Message of 4-5-11
Published: Sat, 04/02/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, its
pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles,
that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober
them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him
your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them; talk to Him of
your temptations, that He may shield you from them: show Him the
wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your
indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your
instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how
vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to
yourself and others.
- Francois Fenelon
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ez 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1-16
R. (8) The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of
Jacob.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
God wants to free us from the power of sin and make us whole. But
he will not force our hand against our will. The first essential
step towards growth and healing is the desire for change. If we are
content to stay as we are, then no amount of coaxing will change
us. The Lord manifests his power and saving grace towards those
who desire transformation of life in Christ. The Lord approaches
each of us with the same probing question: "Do you really want to
be changed, to be set free from the power of sin, and to be
transformed in my holiness?"
"Lord Jesus, put within my heart a burning desire to be changed and
transformed in your holiness. Let your Holy Spirit change my heart
and renew me in your love and righteousness.
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SPIRITUAL READING
"The Way of Perfection"
- by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
(Exhorts the nuns to keep their Rule and names three things which
are important for the spiritual life. Describes the first of these
three things, which is love of one's neighbour, and speaks of the
harm which can be done by individual, exclusivist friendships.)
Now, daughters, you have looked at the great enterprise which we
are trying to carry out. What kind of persons shall we have to be
if we are not to be considered over-bold in the eyes of God and of
the world? It is clear that we need to labour hard and it will be a
great help to us if we have sublime thoughts so that we may strive
to make our actions sublime also. If we endeavour to observe our
Rule and Constitutions in the fullest sense, and with great care, I
hope in the Lord that He will grant our requests. I am not asking
anything new of you, my daughters -- only that we should hold to
our profession, which, as it is our vocation, we are bound to do,
although there are many ways of holding to it.
Our Primitive Rules tells us to pray without ceasing. Provided we
do this with all possible care (and it is the most important thing
of all) we shall not fail to observe the fasts, disciplines and
periods of silence which the Order commands; for, as you know, if
prayer is to be genuine it must be reinforced with these things --
prayer cannot be accompanied by self-indulgence.
- Chapter 4
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