Message of 7-25-07

Published: Wed, 07/25/07



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

Gratitude is the most passionate transformative force in the cosmos. When we offer thanks to God or to another human being, gratitude gifts us with renewal, reflection, reconnection.
   - Sarah Ban Breathnach

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

2 Cor 4:7-15;   Ps 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6;   Mt 13: 1-9

R.    (5) Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.

Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.

Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.

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

- Matthew 13:1-9 (Parable of the sower)

Jesus reveals to us a God intent on communicating his love and vision.  Because Jesus wants to reach more than the intellectuals of his day, he tells parables, simple stories, to describe the kingdom of God.  Today’s parable of the sower and the seed is rich with meaning concerning social development as well as our spiritual growth.

• What sentiments have you expressed at home recently? Choose one or two people from home and count the number of times you have affirmed them during the past two days.  How many times have you criticized them? Resolve to be more loving.

• Spend some time allowing God to work in the soil of your heart.

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MYSTICISM
   - by Evelyn Underhill -

“No one,” says another authority in this matter, “can be enlightened unless he be first cleansed or purified and stripped.” Purgation, which is the remaking of character in conformity with perceived reality, consists in these two essential acts: the cleansing of that which is to remain, the stripping of that which is to be done away. It may best be studied, therefore, in two parts: and I think that it will be in the reader’s interest if we reverse the order which the “Theologia Germanica” adopts, and first consider Negative Purification, or self-stripping, and next Positive Purification, or character-adjustment.
     --- 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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