Message of 7-5-11
Published: Sun, 07/03/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The Gospel is not presented to mankind as an argument about
religious principles. Nor is it offered as a philosophy of life.
Christianity is a witness to certain facts--to events that have
happened, to hopes that have been fulfilled, to realities that have
been experienced, to a Person who has lived and died and been
raised from the dead to reign for ever.
- Massey H. Shepherd, Jr. (1913-1990), "Far and Near"
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 32:23-33; Ps. 17:1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15; Mt 9:32-38
R. (15a) In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee from their foes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
How could Jesus' miracles cause both scorn and wonder at the same
time from those who professed faith in God? Don't we often
encounter the same reaction today, even in ourselves! The crowds
looked with awe at the wonderful works which Jesus did, but the
religious leaders attributed this same work to the power of the
devil. They disbelieved because they refused to recognize Jesus as
the Messiah. Their idea of religion was too narrow and closed to
accept Jesus as the Anointed One sent by the Father "to set the
captives free" (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5). They were too set in
their own ways to change and they were too proud to submit to
Jesus. They held too rigidly to the observances of their ritual
laws while neglecting the more important duties of love of God and
love of neighbor. The people, as a result, were spiritually adrift
and hungry for God. Jesus met their need and gave them new faith
and hope in God's saving help. Whenever the gospel is proclaimed
God's kingdom is made manifest and new life and freedom is given to
those who respond with faith. The Lord grants freedom to all who
turn to him with trust. Do you bring your troubles to the Lord with
expectant faith that he can set you free? The Lord invites us to
pray that the work of the gospel may spread throughout the world,
so that all may find true joy and freedom in Jesus Christ.
"Lord Jesus, may your kingdom come to all who are oppressed and in
darkness. Fill my heart with compassion for all who suffer mentally
and physically. Use me to bring the good news of your saving grace
and mercy to those around me who need your healing love and
forgiveness."
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Returns to the subject of perfect love.)
It may be, sisters, that you think it irrelevant for me to treat of
this, and you may say that you already know everything that I have
said. God grant that this may be so, and that you may indeed know
it in the only way which has any meaning, and that it may be graven
upon your inmost being, and that you may never for a moment depart
from it, for, if you know it, you will see that I am telling
nothing but the truth when I say that he whom the Lord brings thus
far possesses this love. Those whom God brings to this state are, I
think, generous and royal souls; they are not content with loving
anything so miserable as these bodies, however beautiful they be
and however numerous the graces they possess. If the sight of the
body gives them pleasure they praise the Creator, but as for
dwelling upon it for more than just a moment -- no! When I use that
phrase "dwelling upon it", I refer to having love for such things.
If they had such love, they would think they were loving something
insubstantial and were conceiving fondness for a shadow, they would
feel shame for themselves and would not have the effrontery to tell
God that they love Him, without feeling great confusion.
You will answer me that such persons cannot love or repay the
affection shown to them by others. Certainly they care little about
having this affection. They may from time to time experience a
natural and momentary pleasure at being loved; yet, as soon as they
return to their normal condition, they realize that such pleasure
is folly save when the persons concerned can benefit their souls,
either by instruction or by prayer. Any other kind of affection
wearies them, for they know it can bring them no profit and may
well do them harm; none the less they are grateful for it and
recompense it by commending those who love them to God. They take
this affection as something for which those who love them lay the
responsibility upon the Lord, from Whom, since they can see nothing
lovable in themselves, they suppose the love comes, and think that
others love them because God loves them; and so they leave His
Majesty to recompense them for this and beg Him to do so, thus
freeing themselves and feeling they have no more responsibility.
When I ponder it carefully, I sometimes think this desire for
affection is sheer blindness, except when, as I say, it relates to
persons who can lead us to do good so that we may gain blessings in
perfection.
- 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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