Message of 11-5-08
Published: Thu, 10/30/08
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they
enkindle and melt the soul.
- Teresa of Avila
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Phil 2:12-18; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Lk 14:25-33
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
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.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from "Daily Reflections"
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
Clearly, to be a disciple of Jesus is a costly proposition and is
not for everyone. Who, then can respond to this call of Jesus? That
response is for the one who understands that the "job" of
discipleship is not something that one takes on oneself lightly.
Ultimately, discipleship comes from responding to the call of
Christ. The strength and power to meet its demands rests squarely
on Jesus who invites the response. If I accept the invitation to
discipleship, I need to trust that the very grace of Jesus himself
will be my guide and inspiration in accomplishing it. His grace
will be sufficient for me.
"Lord, I pray that I not be deaf to the call of Jesus to be his
follower. Help me to respond well to that call as it affects my
daily life. Let me start today with your grace to respond as your
follower."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Meister Eckhart's Sermons"
I set also sanctification above pity, for pity is only going out of
oneself to sympathize with one's fellow-creature's sorrows. From
such an out-going sanctification is free and abides in itself, and
does not let itself be troubled. To speak briefly: when I consider
all the virtues I find none so entirely without flaw and so
conducive to union with God as sanctification.
- #6: Sanctification
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed