Message of 8-30-10
Published: Thu, 08/26/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
The trouble with nearly everybody who prays is that we say "Amen"
and run away before God has a chance to reply. Listening to God is
far more important than giving Him your ideas.
- Frank Laubach
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Cor 2:1-5; Ps. 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102; Lk 4:16-30
R. (97) Lord, I love your commands.
How I love your law, O LORD!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your command has made me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers
when your decrees are my meditation.
I have more discernment than the elders,
because I observe your precepts.
From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
From your ordinances I turn not away,
for you have instructed me.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"... because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor."
It's easy to preach about pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps
and working hard when we have a secure job and a vision for the
future. But recent times show that economic woes aren't necessarily
a result of personal faults. "Get out and get a job" is not the
message that struggling people need to hear. When we raise our
voices simply to protect personal and economic interests, we
contribute to the oppression of those with whom Jesus so closely
identified. Our brothers and sisters who are already besieged with
more than they can endure need our hope as well as our help. We
must use our voices to ensure that the downtrodden receive
representation, not resentment.
"May the Spirit of the Lord make us prophets of his glad tidings
for all, we pray."
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SPIRITUAL READING
The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
If a sinner would turn from his sins with full and true repentance,
he must go out to meet God in contrition and of his own free-will,
and with an upright purpose and intention to serve Him
thenceforward and never to sin any more. Then, in this meeting, he
shall receive through the mercy of God a sure hope of eternal bliss
and the remission of his sins; and he shall further receive the
foundation of all virtue: namely, Faith, Hope, and Charity, and a
good-will toward all other virtues.
If this person wishes to go forward in the light of faith, and lay
hold of all the works of Christ, and all His suffering; all the
things He promised us and did to us and will do to us until the Day
of Doom and in eternity; if that person wishes to lay hold of these
that they may avail to his salvation: then he should go out to meet
Christ once more, and should have Him ever in his sight, with
praise and thankfulness and with a worthy acknowledgment of all His
gifts, and all that He has done, and will do, in eternity. Then his
faith will be strengthened; and he will be more often, and more
ardently impelled towards all virtues.
If, then, he wishes to go forward in the works of virtue, he must
also go out to meet Christ with self-renunciation, neither seeking
himself, nor pursuing things alien from God; but let him be wise
and discreet in all that he does, having in mind in all things God
alone, and God's praise and glory, and let him continue therein
even unto death. Thereby his reason is enlightened, and his charity
is increased, and he grows in piety and in the aptitude for all
virtues.
- Chapter 25: Of a Spiritual Meeting of God and Ourselves
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