Message of 8-8-12
Published: Wed, 08/08/12
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
Message of the Day
How gently and lovingly
You awake in my heart,
Where in secret You dwell alone;
and in your sweet breathing,
Filled with good and glory,
How tenderly You swell my heart with love."
- St. John of the Cross, Living Flame of Love, st. 4 -
(Prayer this prayer slowly, sincerely. Let it lead you to that secret place within where God dwells.)
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Lectionary Readings of the Day
http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
Jer 31:1-7; Jer 31:10-13; Mt 15: 21-28
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
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Reflection on the Gospel
- from Praying the Daily Gospels
http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Matthew 15: 21-28 (Messiah of the Gentiles)
This passage describes an event which took place during the only time Jesus ever ventured outside Jewish territory. While seeking respite from the demands of the crowds who folk)wed him and from the authorities who tormented him, he is confronted by a persistent Canaanite woman. Even though she is a Gentile and, as a Canaanite, a member of the Jews' most ancient enemy, her faith and love finally move Jesus to grant her requests.
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Spiritual Reading
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN LOVE?
by Philip St. Romain©
Adapted from Freedom from Codependency: A Christian Response
http://shalomplace.com/view/codep.html
- Dysfunctional Beliefs About Love -
part 1 of 5
In reflecting on the meaning of Christian love, it will be helpful to consider some common distortions about love. If these distortions become part of one's value system, they can lead to codependent behaviors.
First, Christian love is not codependency. Christian love does not call for a giving of yourself that enables another to act irresponsibly, nor is it about impressing others or trying to get their approval. Christian love call fora "laying down one's life for one's friends" that results in a negation of your giftedness and uniqueness.
Certain teachings commonly heard in Christian circles, however, can lead to an unhealthy giving of self in practice. Some of these teachings are listed below:
The codependent interprets this as meaning that we are responsible for one another's feelings and happiness. A healthy understanding is that we are all interdependent and have the responsibility to help victims of injustice.
The distortion is that only those who do good works can be said to be loving. If, in addition, we define what those good works would be, then we would judge people according to whether or not they're doing those works. Of course, it is possible to do good works and be empty or resentful inside. That is a further distortion of this Christian motto. Those who love WILL do good works, but not all good works are done in love.
- Part 2 of 12 part series
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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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- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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