know, proceeds all light
Although 'tis night.
... St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)
(And so we wait . . . )
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6; Mt 11:16-19
R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light
of life.
Blessed the one 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.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
It's a joyful time of the year in many ways but I always feel an
undercurrent of sadness brought on by self-examination. I feel as
though Jesus in today's reading is speaking directly to me, though
I was not of his generation. Jesus today recalls that many
dismissed John the Baptist as if he were possessed by a demon and
that Jesus himself was dismissed by the then high and mighty as
nothing more than a friend of prostitutes, tax collectors and
others towards the bottom of the social ladder. I wonder whether I
would have been quick to dismiss them too as I am sometimes of
people of my own generation who seem different to me or perhaps
carry messages that I don't want to hear.
So my job this Advent is not just to get the cards finished and do
my shopping. It's to spend some quiet time listening for that
flute calling me to dance as Jesus puts it in today's reading. I
hope my ears are good enough; I hope all of our ears are good
enough.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence
Let us begin to be devoted to Him in good earnest. Let us cast
everything besides out of our hearts; He would possess them alone.
Beg this favour of Him. If we do what we can on our parts, we shall
soon see that change wrought in us which we aspire after. I cannot
thank Him sufficiently for the relaxation He has vouchsafed you. I
hope from His mercy the favour to see Him within a few days. Let us
pray for one another.
[He took to his bed two days after and died within the week.]
- 15th Letter
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
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.
______________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed