Weekend Edition - A Daily Spiritual Seed
Published: Wed, 01/12/11
- readings, teachings, references and reviews -
Contents:
- Ad - Amazon.com gift cards
- Spiritual Growth Resource of the Month
- Weekend Readings
- Theology Note of the Week
- Saint of the Week
- Book of the Week
- Shalom Place Discussion Board
- Personal Spiritual Guidance
- Affiliate Web Sites
- Website of the Week
- Joke of the Week
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Amazon.com gift cards
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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SPIRITUAL GROWTH RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
The Christian Mysteries
- http://shalomplace.com/inetmin/mysteries/index.html
Audio conferences on the basics of the Christian faith with images
to help illustrate the points. A discussion forum is provided to
help process the information; there's already a lot of reflection
that's been shared, but more is always welcomed.
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WEEKEND READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Saturday: Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15; Mk 2:13-17
Sunday: Is 49:3, 5-6; Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; 1 Cor
1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34
R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
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THEOLOGY NOTE OF THE WEEK
- Impeccability
Impeccability, when speaking of God, means the inability to sin.
Christ was impeccable in that he could not sin and he did not sin
(1 Peter 2:22). There is dispute as to whether or not Jesus could
have sinned since he was a man as well as divine. But Jesus, the
person, claimed the attributes of both divinity and humanity (see
Communicatio Idiomatum). That is, he knew all things, could forgive
sins, etc., but also was hungry and had to sleep. Since the divine
attributes, as well as the human attributes were ascribed to Jesus,
and the divine attribute means that God cannot sin, it is logical
to conclude that Jesus could not have sinned.
- http://www.carm.org/i
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SAINT OF THE WEEK
- St. Charles of Sezze (1613-1670): January 18
Charles thought that God was calling him to be a missionary in
India, but he never got there. God had something better for this
17th-century successor to Brother Juniper.
Born in Sezze, southeast of Rome, Charles was inspired by the lives
of Salvator Horta and Paschal Baylon to become a Franciscan; he did
that in 1635. Charles tells us in his autobiography, "Our Lord put
in my heart a determination to become a lay brother with a great
desire to be poor and to beg alms for his love."
Charles served as cook, porter, sacristan, gardener and beggar at
various friaries in Italy. In some ways, he was "an accident
waiting to happen." He once started a huge fire in the kitchen when
the oil in which he was frying onions burst into flames.
One story shows how thoroughly Charles adopted the spirit of St.
Francis. The superior ordered Charles -- then porter -- to give food
only to traveling friars who came to the door. Charles obeyed this
direction; simultaneously the alms to the friars decreased. Charles
convinced the superior the two facts were related. When the friars
resumed giving goods to all who asked at the door, alms to the
friars increased also.
At the direction of his confessor Charles wrote his autobiography,
The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. He also wrote several other
spiritual books. He made good use of his various spiritual
directors throughout the years; they helped him discern which of
Charles' ideas or ambitions were from God. Charles himself was
sought out for spiritual advice. The dying Pope Clement IX called
Charles to his bedside for a blessing.
Charles had a firm sense of God's providence. Father Severino Gori
has said, "By word and example he recalled in all the need of
pursuing only that which is eternal" (Leonard Perotti, St. Charles
of Sezze: An Autobiography, page 215).
He died at San Francesco a Ripa in Rome and was buried there. Pope
John XXIII canonized him in 1959.
- http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1264
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BOOK OF THE WEEK
"Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled With the Fullness of
God," by Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M., Cap. Servant Books, 2005.
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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0867167130/ref=noism/christianspiritu/
There is a great deal of hype and emotionalism in the so-called
Charismatic Renewal movement. At times it seems people flock to the
next exciting location or other always looking for that next
spiritual high. But Fr. Cantalamessa is quick to remind us that any
renewal that does not bear fruit for repentance is no renewal at
all. He reminds us of the great paradox of being drunk in the
Spirit as not some emotional movement that puts us out of our right
minds - it is a sober intoxication that leads us to our right
minds, renewed in the Spirit of truth. We should be suspicious of
any movement that promises intoxication without renewing our minds
and our hearts. Our spiritual enemy knows our tendency to follow
the latest exciting fad and uses that tendency against us. Fr.
Cantalamessa calls us back to be sober minded and wise as serpents
in examining our hearts for the true intoxication of the Spirit.
A wonderful work that guides us back to focus on the giver rather
than the gifts and challenges us to live our lives worthy of the
calling to which we have been called. Come Holy Spirit, renew our
minds with the sober intoxication that comes only from You.
- Amazon.com book reviewer
- - -
Make the Christian Spirituality Bookstore your starting point for
online shopping at Amazon.com. You can buy books, cds, videotapes,
software, appliances and many other products at discount prices.
As Amazon.com affiliate, we are paid a small fee for purchases
originating from our web site. Every little bit helps!
http://shalomplace.com/books/index.html
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- PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE -
Need a companion for the spiritual journey? We have several
wonderful people ready to help, using email and telephone
conferences to bridge the miles.
- Now providing -
Consultations: this option is best for short-term guidance
pertaining to a specific issue.
Spiritual Direction: ongoing relationship with a spiritual director
to become more attuned to God's presence in all of life.
See http://shalomplace.com/direction/
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SHALOM PLACE DISCUSSION BOARDS
A variety of topics are under discussion.
False self, sin and freedom - Christian Spirituality Issues forum.
The meaning of the Incarnation - Christian Morality and Theology
forum.
Richard Rohr's new book - Book and Movie Reviews form.
Christian enlightenment - Christian Spirituality Issues forum.
- see http://shalomplace.org/eve/forums for this and hundreds of
other discussions.
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AFFILIATE WEB SITES (please give them a visit)
Contemplative Rudder: "In the midst of Consecrated Silence
atmospherics ... a Rudder!
http://www.contemplativerudder.com/
Inner Explorations: a vast array of spirituality resources for the
mature Christian.
http://innerexplorations.com
The Sanctuary Foundation for Prayer: resources for spiritual growth.
http://fromholyground.org/index.htm
Institute for Women's Spiritual Dynamics: holistic, flexible,
sensible Christian spirituality for women.
http://www.womensspiritualdynamics.com/
SeeScapes. Picturing the deeper dimensions of our spirituality.
http://www.seescapes.com
Temenos Catholic Worker: support for homeless youth in Polk Street
neighborhood, San Francisco
http://www.temenos.org/
Contemplative Ministries of the Pacific Northwest: teaching and
support on contemplative practice
http://www.prayeroftheheart.com
Heartland Center for Spirituality: retreat center in central
Kansas..
http://heartlandspirituality.org/index.html
Emanuella House of Prayer: a place for prayer and silence in
British Columbia
http://emmanuellahouse.shawwebspace.ca/
Serenity of the Mind: supporting those who served and who suffer
from PTSD.
http://serenityofthemind.com/default.html
The Ark: Providing a variety of scripture and lectionary study
resources.
http://www.theark1.com
Kyrie Places of Pilgrimmage and Renewal.
http://www.kyrie.com/places/index.htm
(Reach other people who have a similar interest in Christian
spirituality. Simply publish a link to Daily Spiritual Seed--
http://shalomplace.com/seed --on a prominent place on your web site
and we will reciprocate with a weekly link to your site in the
newsletter. Contact the Editor when you're ready to begin.)
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WEB SITE OF THE WEEK
The Inner Voice (and the search for enlightenment within)
- http://www.spirithome.com/innrvoic.html
We live in an era where a lot of people are chattering endlessly
about getting in touch with the 'inner self' and hearing the 'inner
voice', the voice of the spirit deepest inside of you. Bookshelves
are jammed with books and videos on meditative techniques,
transcendent spiritual experiences, and ways to build
self-identity, self-esteem and inner confidence. The Internet's
many voices image the same message, almost in unison. Talk-radio
and lifestyle magazines pimp the message without ceasing, even as
their commercials try to make you depend on someone else to supply
sex-appeal-in-a-bottle. It's the obsession of seemingly every
spiritually-interested writer, and a steady stream of self-help and
motivational speakers and 'gurus'. Most of today's spirituality is
like Peer Gynt's onion: peel off the top layers, and you find an
empty core. Because of that, I think that eventually, and
unfortunately, the generation after X will flee from that sort of
'spirituality' as if it were a parlor trick of wishful thinkers,
entrepreneurs, and crackpots. If spirituality is to stick, people
need to grasp onto the real stuff, not the PR hype, the
best-selling authors, or the magical glow.
- from the web site
The author then offers some good, practical guidance.
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JOKE OF THE WEEK
- Playing house
A couple of young children are at day care one day when one of the
little girls approaches Tommy and says, "Hey, Tommy, wanna play
house?"
"Sure! What do you want me to do?" he asks.
The little girl replies, "I want you to communicate your feelings."
"Communicate my feelings?" questions a bewildered Tommy. "I have no
idea what that means..."
The little girl smirks and says, "Perfect. You can be the husband."
- - - OK, sorry guys!
The artist tried to concentrate on his work, but the attraction he
felt for his model finally became irresistible. He threw down his
palette, took her in his arms and kissed her.
She pushed him away. "Maybe your other models let you kiss them,"
she said.
"I've never tried to kiss a model before," he swore.
"Really?" she said, softening, "How many models have there been?"
"Four," he replied, "A jug, two apples, and a vase."
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