Message of 8-9-10
Published: Sun, 08/08/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com gift cards - good for any occasion
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is
a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create
trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.
- Thomas Watson
(Be still before God in prayer, and allow God's peace to reign in
your being.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c; Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14; Mt 17:22-27
R. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights;
Praise him, all you his angels;
praise him, all you his hosts.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys,
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
And he has lifted up the horn of his people.
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Alleluia.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"When I had seen it I fell upon my face and heard a voice."
Today's first reading presents a powerful description of the call
of Ezekiel, complete with flashing fire, the heavens opening up,
winged creatures, a throne descending and the roaring of mighty
waters "like the voice of the Almighty." We might respond that
nothing like that ever happened to us. But in reality, we're all
called by God to do wonderful deeds. We just need to listen and
observe more closely. What experiences were defining moments in our
lives? Maybe the words of a teacher or the birth of a child gave us
clarity and purpose. Occasionally, we may need to recall those
moments or to look more closely at recent experiences to determine
if we're called to follow a new direction.
"O Lord, help us see and hear your plans for us with the confidence
of Ezekiel, we pray."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
This king (the soul) should also choose councillors in his kingdom:
the wisest in the country. These should be two divine virtues:
knowledge and discretion, enlightened by the light of Divine grace.
They should dwell near the king, in a palace called the rational
power of the soul, and they should be clad and adorned with a moral
virtue called temperance, so that the king may always do or leave
undone according to their counsels. By means of knowledge our
conscience shall be cleansed of all its failings and adorned with
all virtues; and by help of discretion we shall give and take, do
and leave undone, be silent and speak, fast and eat, listen and
reply, and act in all things according to knowledge and discretion,
clad in the moral virtue called temperance or sobriety.
- Chapter 24: Of the Kingdom of the Soul
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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.
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed