Message of 7-12-11
Published: Mon, 07/11/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
A person may be haunted with doubts, and only grow thereby in
faith. Doubts are the messengers of the Living One to rouse the
honest. They are the first knock at our door of things that are not
yet, but have to be, understood... Doubt must precede every deeper
assurance; for uncertainties are what we first see when we look
into a region hitherto unknown, unexplored, un-annexed.
- George MacDonald (1824-1905), "The Voice of Job"
(What doubts do you struggle with at this time? How might these be
invitations to grow?)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ex 2:1-15a; Ps. 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34; Mt 11:20-24
R. (see 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am sunk in the abysmal swamp
where there is no foothold;
I have reached the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me;
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
Why does Jesus lament and issue a stern warning? The people who
heard the gospel here very likely responded with indifference.
Jesus upbraids them for doing nothing! Repentance demands change -
a change of heart and way of life. God's word is life-giving and it
saves us from destruction - the destruction of heart, mind, and
soul as well as body. Jesus' anger is directed toward sin and
everything which hinders us from doing the will of God. In love he
calls us to walk in his way of truth and freedom, grace and
loving-kindness, justice and holiness. Do you receive his word with
faith and obedience or with doubt and indifference?
"Most High and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts
and give us a true faith, a certain hope and a perfect love. Give
us a sense of the divine and knowledge of yourself, so that we may
do everything in fulfilment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ
our Lord." (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226)
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Returns to the subject of perfect love.)
It should be noted here that, when we desire anyone's affection, we
always seek it because of some interest, profit or pleasure of our
own. Those who are perfect, however, have trodden all these things
beneath their feet -- [and have despised] the blessings which may
come to them in this world, and its pleasures and delights -- in
such a way that, even if they wanted to, so to say, they could not
love anything outside God, or unless it had to do with God. What
profit, then, can come to them from being loved themselves?
When this truth is put to them, they laugh at the distress which
had been assailing them in the past as to whether their affection
was being returned or no. Of course, however pure our affection may
be, it is quite natural for us to wish it to be returned. But, when
we come to evaluate the return of affection, we realize that it is
insubstantial, like a thing of straw, as light as air and easily
carried away by the wind. For, however dearly we have been loved,
what is there that remains to us? Such persons, then, except for
the advantage that the affection may bring to their souls (because
they realize that our nature is such that we soon tire of life
without love), care nothing whether they are loved or not. Do you
think that such persons will love none and delight in none save
God? No; they will love others much more than they did, with a more
genuine love, with greater passion and with a love which brings
more profit; that, in a word, is what love really is. And such
souls are always much fonder of giving than of receiving, even in
their relations with the Creator Himself. This [holy affection], I
say, merits the name of love, which name has been usurped from it
by those other base affections.
- 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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