Message of 12-28-11

Published: Wed, 12/28/11


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth


Message of the Day

Silence promotes the presence of God, prevents many harsh and proud words, and suppresses many dangers in the way of ridiculing or harshly judging our neighbors... If you are faithful in keeping silence when it is not necessary to speak, God will preserve you from evil when it is right for you to talk.
   - François Fénelon (1651-1715)

(How about taking more time for silence as a New Year resolution?)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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

1 Jn 1:5-2:2;    Ps 124:2-3, 4-5, 7cd-8;    Mt 2:13-18

R. (7) Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

Had not the LORD been with us?
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept the raging waters.

Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reflection on the Gospel
  - from Daily Bread
    http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm

If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves.

Much of the sin we commit falls into that vexing classification, "systemic" sin. It allows us to point the finger of blame at governments, corporations and our culture. We see no effective way to stop the evil generated by such monolithic entities. Even if we somehow manage to extricate ourselves from the system and our part in the evil it causes, our effort seems negligible, like a drop in the ocean. A back-door approach may be better.  Today, as we remember the martyred Holy Innocents, let us identify and come to the aid of at least one person who is an innocent victim of war, of corporate greed or of a depraved, violent, decadent culture.

For justice, we pray.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Spiritual Reading

At the Master's Feet
  - by Sadhu Sundar Singh

The Disciple: What is the meaning and purpose of the cross, and why do pain and suffering exist in the world?

The Master (Jesus) Responds:

9. As I Myself bore the cross I am able to deliver and keep in perfect safety those who are crossbearers, even while they walk amid fires of persecution. I was with the three young men in Nebuchadnezzar's furnace, which with all its raging had no power to hurt them (Dan. iii.23-5; 1 Peter iv.12-13). So those who by the baptism of the Holy Spirit have received the new life will never feel the fires of persecution nor any hurtful thing, for they ever abide in Me in eternal peace and safety.

- Part 5, Section 1

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

METHODS OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION

Listed below are several traditional methods of prayer and reflection.  As St. Frances de Sales noted, we learn to pray by praying, but it is also good to try different methods to see which seem to help facilitate connection with God.  Indeed, the more we learn different methods, the better we can sense how the Spirit is moving us to pray for any given prayer time.

- - -

Lectio Divina Process
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html

First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:

    * Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.

    * Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?

    * Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.

    * Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God
(see Centering Prayer method, below)

- - -

Centering Prayer
(Works best after a period of Lectio Divina, as described above; two 20 minute periods a day are recommended.)
 
This term, centering prayer, is of recent origin, but the method is described in many places, most notably "The Cloud of Unknowing."
 
1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. (This can be any word.)
 
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within.
 
3. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
 
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

- - -

Hesychast Prayer ("quiet" prayer)
 (This form of contemplative practice was widely used by the fathers and mothers of the desert in the early days of Christianity and is still very popular in Eastern Christian churches. At least two 20 minute prayer periods are recommended.)
 
1. Sit quietly, with back straight and hands resting in the lap, palms up.
2. Lovingly introduce into your mind the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." (Note: this may be shortened as the prayer proceeds).
3. Let this prayer move in synchrony with your breath, praying the first part with your inhalation, the second with exhalation.
4. When distracting thoughts attempt to break in, persist with the Jesus Prayer. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, however.
 
Practice of this prayer may lead to feelings of warmth in the heart and perception of inner light. Enjoy. . .

- - -

Praying With Scripture (Benedictine Approach)

1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking
directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it
slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments
awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage
and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in
loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.

- - -

Review of the Day
- from, Handbook for Spiritual Directees
    http://shalomplace.com/view/handbook.html

Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day.   Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.

1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.

2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.

    * What happened? What did I do today?
    * How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
    * Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?

3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.

4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.

5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.

6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.

 This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Amazon Gift Cards: Good for any occasion.
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu

- - - -

Please help support Heartland Center's Internet ministries:

- For more info on tax-deductible donations, see
http://shalomplace.com/seed/donations.html

    Thanks for your consideration!
_________________________________________________

    * Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
    * RSS:   http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed