Message of 9-25-12

Published: Tue, 09/25/12


A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth


Message of the Day

Here lies the tremendous mystery - that God should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce. He summons us to cooperation. We are honoured in being given the opportunity to participate in his good deeds. Remember how He asked for help in performing his miracles: "Fill the waterpots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves."
   - Elisabeth Elliot

(What kind of co-operation with God are you being called to these days?)

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

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

Prv 21:1-6, 10-13;    Ps 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44;    Lk 8:19-21

R. (35) Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.

Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.

Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.

Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.

And I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever.

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

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

Jesus is God's love incarnate - God's love made visible in human flesh (1 John 4:9-10). That is why Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and the shepherd who seeks out the sheep who have strayed and lost their way. God is like the father who yearns for his prodigal son to return home and then throws a great party for his son when he has a change of heart and comes back (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus offered up his life on the cross for our sake, so that we could be forgiven and restored to unity and friendship with God. It is through Jesus that we become the adopted children of God - his own sons and daughters. That is why Jesus told his disciples that they would have many new friends and family relationships in his kingdom. Whoever does the will of God is a friend of God and a member of his family - his sons and daughters who have been ransomed by the precious blood of Christ.

Lucian of Antioch (240-312 AD), an early Christian martyr once said that "a Christian's only relatives are the saints" - namely those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and adopted as sons and daughters of God. Those who have been baptized into Jesus Christ and who live as his disciples enter into a new family, a family of "saints" here on earth and in heaven. Jesus changes the order of relationships and shows that true kinship is not just a matter of flesh and blood. Our adoption as sons and daughters of God transforms all of our relationships and requires a new order of loyalty to God first and to his kingdom of righteousness and peace. Do you want to grow in love and friendship? Allow God's Holy Spirit to transform your heart, mind, and will to enable you to love freely and generously as he loves.

"Heavenly Father, you are the source of all true friendship and love. In all my relationships, may your love be my constant guide for choosing what is good and for rejecting what is contrary to your will."

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

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

- How not all souls are fitted for contemplation and how some take long to attain it. True humility will walk happily along the road by which the Lord leads it.

I seem now to be beginning my treatment of prayer, but there still remains a little for me to say, which is of great importance because it has to do with humility, and in this house that is necessary. For humility is the principal virtue which must be practised by those who pray, and, as I have said, it is very fitting that you should try to learn how to practise it often: that is one of the chief things to remember about it and it is very necessary that it should be known by all who practise prayer. How can anyone who is truly humble think herself as good as those who become contemplatives? God, it is true, by His goodness and mercy, can make her so; but my advice is that she should always sit down in the lowest place, for that is what the Lord instructed us to do and taught us by His own example. Let such a one make herself ready for God to lead her by this road if He so wills; if He does not, the whole point of true humility is that she should consider herself happy in serving the servants of the Lord and in praising Him. For she deserves to be a slave of the devils in hell; yet His Majesty has brought her here to live among His servants.

- Chapter 16

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

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

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