Message of 6-28-11
Published: Sat, 06/25/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Words are merely carriers of the secret, supernatural
communications, the light and call of God. That is why spiritual
books bear such different meanings for different types and
qualities of soul, why each time we read them they give us
something fresh, as we can bear it.
- Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), "The Light of Christ"
(How have spiritual writings influenced your growth lately?)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 19:15-29; Ps. 26:2-3, 9-10, 11-12; Mt 8:23-27
R. (3a) O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Search me, O LORD, and try me;
test my soul and my heart.
For your mercy is before my eyes,
and I walk in your truth.
Gather not my soul with those of sinners,
nor with men of blood my life.
On their hands are crimes,
and their right hands are full of bribes.
But I walk in integrity;
redeem me, and have mercy on me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
What is stronger than fear, even the fear of death? Scripture
gives an answer: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
out fear" (1 John 4:18). The Wisdom of Solomon tells us that "love
is stronger than death" (Song of Songs 8:6). Jesus' sleeping
presence on the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his
disciples. They feared for their lives even though their Lord and
Master was with them in the boat. They were asleep to Christ while
he was present to them in their hour of need. The Lord is ever
present to us. And in our time of testing he asks the same
question: Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? Do you recognize
the Lord's presence with you, especially when you meet the storms
of adversity, sorrow, or temptation? Whenever we encounter
trouble, the Lord is there with the same reassuring message: "It is
I, do not be afraid".
"Lord, may I always recognize your abiding presence with me. And
in times of trouble or fear may I find courage and strength to
respond as you would. Help me to rely upon you in all circumstances
and to trust in your help both in adversity and in temptation".
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Returns to the subject of perfect love.)
I have digressed a great deal but no one will blame me who
understands the importance of what has been said. Let us now return
to the love which it is good [and lawful] for us to feel. This I
have described as purely spiritual; I am not sure if I know what I
am talking about, but it seems to me that there is no need to speak
much of it, since so few, I fear, possess it; let any one of you to
whom the Lord has given it praise Him fervently, for she must be a
person of the greatest perfection. It is about this that I now wish
to write. Perhaps what I say may be of some profit, for if you look
at a virtue you desire it and try to gain it, and so become
attached to it.
God grant that I may be able to understand this, and even more that
I may be able to describe it, for I am not sure that I know when
love is spiritual and when there is sensuality mingled with it, or
how to begin speaking about it. I am like one who hears a person
speaking in the distance and, though he can hear that he is
speaking, cannot distinguish what he is saying. It is just like
that with me: sometimes I cannot understand what I am saying, yet
the Lord is pleased to enable me to say it well. If at other times
what I say is [ridiculous and] nonsensical, it is only natural for
me to go completely astray.
Now it seems to me that, when God has brought someone to a clear
knowledge of the world, and of its nature, and of the fact that
another world (or, let us say, another kingdom) exists, and that
there is a great difference between the one and the other, the one
being eternal and the other only a dream; and of what it is to love
the Creator and what to love the creature (this must be discovered
by experience, for it is a very different matter from merely
thinking about it and believing it); when one understands by sight
and experience what can be gained by the one practice and lost by
the other, and what the Creator is and what the creature, and many
other things which the Lord teaches to those who are willing to
devote themselves to being taught by Him in prayer, or whom His
Majesty wishes to teach -- then one loves very differently from
those of us who have not advanced thus far.
- Chapter 6
(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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