Message of 10-21-11

Published: Fri, 10/21/11


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth

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Message of the Day

Let us give ourselves to God without any reserve, and let us fear nothing. He will love us, and we shall love Him. His love, increasing every day, will take the place of everything else to us. He will fill our whole hearts; He will deprive us only of those things that make us unhappy. He will cause us to do in general, what we have been doing already, but which we have done in an unsatisfactory manner; whereas, hereafter, we shall do them well, because they will be done for His sake. Even the smallest actions of a simple and common life will be turned to consolation and recompense. We shall meet the approach of death in peace; it will be changed for us into the beginning of the immortal life.
   - Francois Fenelon

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

Rom 7:18-25a;    Ps 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94;    Lk 12:54-59

R. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.

You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.

Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.

Never will I forget your precepts,
for through them you give me life.

I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.

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Reflection on the Scripture
   http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

I want to do good. I want to do God's will. I want to follow God's laws and do what is right. But however willing the spirit, the flesh is still weak. It's easier to spend my little bit of free time watching tv. It's tempting to spend my little bit of extra money buying cookies. And as much as I donate time and money to charity (and I do) it never seems enough. I should be doing more, I should be helping more. But sometimes I give into the flesh and veg on the couch eating cookies. It feels good in the short run, but in the long run what good I do will make the difference, and make me feel better in this world and the next.     
   - by Tamara Whitney

(Yes, I know, not too deep, this one.)

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Spiritual Reading

On Cleaving to God
     by St. Albert the Great

Certainly, anyone who desires and aims to arrive at and remain in such a state must needs above all have eyes and senses closed and not be inwardly involved or worried about anything, nor concerned or occupied with anything, but should completely reject all such things as irrelevant, harmful and dangerous. Then he should withdraw himself totally within himself and not pay any attention to any object entering the mind except Jesus Christ, the wounded one, alone, and so he should turn his attention with care and determination through him into him - that is, though the man into God, through the wounds of his humanity into the inmost reality of his divinity. Here he can commit himself and all that he has, individually and as a whole, promptly, securely and without discussion, to God's unwearying providence, in accordance with the words of Peter, cast all your care upon him (1 Peter 5.7), who can do everything. And again, In nothing be anxious (Philippians 4.6), or what is more, Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. (Psalm 55.22) Or again, It is good for me to hold fast to God, (Ps. 73.28) and I have always set up God before me. (Psalm 16.8) The bride too in the Song of Songs says, I have found him whom my soul loves, (Canticle 3.4) and again, All good things came to me along with her. (Wisdom 7.11) 

- Chapter 2. How one can cling to and seek Christ alone, disdaining everything else.

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