Message of 6-13-12

Published: Wed, 06/13/12


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth


Message of the Day

"Never mention anything concerning thyself which people account praiseworthy, such as learning, goodness, birth, unless with the hope of doing good thereby, and then let it be done with humility, remembering that these are gifts of God."
- St. Teresa of Avila [16th C], Maxims -

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

1 Kgs 18:20-39;    Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11;    Mt 5:17-19

R. (1b) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."

They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.

O LORD, my allotted portion and cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

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Reflection on the Gospel
  - from Praying the Daily Gospels
    http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614

- Matthew 5:17-19 (Jesus and the Law)

Today’s reading summarizes much of what the Gospel of Matthew is attempting to articulate: Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish expectations. Matthew constantly affirms the value of Jewish tradition and portrays Jesus as one who loved, rather than despised, Judaism.

• How do we teach one another to respect (or despise) the laws of God?  Are you a model of most of these laws to your family?  To those with whom you work?

• Who are the models to whom you look for inspiration in living out your faith? Why do these people inspire you?

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Spiritual Reading

At the Master's Feet
  - by Sadhu Sundar Singh

The Disciple: Master, some people say that the comfort and joy that believers experience are simply the outcome of their own thoughts and ideas. Is this true?

The Master responds:

2. If true happiness depended on the thoughts of man, then all philosophers and deep thinkers would be filled to overflowing with it. But with the exception of such of them as believe in Me, those who are wise in the philosophy of this world are altogether devoid of happiness, except for a kind of fleeting pleasure which they derive from following out certain rules of their own.

- Part 6, Section 2

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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. . .

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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.

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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.

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

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