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I am certainly unfit to advise anyone else on the devotional life. My own rules are (1) To make sure that, wherever else they may be place, the main prayers should not be put ‘last thing at night.’ (2) To avoid introspection in prayers—I mean not to watch one’s own mind to see if it is in the right
frame, but always to turn the attention outwards to God. (3) Never, never to try to generate an emotion by will power. (4) To pray without words when I am able, but to fall back on words when tired or otherwise below par.
- C.S. Lewis [20th C.], Letter to Mrs. Ursula Roberts
(This is excellent spiritual counsel! Which of these guidelines do you need to put into practice?)
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Acts 18:9-18; Ps. 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; Jn 15: 12-17
R.
God is king of all the earth.
All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over
all the earth.
He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid
trumpet
blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
USCCB Lectionary
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John 15:12-17 (Love one another)
Thousands of pages of reflection have been written about Jesus Christ and the meaning of his revelation for us. Jesus sums up everything in today’s reading, briefly and succinctly! We are to bear fruit for the glory of God, for God has chosen us to share with one another his love for us.
- A pious tradition suggests that at the end of our lives, when we stand before God, he will ask us only one question: ‘Have you lived your life in such a way as to show others that I loved you?” Using this past week as the basis for your answer, how will you respond?
- Do you believe that God has chosen you to be one of his friends? How do you experience this?
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.
There is another very dangerous kind of temptation: a feeling of security caused by the belief that we shall never again return to our past faults and to the pleasures of the world. "I know all about these things now," we say, "and I realize that they all come to an end and I get more pleasure from the things of God." If this temptation comes to beginners it is very serious; for, having this sense of security, they think nothing of running
once more into occasions of sin. They soon come up against these -- and then God preserve them from falling back farther than before! The devil, seeing that here are souls which may do him harm and be of great help to others, does all in his power to prevent them from rising again. However many consolations and pledges of love the Lord may give you, therefore, you must never be so sure of yourselves that you cease to be afraid of falling back again, and you must keep yourselves from occasions of
sin. - Chapter
37 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative
order.)
Paperback, Kindle
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