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“Christ, having completed for us his saving work and ascended to heaven with the body which he had taken to himself, accomplishes in his own self the union of heaven and earth, of material and spiritual beings, and thus demonstrates the unity of creation in the polarity of its parts.”
- Maximus the Confessor, Commentary on the Lord’s Prayer
(The risen Christ makes all things new. What do you need him to transform in you today? Ask for this grace in confidence that
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Acts 13:26-33; Ps. 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab; Jn 14:1-6
R.
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him; with trembling
rejoice.
USCCB Lectionary
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John 14:1-6 (Jesus is the way, the truth, the life)
In today’s
reading Christian beliefs concerning Jesus are focused beautifully by John. Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation and he has gone to prepare a place for us. He has revealed to us the way, the truth, and the life that will unite us with him and with one another.
- Meditate on several words/phrases that express your understanding/experience of Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.
- Does your belief in life after death empower you to live more fully now, or does it cause you to
procrastinate your life away?
Paperback, Kindle
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The Way of Perfection, by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Continues the same subject and gives counsels concerning different kinds of temptation. Suggests two remedies by which we may be freed from temptations.
Pay great attention, daughters, to this point which I shall now make, because sometimes thinking yourselves so wicked may be humility and virtue and at other times a very great temptation. I have had experience of this, so I know it is true. Humility, however deep it be, neither disquiets nor troubles nor
disturbs the soul; it is accompanied by peace, joy and tranquillity. Although, on realizing how wicked we are, we can see clearly that we deserve to be in hell, and are distressed by our sinfulness, and rightly think that everyone should hate us, yet, if our humility is true, this distress is accompanied by an interior peace and joy of which we should not like to be deprived. Far from disturbing or depressing the soul, it enlarges it and makes it fit to serve God better. The other kind of
distress only disturbs and upsets the mind and troubles the soul, so grievous is it. I think the devil is anxious for us to believe that we are humble, and, if he can, to lead us to distrust God.
- Chapter
37 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative
order.)
Paperback, Kindle
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