Message of 8-30-11
Published: Tue, 08/30/11
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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Message of the Day
The cross is laid on every Christian.... When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow Him, or it may be a death like Luther's, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time - death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at His call. Jesus' summons to the rich young man was calling him to die, because only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts. But we do not want to die, and therefore Jesus Christ and his call are necessarily our death as well as our life.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
(How are you being called to "die" for Christ these days?)
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Lectionary Readings of the Day
http://new.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Lk 4:31-37
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
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Reflection on the Gospel
- from Daily Bread
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
For all of you are children of the light and children of the day.
Two millennia of days -- much time and many seasons -- have passed since Paul penned his first letter to the Thessalonians, the earliest words of the New Testament. Anticipation of the parousia has mellowed considerably from the apparent anxiety the day of the Lord caused the Thessalonians. Yet, in every age, people have pointed to cataclysmic events and wondered if these aren't signs of the times, indicators that the end is near. Whenever that day comes, Paul's point still holds true: That day is not to be feared, for we are baptized in Light. May we live each day in joyful anticipation of our Lord's glorious return.
For fervent hope in Christ, we pray.
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Spiritual Reading
The Way of Perfection
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Treats of the same subject of spiritual love and gives certain counsels for gaining it. She is writing to the Sisters in her order.)
The habit of performing some conspicuously virtuous action through seeing it performed by another is one which very easily takes root. This is good advice: do not forget it. Oh, how true and genuine will be the love of a sister who can bring profit to everyone by sacrificing her own profit to that of the rest! She will make a great advance in each of the virtues and keep her Rule with great perfection. This will be a much truer kind of friendship than one which uses every possible loving expression (such as are not used, and must not be used, in this house): "My life!" "My love!" "My darling!" and suchlike things, one or another of which people are always saying. Let such endearing words be kept for your Spouse, for you will be so often and so much alone With Him that you will want to make use of them all, and this His Majesty permits you. If you use them among yourselves they will not move the Lord so much; and, quite apart from that, there is no reason why you should do so. They are very effeminate; and I should not like you to be that, or even to appear to be that, in any way, my daughters; I want you to be strong men. If you do all that is in you, the Lord will make you so manly that men themselves will be amazed at you. And how easy is this for His Majesty, Who made us out of nothing at all!
- Chapter 7
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