Message of 7-13-07
Published: Fri, 07/13/07
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
If you have people who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have people who deal likewise with their fellow human beings.
- Francis of Assisi
(Caring for the earth and all God's creatures: what does this mean for you?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 46:1-7, 28-30; Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Mt 10:16-23
R.
(39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
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Praying the Daily Gospels
- by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Matthew 10:16-23 (Persecutions to come)
Because the early Church experienced persecution from Jews and Gentiles, Jesus’ warning in today’s reading offered words of consolation and hope. Persecution is to be expected even from family members, Jesus explains, but the consolation of the Spirit will be given to those in need.
• Do you believe
that people today would crucify Jesus if he were to come among us in
person as he did years ago?
• How have you been persecuted for Christ’s sake during the past week?
• Pray for the grace of endurance.
• How have you been persecuted for Christ’s sake during the past week?
• Pray for the grace of endurance.
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See http://mail.google.com/mail/help/about.html for more info, and, if interested, send me an email with your request and I'll invite you. Google will send instructions on what to do after that.
- mailto:phil@shalomplace.com
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ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
- by Jean Pierre de Caussade, S.J.
For neither ear has heard nor
eye seen, nor has it entered the mind what things God has planned in His
omniscience, determined in His will, and carried out by His power in the
souls given up entirely to Him. The passive part of sanctity is still more
easy since it only consists in accepting that which we very often have no
power to prevent, and in suffering lovingly, that is to say with sweetness
and consolation, those things that too often cause weariness and disgust.
Once more I repeat, in this consists sanctity. This is the grain of mustard
seed which is the smallest of all the seeds, the fruits of which can neither
be recognised nor gathered. It is the drachma of the Gospel, the treasure
that none discover because they suppose it to be too far away to be sought.
Do not ask me how this treasure can be found. It is no secret. The treasure
is everywhere, it is offered to us at all times and wherever we may be. All
creatures, both friends and enemies pour it out with prodigality, and it
flows like a fountain through every faculty of body and soul even to the
very centre of our hearts. If we open our mouths they will be filled. The
divine activity permeates the whole universe, it pervades every creature;
wherever they are it is there; it goes before them, with them, and it
follows them; all they have to do is to let the waves bear them on.
-- Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 3
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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Contemplative Method)
- adapted by Philip St. Romain from a variety of sources -
A. Select a short passage that you will use for prayer.
B. Settle in by sitting straight (on tailbone, spine erect). Notice sensations in your body, sounds around you, the manner of your breathing. Call to mind that God is present in and amidst all of this.
C. Read the passage aloud slowly, prayerfully. Let the words make their own impact, and voice whatever they awaken in your mind and heart to God.
- proceed to Step E if you already feel yourself coming to contemplative silence -
D. Read the passage a second time silently. Again, voice whatever is awakened to God, or acknowledge before God in your heart. Let this be a spontaneous conversation which includes your questions, intellectual reflections, petitions, resolutions, and so forth.
E. Read the passage a third time. If there is a word or phrase that sums up this passage, or that speaks to you in a special way, repeat it in your mind prayerfully. Let it express your willingness to allow God to be God in your life.
F. Allow yourself to simply be present to God in loving silence, aware of God's unfailing Presence to you in love. When distractions come which capture your attention, re-introduce the sacred word from Step E. Continue with this resting until your prayer time is over.
G. Close your prayer time with a sincere vocal recitation of the Lord's prayer, putting your whole being into the words.
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