Message of 10-11-11

Published: Tue, 10/11/11


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth

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Message of the Day

The problem with prayer is heightened by the fact that people often succumb either to the extreme of all form and no freedom, or the opposite extreme of all freedom and no form. The first extreme leads to a rote or impersonal approach to prayer, while the second produces an unbalanced and undisciplined prayer life that can degenerate into a litany of one 'gimme' after another.
    - Kenneth Boa

(Form vs. freedom: how do keep these together in your prayer life?)

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Lectionary Readings of the Day
   http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month

Rom 1:16-25;    Ps 19:2-3, 4-5;    Lk 11:37-41

R. (2a) The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.

Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.

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Reflection on the Gospel
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/

Jesus chided the Pharisees for harboring evil thoughts that make us unclean spiritually - such as greed, pride, bitterness, envy, arrogance, and the like. Why does he urge them, and us, to give alms? When we give freely and generously to those in need we express love, compassion, kindness, and mercy. And if the heart is full of love and compassion, then there is no room for envy, greed, bitterness, and the like.  Do you allow God's love to transform your heart and mind?

Lord Jesus, fill me with your love and increase my thirst for holiness. Cleanse my heart of every evil thought and desire and help me to act kindly and justly and to speak charitably with my neighbor.

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Spiritual Reading
The Way of Perfection
  - by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

(Treats of the great blessing that shunning their relatives brings to those who have left the world and shows how by doing so they will find truer friends.)

Oh, if we religious understood what harm we get from having so much to do with our relatives, how we should shun them! do not see what pleasure they can give us, or how, quite apart from the harm they do us as touching our obligations to God, they can bring us any peace or tranquillity. For we cannot take part in their recreations, as it is not lawful for us to do so; and, though we can certainly share their troubles, we can never help weeping for them, sometimes more than they do themselves. If they bring us any bodily comforts, there is no doubt that our spiritual life and our poor souls will pay for it. From this you are [quite] free here; for, as you have everything in common and none of you may accept any private gift, all the alms given us being held by the community, you are under no obligation to entertain your relatives in return for what they give you, since, as you know, the Lord will provide for us all in common.

- Chapter 9

(Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative order.
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