Message of 2-1-11
Published: Mon, 01/31/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
He commonly brings His help in our greatest extremity, and that His
finger may plainly appear in our deliverance. And this method He
chooses that we may not trust upon anything that we see or feel, as
we are always apt to do, but only His bare Word, which we may
depend upon in every state.
- A. H. Von Bogatzky
(What is the basis of your trust in God?)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Heb 12:1-4; Ps 22:26b-27, 28 and 30, 31-32; Mk 5:21-43
R. (see 27b) They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts be ever merry!"
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
Before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
Do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith or with
skepticism and doubt? People in desperate or helpless circumstances
were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them to
Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their
affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered greatly for
twelve years expect Jesus to do for her? And what did a grieving
father expect Jesus to do about his beloved lost daughter? Jesus
gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because
his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to the woman
(Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your
faith has made you well!).
"Lord Jesus, you love each of us individually with a unique and
personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and
restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in
loving service to others."
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Treats of how the necessities of the body should be disregarded
and of the good that comes from poverty.)
It seems very wrong, my daughters, that great houses should be
built with the money of the poor; may God forbid that this should
be done; let our houses be small and poor in every way. Let us to
some extent resemble our King, Who had no house save the porch in
Bethlehem where He was born and the Cross on which He died. These
were houses where little comfort could be found. Those who erect
large houses will no doubt have good reasons for doing so. I do not
utterly condemn them: they are moved by various holy intentions.
But any corner is sufficient for thirteen poor women. If grounds
should be thought necessary on account of the strictness of the
enclosure, and also as an aid to prayer and devotion, and because
our miserable nature needs such things, well and good; and let
there be a few hermitages in them in which the sisters may go to
pray. But as for a large ornate convent, with a lot of buildings --
God preserve us from that! Always remember that these things will
all fall down on the Day of Judgment, and who knows how soon that
will be?
It would hardly look well if the house of thirteen poor women made
a great noise when it fell, for those who are really poor must make
no noise: unless they live a noiseless life people will never take
pity on them. And how happy my sisters will be if they see someone
freed from hell by means of the alms which he has given them; and
this is quite possible, since they are strictly bound to offer
continual prayer for persons who give them food. It is also God's
will that, although the food comes from Him, we should thank the
persons by whose means He gives it to us: let there be no neglect
of this.
I do not remember what I had begun to say, for I have strayed from
my subject. But I think this must have been the Lord's will, for I
never intended to write what I have said here. May His Majesty
always keep us in His hand so that we may never fall. Amen.
- Chapter 2
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