Message of 10-2-08
Published: Thu, 09/25/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does
promise, however, to change the way we look at them.
- Max Lucado
(Consider a struggle you have at this time and commend it to God's
care. Pray the grace to see and understand this situation as God
sees it.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jb 19:21-27; Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14; Mt 18:1-5, 10
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in
the land of the living.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOSPEL MEDITATION
- from http://www.dailyscripture.net/
The angels will be present at Christ's return, which they will
announce, to serve at his judgment (Matt. 25:31). The angels tell
us that this universe is not just materialistic. The fallen angels,
led by Satan, seek our destruction. If they cannot induce us to
disown our faith and allegiance to Christ, they attempt to divert
us from doing the will of God by distracting us with good things
that weigh us down and make us indifferent towards the things of
God. God gives us the help of his angelic hosts and he gives us
spiritual weapons, the shield of faith and the breastplate of
righteousness (see Ephesians 6:1-11), to resist the devil and his
lies. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, too, join with
angelic choirs in singing the praises of God. Do you thank the Lord
for his daily guidance and protection?
"Lord, you are our refuge and strength. May we always know your
guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting us from all
that is evil. Give me strength to refuse what is evil and to choose
what is good."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Carmelite Method)
A. Introduction: settling in, relaxing in awareness of God's
presence.
B. Reading the text slowly, prayerfully.
C. Meditation: imaginative representation of the material; reflection
on the meaning of the material and its application to one's life.
D. Affective prayer: conversation with God, attentive to sharing
feelings awakened in meditation. Prayer of petition, thanksgiving,
remorse.
E. Resting in God in silent loving awareness, if moved to do so.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas A. Kempis
The Voice of Christ
MY CHILD, you must strive diligently to be inwardly free, to have
mastery over yourself everywhere, in every external act and
occupation, that all things be subject to you and not you to them,
that you be the master and director of your actions, not a slave
or a
mere hired servant. You should be rather a free man and a true
Hebrew,
arising to the status and freedom of the children of God who stand
above present things to contemplate those which are eternal; who
look
upon passing affairs with the left eye and upon those of heaven
with
the right; whom temporal things do not so attract that they
cling to
them, but who rather put these things to such proper service as is
ordained and instituted by God, the great Workmaster, Who leaves
nothing unordered in His creation.
-------- Bk. 3, Chapter 38
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You can help to "grow" this newsletter by forwarding copies to
friends and family members. Subscribe info is listed below.
Thanks for your support.
- - - -
Please help support Heartland Center's Internet ministries:
- For more info on tax-deductible donations, see
http://shalomplace.com/seed/donations.html.
Thanks for your consideration!
--------------------------------------
- - -
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed