Message of 10-29-08
Published: Sat, 10/25/08
"For perfection does not consist in lacerating or killing the body,
but in killing our perverse self-will."
(God's word to Catherine of Siena:)
"You are she who is not, and I am Who Is."
(This one needs to be properly understood. Catherine did exist, of
course, but only because of God Who gave her the gift of existence.
So it is with each of us.)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Eph 6:1-9; Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14; Lk 13:22-30
R. (13c) The Lord is faithful in all his words.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
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SCRIPTURE MEDITATION
- from "Daily Reflections"
http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
In the gospel, the question, "Who will be saved?" prompts Jesus to
respond that people will come from all directions of the earth and
are called to God's kingdom/table: "For, behold, some are last who
will be first, and some are first who will be last." (In the
passages surrounding this reading, Jesus continues to talk about
God's kingdom as one in process...the mustard seed; bread with
leaven; mother hen gathering her chicks.) Again, the theme seems to
be....All are called into faithful relationship with God. But life is
a process of living into that relationship with God and others. It
is the journey and process in which one prayerfully discerns God's
presence and faithfulness by walking/being with God, inviting God
into our daily struggles, celebrations, and interactions with others.
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Meister Eckhart's Sermons"
But some one may say: "All virtues must have existed in fullness in
Our Lady, therefore perfect sanctification must have been in her.
If sanctification is higher than humility, why did Our Lady speak
of her humility, and not of her sanctification, when she said, "For
He hath regarded the lowliness of His handmaiden?" To this I answer
that God possesses both sanctification and humility, so far as we
may attribute virtues to God. Now thou shouldest know that His
humility brought God to stoop down to human nature, and our Lady
knew that He wished for the same quality in her, and in that matter
had regard to her humility alone. Therefore she made mention of her
humility and not of her sanctification, in which she remained
unmoved and unaffected. If she had said, "He hath regarded the
sanctification of His handmaiden," her sanctification would have
been disturbed, for, so to speak, would have been a going out of
herself. Therefore the Psalmist said, "I will hear what the Lord
God will say in me," as if to say, "If God will Speak to me, let
Him come in, for I will not come out." And Boethius saith, "Men,
why seek ye outside you what is inside you--salvation?"
- #6, "Sanctification"
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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.
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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
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