Message of 12-26-11

Published: Mon, 12/26/11


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth


Message of the Day

[Eternal life is] naught else than that blessed regard wherewith Thou never ceasest to behold me, yea, even the secret places of my soul. With Thee, to behold is to give life: It is unceasingly to impart sweetest love of Thee; 'tis to inflame me to love of Thee by love's imparting, and to feed me by inflaming, and by feeding to kindle my yearning, and by kindling to make me drink of the dew of gladness, and by drinking to infuse in me a fountain of life, and by infusing to make it increase and endure.
  - Nicolas of Cusa (1401-1464), The Vision of God [1453]

(This is what the Incaarnation has made possible for us.)
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Lectionary Readings of the Day
   http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59;    Ps 31:3-4, 6 and 8, 16 and 17;    Mt 10:17-22

R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.

Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.

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

For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

We hear a pretty harsh warning on this second day of the Christmas season. Christ, our Light, has come. We know this. It is a truth we cherish. But all is not well in the world. As children of the Light we are all the more aware of how much darkness remains in the world. Jesus admonishes us not to worry, even about what we will say in our own defense. As we place all of our trust in God, the Spirit of God supplies for our every need.

For the grace to let go of all worries ... for trust in God's constant care, we pray.

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Spiritual Reading

The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
   by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)

Now the man shall go out towards himself and towards all men of good-will, and shall taste and behold how that they are tied and bound together in love; and he shall beseech and pray God that He may let His customary gifts flow forth, that thereby all may be confirmed in His love and His eternal worship. This enlightened man shall faithfully and discreetly teach and instruct, reprove and serve, all men; for he bears in him a love towards all. And thereby is he a mediator between God and all men. And then he shall turn wholly inwards upon himself with all the saints and with all the just, and possess in peace the unity of his spirit, and therewith the most high Unity of God, wherein all spirits rest. This is a true ghostly life; for all the degrees and all the virtues, inward as well as outward, and the highest powers of the soul, are supernaturally adorned by it in a right and profitable way.

- Chapter 43: On going out toward oneself and all people of good-will.

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