Message of 8-26-11
Published: Fri, 08/26/11
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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Message of the Day
[Christ] is the breathing forth of the heart, life, and Spirit of God, into all the dead race of Adam. He is the seeker, the finder, the restorer, of all that was lost and dead to the life of God. He is the love, that, from Cain to the end of time, prays for all its murderers; the love that willingly suffers and dies among thieves, that thieves may have a life with him in paradise. The love that visits publicans, harlots, and sinners, and wants and seeks to forgive, where most is to be forgiven.
- William Law (1686-1761), The Spirit of Prayer
(Open your mind and heart to be guided by this great Love today.)
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Lectionary Readings of the Day
http://new.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
1 Thes 4:1-8; Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12; Mt 25:1-13
R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
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Reflection on the Scripture
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
I think trying to be like Jesus is a life long task. It isn't something that just all of a sudden happens. It starts with a relationship with Christ. And then it requires work. It's kind of like preparing for a race. You can't just show up after eating a banana split and run 5 miles. You have to work and train. You have to be prepared.
A relationship with Christ requires risk and trust. A few days ago a violent thunderstorm blew through our area. The thunder was loud and the rain came down in buckets. Two of my boys decided to run outside and dance and play in the rain. Good grief. How foolish. I watched them and stayed inside, warm and dry (and smug). And yet, as I watched them, I realized they were the ones with the smiles and joy on their faces. A relationship with Christ requires risk. And it requires trust.
- Daniel Patrick O'Reilly
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Spiritual Reading
Christ's Four Modes of Presence to Us
by Philip St. Romain
- 4. The Cosmic Christ (part 1 of 4)
Earlier in this series, we mentioned that the personal, historical Christ is the very one who rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. The human Jesus did not go away, but he was certainly radically transformed, living now in a glorified state that preserves his humanity while integrating it fully into divinity. In the prologue to John's Gospel and through the teaching of the Church, we learn that Jesus is the incarnation of the Word, or Second Person of the Trinity. It was through this Word that God the Father/Creator made all things (Jn. 1: 3). All creation is thus intimately joined with God through the Word, who is the Source of its particular form or nature. In the case of Jesus, the Word gave him his human form as for all humans; Jesus had a human soul as we do, and he still possesses that soul. But he was different from us in that the Word Itself also become incarnate with his conception. The human soul of Jesus and the Word were so indistinguishably joined that it was impossible to separate one from the other: he was not a human being with a divine nature superimposed, but a man who was simultaneously 100% human and 100% divine. We don't fully understand how this works, but through the spiritual journey, something of the same happens to us as well, as our human nature is transformed by grace. In Christ's case, this transformation was not necessary, for he was already fully one with the divine.
- from Jesus Alive in Our Lives
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/jesus-alive-in-our-lives/11780728 (paperback)
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/41961 (ebook formats)
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Alive-Our-Lives-ebook/dp/B00427YKNU/ (Kindle)
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Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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