Message of 12-12-08
Published: Thu, 12/04/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
"In his great love, God was unwilling to restrict our freedom, even
though he had the power to do so. He has left us to come to him by
the love of our heart alone."
- Isaac of nineveh, "Ascetic treatises, #81 -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Zec 2:14-17; Judith 13:18bcde, 19; Lk 1:26-38
R. (15:9d) You are the highest honor of our race.
Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Matthew 11:16-19 (The fickleness of the crowds)
It is impossible to please everybody, Jesus learns. Some consider
Jesus too liberal in his following of the Law, and they condemn
him. These critics are probably the same people who criticized John
for being too strict. But Jesus does not cater to public opinion.
He is intent only on doing the will of his Father.
- How do the opinions of others influence you? Do you find it easy
to go against the crowd? When do you usually find this necessary?
- How do you feel about people who are nonconformists for noble
reasons? Why?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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
I have quitted all forms of devotion and set prayers but those to
which my state obliges me. And I make it my business only to
persevere in His holy presence, wherein I keep myself by a simple
attention, and a general fond regard to GOD, which I may call an
actual presence of GOD; or, to speak better, an habitual, silent,
and secret conversation of the soul with GOD, which often causes in
me joys and raptures inwardly, and sometimes also outwardly, so
great that I am forced to use means to moderate them, and prevent
their appearance to others.
- Second letter
______________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed