Message of 6-14-11
Published: Mon, 06/06/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The now wherein God made the first man, and the now wherein the
last man disappears, and the now I speak in, are all the same in
God where this is but the now.
- Meister Eckhart (1260?-1327?), "Works of Meister Eckhart"
(God is here . . . now . . . loving . . . )
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
2 Cor 8:1-9; Ps. 146:2, 5-6ab, 6c- 7, 8-9a; Mt 5:38-42
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
Praise the LORD, my soul!
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them.
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
What makes a Christian different from everyone else? What makes
Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace -
treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be
treated - with loving-kindness and mercy. Only the cross of Jesus
Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and
resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such
love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do
you know the power of Christ's redeeming love and mercy?
"O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your
Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness,
faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Teach us to love those
who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may
be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise
on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity
keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly
esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly
things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Anselm,
1033-1109 AD)
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Continues speaking of confessors. Explains why it is important
that they should be learned men.)
All this that I have said has to do with the superior. Since there
are no consolations but spiritual ones to be had here, I would beg
her once again to see that the sisters get these consolations, for
God leads [His handmaidens] by different ways and it is impossible
that one confessor should be acquainted with them all. I assure you
that, if your souls are as they ought to be, there is no lack of
holy persons who will be glad to advise and console you, even
though you are poor. For He Who sustains our bodies will awaken and
encourage someone to give light to our souls, and thus this evil of
which I am so much afraid will be remedied. For if the devil should
tempt the confessor, with the result that he leads you astray on
any point of doctrine he will go slowly and be more careful about
all he is doing when he knows that the penitent is also consulting
others.
If the devil is prevented from entering convents in this way, I
hope in God that he will never get into this house at all; so, for
love of the Lord, I beg whoever is Bishop to allow the sisters this
liberty and not to withdraw it so long as the confessors are
persons both of learning and of good lives, a fact which will soon
come to be known in a little place like this.
- Chapter 5
(It is good to remember in all of this that the nuns to whom she is
writing were a contemplative order.)
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