Message of 12-20-10
Published: Sun, 12/19/10
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then
your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing.
... St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; Lk 1:26-38
R. (see 7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Nothing will be impossible for God."
If we could only believe the angel's message! If we could only
believe that what we so quickly dismiss as "impossible" is, in
fact, very possible with God's help. Can't forgive your mother or
father or brother or sister or ex-spouse -- even at Christmastime?
Do you believe that you will never recover from the grief you feel
today? Do you pray for peace, but without conviction? Have you
tried to quit drinking, eating, worrying, shopping, lying ... but
without asking for God's help and the help of God's community?
Nothing is impossible for God, but God doesn't barge in. We have to
issue the invitation and recognize God's presence when our prayer
is heard.
"We pray ... with conviction ... for the impossible. Amen!"
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SPIRITUAL READING
The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
From this unity springs inwardness; for none can be inward save him
who is gathered together in unity within himself. Inwardness means
that a person is turned within, into his own heart, that thereby he
may understand and feel the interior workings, and the interior
words of God. Inwardness is a sensible fire of love, which the
Spirit of God has blown to a flame, and which urges a man from
within; and he knows not whence it comes nor what has befallen him.
- Book 2, Chapter 10: Of Inwardness
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