Message of 11-10-08
Published: Tue, 11/04/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying.
He is offering up his sufferings to God, and many a time he is
praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and
meditates his head off, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears,
thinks that is prayer.
- St. Teresa of Avila
(Sometimes all we can offer to God is our pain.)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ti 1:1-9; Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; Lk 17:1-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
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REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"And if he wrongs you seven times ... and returns to you seven times
saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him."
It's frustrating when a loved one makes the same mistake or follows
the same wrong path over and over despite the best advice and the
best intentions. It's easy to grow tired of forgiving yet again
when the behavior likely won't change soon. In these moments we
should recall how often we find ourselves confessing the same sins
over and over and how broken and defeated we feel at our inability
to get past certain shortcomings. Even if we recognize our
wrongdoing, we cannot always fully free ourselves. The Lord knows
how true we intend to be, even if we fall short again and again.
Luckily, when we acknowledge our wrongs and go to the Lord truly
repentant, it doesn't matter if it's seven or 700 times; he will
forgive us. He doesn't keep count.
"That we may do the same for each other, we pray."
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LECTIO DIVINA PROCESS
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
* Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.
* Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?
* Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.
* Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God.
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THEOLOGICAL GEMS FROM EMIL MERCH'S "THEOLOGY OF THE MYSTICAL BODY"
from http://www.innerexplorations.com/chtheomortext/theolgems.htm
451. Let us develop in ourselves... the consciousness that we belong
to the Word and the divine Thought... Then we shall come to some
understanding, not in words and concepts, but in growth and
life-giving light, of the mystery of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Ghost.
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