Message of 6-27-07

Published: Wed, 06/27/07



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

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MESSAGE OF THE DAY

You say, "If God were to give me a forgiving heart, I'd be happy to forgive then."  Now, listen here: virtues are partly gifts from God and partly our own doing.  Whever God gives us insight, we should act virtuously.  That's how we exercise his goodness in us."
   - Mechthild of Magdeburg, "The Flowing Light of the Godhead"

(So you might think of virtue as a seed that grows through grace when we act upon it.)

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SCRIPTURE READINGS
     http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/

Gn 15:1-12, 17-18;   Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9;   Mt 7:15-20

R.    (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations(
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.

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Praying the Daily Gospels
 - by Philip St. Romain:
 - http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614

- Matthew 7:15-20 (By their fruits...)

Now we come to the criterion for discerning truth: Examine the ‘fruits.” Where the fruits of self-indulgence abound in a person’s life, be aware of hypocrisy or false teaching (Galatians 5:19-21). Where the fruits of the Spirit adorn a person’s life, listen to what he or she has to say (Galatians 5:22-24).

• List some of the spiritual fruits that you believe family members/co-workers would say characterize you. List the spiritual fruits that you see in yourself.

• Do you know anyone whose life is characterized by the fruits of the Spirit? Resolve to spend more time with this person.

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MYSTICISM
   - by Evelyn Underhill -

Since spiritual no less than physical existence, as we know it, is an endless Becoming, it too has no end. In a sense the whole of the mystical experience in this life consists in a series of purifications, whereby the Finite slowly approaches the nature of its Infinite Source: climbing up the cleansing mountain pool by pool, like the industrious fish in Rulman Merswin’s vision, until it reaches its Origin.
------ Part 2, Chapter 3

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MEDITATING ON SCRIPTURE (Method of St. Francis de Sales)

A. Settling in: call to mind God's presence; address oneself to God in vocal prayer.

B. Reading the Scripture passage slowly, prayerfully.

C. Exercise of the will and intellect in considering the message: what is this passage saying?  what is it calling forth from me?

D. Conclusion: acts of thanksgiving, remorse and intercessions awakened by the meditation.

E. Application: Immediate follow-through on resolutions made.

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