Message of 7-14-10
Published: Sat, 07/10/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Invisible in His own nature [God] became visible in ours. Beyond
our grasp, He chose to come within our grasp.
- Leo I "the Great" (390?-461)
(God present to us as Jesus Christ!)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Is 10:5-7, 13b-16; Ps 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15; Mt 11:25-27
R. (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.
Your people, O LORD, they trample down,
your inheritance they afflict.
Widow and stranger they slay,
the fatherless they murder.
And they say, "The LORD sees not;
the God of Jacob perceives not."
Understand, you senseless ones among the people;
and, you fools, when will you be wise?
Shall he who shaped the ear not hear?
or he who formed the eye not see?
Shall he who instructs nations not chastise,
he who teaches men knowledge?
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"All things have been handed over to me by my Father."
Jesus here offers a prayer of praise to the Father. Here and
elsewhere, the Gospel places value on being like little children.
Do we struggle with this disposition? How much of our prayer time
is given to praise? Perhaps what we lack most are eyes of wonder,
appreciation and gratitude for all that has been given to us. To
really know the Father, Jesus and ourselves as beloved children of
God is to live with a grateful, hope-filled heart. If we have
failed to train ourselves in regular praise of our God, let us
recommit to this happy practice today.
"For childlike joy in the Lord, we pray."
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AT THE MASTER'S FEET
- by Sadhu Sundar Singh
6. Sometimes it happens that an animal or bird after long
association with people returns to its own kind, but they, instead
of welcoming it, set upon it and do it to death, the reason being
that by its long residence and familiarity with man, its habits and
manner of life have entirely changed. In the same way as animals do
not admit to their society those of their kind that have come under
human influence, how can the saints and angels in heaven welcome
those sinners who have lived in intimate relations with wicked
people? This does not mean that saints and angels have no love for
sinners, but the holy atmosphere of heaven will itself be
distasteful to such wicked ones. For clearly, when in this world
sinners dislike the company of good men, how can they be happy in
their company throughout eternity? To them a heaven of that sort
would be as distasteful as hell itself.
- Part 2, Section 1
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REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
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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