Message of 9-27-10
Published: Sun, 09/26/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
God is there to meet you in the centre of all your trials, and to
whisper His secrets, which will make you come forth with a shining
face and an indomitable faith that all the demons of hell shall
never afterwards cause to waver.
- E. A. Kilbourne
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jb 1:6-22; Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7; Lk 9:46-50
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of
the Lord!"
All is gift. We've heard this said, and we want to believe it. But
could we respond, as Job does, to the loss of all we have -- our
possessions, our family, our health -- with praise of the Lord?
Job's devotion to the Lord is apparent in his detachment from
worldly things. Detachment, devotion to God, and a heart for the
poor marked the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul. Vincent,
patron of all charitable societies, has brought many together to
live and work communally in service to others. Let us pray today
for Vincentians, for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, for the
Daughters of Charity and for all who are committed to charitable
work.
"For hearts devoted to God in service to the poor, we pray."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SPIRITUAL READING
The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
Now mark this with diligence: a threefold unity is found in all
people by nature, and also in all good people according to a
supernatural manner.
The first and highest unity we find is in God; for all creatures
depend upon this unity for their being, their life, and their
preservation; and if they be separated in this wise from God, they
fall into the nothingness and become nought. This unity is in us
essentially, by nature, whether we be good or evil. And without our
own working it makes us neither holy nor blessed. This unity we
possess within us and yet above us, as the ground and the preserver
of our being and of our life.
The second unity or union is also in us by nature. It is the unity
of our higher powers; forasmuch as these spring naturally as active
powers from the unity of the mind or of the spirit. This is that
same unity which depends upon God; but with this difference, that
here it is active and there essential. Nevertheless, the spirit is
wholly and perfectly understood according to the fulness of its
substance, in each unity. This unity we possess within us, above
our senses; and from it there proceed memory, understanding, and
will, and all the powers of ghostly action. In this unity, the soul
is called "spirit."
The third unity which is in us by nature is the source of all the
bodily powers, in the unity of the heart; origin and beginning of
the bodily life. This unity the soul possesses in the body and in
the quickening centre of the heart, and therefrom flow forth all
bodily activities, and the five senses. And therein the soul is
called "soul"; for it is the forming principle of the body, and
quickens this carcass; that is, gives it life and keeps it therein.
These three unities abide in man by nature as one life and one
kingdom. In the lowest we are sensible and animal; in the middle we
are rational and spiritual; and in the highest we are kept
according to our essence. And thus are all people in their human
nature..
- Book 2, Chapter 2: Of a three-fold unity which is in us by nature.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon.com 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