Message of 12-18-08
Published: Wed, 12/10/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
"Abba Lot came one day to see Abba Joseph and said to him, 'Father,
I keep my little rule to the best of my ability. I observe my
modest fast and my contemplative silence. I say my prayers and do
my meditation. I endeavour as far as I can to drive useless
thoughts out of my heart. What more can I do?'
"The elder rose to answer and lifted his hands to heaven. His
fingers looked light lighted candles and he said, 'Why not become
wholly fire?'"
("Sayings of the Desert Fathers")
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Mt 1:18-25
R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of
peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"Joseph ... righteous ... yet unwilling to expose [Mary] to shame ..."
Joseph, the central character of Matthew's nativity narrative, is
caught between the desire to do what is lawful (his righteousness)
and the desire to do what is loving. His solution is to divorce
Mary quietly. A vision from God persuades him to do what he is
longing to do and bear the consequences. There are within us these
conflicting desires -- to protect ourselves and to do the loving
thing; to get what is coming to us and to give generously. Joseph
is our model of generosity and humility as we also are called to
listen for God's word in our hearts and obey the most important
command: Love one another.
"Come, O Giver of the Law, and lead us along your path."
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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.
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas A. Kempis
The Voice of Christ
You ought, therefore, to be so dead to such human affections as to
wish as far as lies within you to be without the fellowship of
men.
Man draws nearer to God in proportion as he withdraws farther
from all
earthly comfort. And he ascends higher to God as he descends lower
into himself and grows more vile in his own eyes. He who
attributes
any good to himself hinders God's grace from coming into his
heart,
for the grace of the Holy Spirit seeks always the humble heart.
-------- Bk. 3, Chapter 42
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