Message of 2-12-10
Published: Tue, 02/02/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Children do not find it difficult or complicated to talk to their
parents, nor do they feel embarrassed to bring the simplest need to
their attention. Neither should we hesitate to bring the simplest
requests confidently to the Father.
- Richard J. Foster
(What do you ask of God for this day?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19; Ps. 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15; Mk
7:31-37
R. (11a and 9a) I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
"There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt."
"My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels."
"If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand."
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
The basic question for Jesus is always: What does my neighbor need
from me today?
How often we find ourselves selfishly reversing the question to
What do I need from my neighbor?
As members of the Body of Christ our primary vocation is extending
Christ's presence: we are Christ's hands and hearts on this
planet. God depends on us to touch our neighbor as Christ would
if Christ were here. Let's thank God for giving us the Spirit of
Christ in baptism and ask God to be open to this Spirit so we might
truly be Christ's presence for others.
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SPIRITUAL READING
- "Enjoying One Moment at a Time"
from: "Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer," by Philip St.
Romain, D. Min.
see http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6735
Attentive Living (pt. 4)
When the enjoyable experience of time that captivates us is the
divine presence, we come to know most purely the meaning of eternal
life. Consider, for example, the experience of J. Krishnamurti
recounted below:
"There was, as one woke up this morning early, a flash of "seeing,"
"looking," that seems to be going on and on forever. It started
nowhere and went nowhere but in that seeing all sight was included
and all things. It was a sight that went beyond the streams, the
hills, the mountains, past the earth and the horizon and the
people. In this seeing there was penetrating light and incredible
swiftness. The brain could not follow it nor could the mind contain
it. It was pure light and a swiftness that knew no resistance."
This seeing and looking Krishnamurti describes comprise the
consciousness of eternal life. It transcends our ordinary
psychological experience of time; it is our destiny to know this
reality always.
(Part 10 of 10-part series)
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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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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.
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