Message of 1-31-11
Published: Sun, 01/30/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
You can use your time to no better advantage than to pray whenever
you have a moment, either alone, or with others, while at work, at
rest, or walking down the street! Anywhere!!
- Ole Kristian O. Hallesby
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Heb 9:15, 24-28; Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6; Mk 3:22-30
R. (1a) Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous
deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Then they began to beg him to leave their district."
The story in today's Gospel also appears in Matthew, and in both
versions the folks have a most curious reaction to Jesus. He has
exorcised a man who had suffered possession by demons, and the
townspeople's response is to ask Jesus to please leave. Why? Jesus
had allowed the legion of demons to enter the swine, and a herd of
some 2,000 was lost. Maybe these folks didn't want to lose their
herds ... or worse. Maybe they were aware of their own lesser demons
and didn't want to deal with someone so powerful as this man Jesus.
And if we also have some demon to whom we aren't quite ready to bid
farewell -- addiction, habit of sin, unwholesome lifestyle -- don't
we do the same?
"Lord Jesus, with your grace, we welcome you to our district and
beg you never to leave."
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SPIRITUAL READING
The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage
by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
Now consider in a similitude, how this inward exercise should be
performed. When the natural fire has by its heat and power stirred
water, or some other liquid, until it bubbles up; then this is its
highest achievement. Then the water boils up and falls down to the
bottom, and is then stirred again to the same activity by the power
of the fire: so that the water is incessantly bubbling up, and the
fire incessantly stirring it.
And so likewise works the inward fire of the Holy Ghost. It stirs
and goads and drives the heart and all the powers of the soul until
they boil; that is, until they thank and praise God in the way of
which I have told you. And then one falls down to that very ground,
where the Spirit of God is burning. So that the fire of love ever
burns, and the man's heart ever thanks and praises God with words
and with works and yet always abides in lowliness; esteeming that
which he should do and would do to be great, and that which he is
able to do to be small.
- Book 2, Chapter 15: A similitude how we should perform the first
degree of our inward exercise.
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