Message of 11-22-11

Published: Tue, 11/22/11


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth


Message of the Day

It is far too easy, within the current upsurge of creative input in the realm of worship, to find ourselves chasing spiritual or aesthetic experiences, as if the highest achievement of our whole pilgrimage on earth were to enter some kind of praise-induced ecstasy! I am, in fact, all in favour of spiritual experiences when they are genuine, and welcome ecstasies that are the gifts of God and not artificially induced, but if such things become the AIM of our gatherings for worship, then we have turned the gospel upside down.
   - Graham Kendrick

(What is the "aim" of your spiritual practice?)
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Lectionary Readings of the Day
   http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month

Dn 2:31-45;    Dn 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61;    Lk 21:5-11

R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him.

"Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."

"Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."

"You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."

"All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."

"All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."

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

The Lord Jesus tells us that there will be persecution, suffering, and difficulties in this age until he comes again at the end of the world. God intends our anticipation of his final judgment to be a powerful deterrent to wrongdoing. God extends grace and mercy to all who will heed his call and his warning. Do you take advantage of this season of grace and mercy to seek God's kingdom and to pursue his will?

"Lord Jesus, your grace and mercy abounds even in the midst of turmoil and destruction. Increase my hunger for your kingdom and help me to be faithful to your word. May nothing, not even the fear of death or the loss of all that I have, deter me from seeking you and the coming of your kingdom with hope and joy."

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

(Teaches that detachment from the things aforementioned is insufficient if we are not detached from our own selves and that this virtue and humility go together.)

It will be a great help towards this if we keep constantly in our thoughts the vanity of all things and the rapidity with which they pass away, so that we may withdraw our affections from things which are so trivial and fix them upon what will never come to an end. This may seem a poor kind of help but it will have the effect of greatly fortifying the soul. With regard to small things, we must be very careful, as soon as we begin to grow fond of them, to withdraw our thoughts from them and turn them to God. His Majesty will help us to do this. He has granted us the great favour of providing that, in this house, most of it is done already; but it remains for us to become detached from our own selves and it is a hard thing to withdraw from ourselves and oppose ourselves, because we are very close to ourselves and love ourselves very dearly.

- Chapter 10

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

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