Message of 5-27-11
Published: Sat, 05/21/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Instead of allowing yourself to be so unhappy, just let your love
grow as God wants it to grow. Seek goodness in others. Love more
persons more--love them more impersonally, more unselfishly, without
thought of return. The return, never fear, will take care of itself.
... Henry Drummond (1851-1897)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 15:22-31; Ps. 57:8-9, 10 and 12; Jn 15:12-17
R. (10a) I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.
My heart is steadfast, O God; my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, O my soul; awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
I will give thanks to you among the peoples, O LORD,
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
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MEDITATION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
The readings of today provide a good example of how to address
differences. The first reading presents us with a major conflict in
the early church because of varying understandings of what it means
to be a Christian. While members of the original church generally
originated from the Jewish faith who followed the Jewish law, over
the years individuals from other religious backgrounds joined the
young church who did not see the need to follow the Jewish law.
Christians of a Jewish background and Christians of a non-Jewish
background had difficulties to worship together, which threatened
the unity of the Church.
The church leaders discussed this issue and presented the church in
Antioch, which was nearly breaking up into small splinter groups
because of the resulting conflict, with a pragmatic way to save the
unity of the church: Christians of a "pagan" background should
simply not consume meat sacrificed to Gods outside the Biblical
tradition, should not consume blood and meats of strangled animals,
and should be "lawfully" married, meaning that they should not
engage in sexual immorality. They should only follow these "basic
necessities," as the Apostles wrote, and nothing else. And most of
these recommendations were anyway adhered to by converts from
outside the Biblical tradition: after their conversion, they did
not engage in pagan sacrifices and, like any other church member,
they followed Biblical norms regarding relationships. Further,
other recommendations were easily followed, e.g. abstaining from
blood. Besides these basic necessities, the converts from
non-Jewish religions were not required to follow the Jewish law, as
it was common among Christians who were converts from Judaism.
This compromise highlights the core commandment of our faith: Jesus
commands us in today's Gospel to "love one another," which is the
center of our faith. This compromise also emphasizes the spirit of
sacrifice that underlies Christian love: "No one has greater love
than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." This
compromise underscores the importance of seeking commonalities and
letting go of dividing beliefs and practices, which are not central
to our faith. This can be quite painful. This compromise saved the
unity of the church and allowed the Church to expand and to
prosper. This compromise can also inspire us today when we struggle
with differences among us, including in our church.
- by Alex Rödlach
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SPIRITUAL READING
- Fenelon's "Maxims of the Saints"
Among the various forms of expression indicative of the highest
experience, we sometimes find that of "Divine union," or "union
with God." Union with God, not a physical but moral or religious
union, necessarily exists in souls that are in the state of pure
love. The state of "Divine union " is not a higher state than that
of pure love, but may rather be described as the same state.
- Article 45
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