Message of 9-12-08
Published: Sat, 09/06/08
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
"The mercy of God has no limits, nothing is too great for it. That
is the reason why anyone who despairs of it is the author of his
own death."
- John Climacus, "The Ladder of Divine Ascent"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27; Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12; Lk 6:39-42
R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young--
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
For a sun and a shield is the LORD God;
grace and glory he bestows;
The LORD withholds no good thing
from those who walk in sincerity.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Luke 6:39-42 (Do not judge.)
Luke's sermon on the plain resembles Matthew's Sermon on the Mount
because both include a collection of sayings and teachings of
Jesus. Today's reading warns us against limiting our relationships
with others by judging them harshly.
- What is the difference between forming an impression or opinion
about a person and judging him or her?
- What kinds of judgments are explicit and implicit in racism,
sexism, and ageism? Are you free from these shackles?
- Pray for the grace to be more open to the gifts that other
people are.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Benedictine Approach)
1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking
directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it
slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments
awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage
and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in
loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence
Being questioned by one of his own society (to whom he was obliged
to open himself) by what means he had attained such an habitual
sense of GOD? he told him that, since his first coming to the
monastery, he had considered GOD as the end of all his thoughts and
desires, as the mark to which they should tend, and in which they
should terminate.
- Fourth Conversation
______________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed