Message of 7-19-11
Published: Mon, 07/18/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The great question for us now is, "Do we believe in that love of
God which Christ taught by His words, and of which His followers
saw in His voluntary death a crowning manifestation?" And remember
that even belief in the love of God will do us no good unless it
awakes answering love in ourselves--unless it adds to our hatred of
the sin which separates us from God and increases our love of other
men.
- James Hastings Rashdall (1858-1924), "Principles and Precepts"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ex 14:21-15:1; Exodus 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17; Mt 12:46-50
R. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled up,
the flowing waters stood like a mound,
the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy boasted, "I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;
I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!"
When your wind blew, the sea covered them;
like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!
And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your
inheritance--
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
An early Christian martyr once said that "a Christian's only
relatives are the saints" - namely those who have been redeemed by
the blood of Christ and adopted as sons and daughters of God. Those
who have been baptized into Jesus Christ and who live as his
disciples enter into a new family, a family of "saints" here on
earth and in heaven. Jesus changes the order of relationships and
shows that true kinship is not just a matter of flesh and blood.
Our adoption as sons and daughters of God transforms all of our
relationships and requires a new order of loyalty to God first and
to his kingdom of righteousness and peace. Do you want to grow in
love and friendship? Allow God's Holy Spirit to transform your
heart, mind, and will to enable you to love freely and generously
as he loves.
"Heavenly Father, you bless us with many relationships and you
invite us into the community of your sons and daughters who have
been redeemed by your son, Jesus Christ. Help me to love my
neighbor with charity, kindness, compassion, and mercy, just as you
have loved me. In all of my relationships, and in all that I do and
say, may I always seek to bring you honor and glory."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Returns to the subject of perfect love.)
Do you ask, again, by what they are attracted if they do not love
things they see? They do love what they see and they are greatly
attracted by what they hear; but the things which they see are
everlasting. If they love anyone they immediately look right beyond
the body (on which, as I say, they cannot dwell), fix their eyes on
the soul and see what there is to be loved in that. If there is
nothing, but they see any suggestion or inclination which shows
them that, if they dig deep, they will find gold within this mine,
they think nothing of the labour of digging, since they have love.
There is nothing that suggests itself to them which they will not
willingly do for the good of that soul since they desire their love
for it to be lasting, and they know quite well that that is
impossible unless the loved one has certain good qualities and a
great love for God. I really mean that it is impossible, however
great their obligations and even if that soul were to die for love
of them and do them all the kind actions in its power; even had it
all the natural graces joined in one, their wills would not have
strength enough to love it nor would they remain fixed upon it.
They know and have learned and experienced the worth of all this;
no false dice can deceive them. They see that they are not in
unison with that soul and that their love for it cannot possibly
last; for, unless that soul keeps the law of God, their love will
end with life -- they know that unless it loves Him they will go to
different places.
Those into whose souls the Lord has already infused true wisdom do
not esteem this love, which lasts only on earth, at more than its
true worth -- if, indeed, at so much. Those who like to take
pleasure in worldly things, delights, honours and riches, will
account it of some worth if their friend is rich and able to afford
them pastime and pleasure and recreation; but those who already
hate all this will care little or nothing for such things. If they
have any love for such a person, then, it will be a passion that he
may love God so as to be loved by Him; for, as I say, they know
that no other kind of affection but this can last, and that this
kind will cost them dear, for which reason they do all they
possibly can for their friend's profit; they would lose a thousand
lives to bring him a small blessing. Oh, precious love, forever
imitating the Captain of Love, Jesus, our Good!
- Chapter 6
(It is good to remember in all of this that the nuns to whom she is
writing were a contemplative order.)
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
- - - -
Please help support Heartland Center's Internet ministries:
- For more info on tax-deductible donations, see
http://shalomplace.com/seed/donations.html.
Thanks for your consideration!
_________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed