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Once you recognize that in and of yourself you don’t even exist, you’ll begin to recognize and appreciate God as the source of your existence and of every goodness above and beyond that existence, both earthly and spiritual. Everything we have and everything we discover within ourselves is a gift
of God’s endless goodness and unlimited, matchless love.
- Catherine of Siena, Letters
("God as the source of your existence." Prayerfully rest in this awareness sometime today.) |
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1 SM 24:3-21; PS 57:2-4, 6, 11; MK 3:13-19
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
I call to God the Most High,
to God, my benefactor.
May he send from heaven and save
me;
may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;
may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
USCCB Lectionary
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Mark 2:1-12 (Jesus can forgive sins)
The Scriptures teach us that sin is a power which keeps us from growing and which breaks up
relationships. In today’s reading Jesus shows us that he can heal us from physical and spiritual paralysis.
* Some theologians have stated that we sin most often not by doing malicious and destructive things but by settling for less than the best in ourselves. Think about this.
* What is paralyzing your love for family members? Pray for the grace to overcome any obstacles.
Paperback, Kindle
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The Way of Perfection, by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Treats of the
great need which we have to beseech the Eternal Father to grant us what we ask in these words: “Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.” Explains certain temptations. This chapter is noteworthy. Believe me, sisters, the soldiers of Christ -- namely, those who experience contemplation and practise prayer -- are always ready for the hour of conflict. They are never very much afraid of their open enemies, for they know who they are and are sure that their strength can never prevail against the strength which they themselves have been given by the Lord: they will always be victorious and gain great riches, so
they will never turn their backs on the battle. Those whom they fear, and fear rightly, and from whom they always beg the Lord to deliver them, are enemies who are treacherous, devils who transform themselves and come and visit them in the disguise of angels of light. The soul fails to recognize them until they have done it a great deal of harm; they suck our life-blood and put an end to our virtues and we go on yielding to temptation without knowing it. From these enemies let us pray the Lord
often, in the Paternoster, to deliver us: may He not allow us to run into temptations which deceive us; may their poison be detected; and may light and truth not be hidden from us. How rightly does our good Master teach us to pray for this and pray for it in our name! - Chapter 36 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative order.) Paperback, Kindle
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