Message of 10-13-16

Published: Thu, 10/13/16

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Message of the Day
 
You have been in the storms and swept by the blasts. Have they left you broken, weary, beaten in the valley, or have they lifted you to the sunlit summits of a richer, deeper, more abiding manhood and womanhood? Have they left you with more sympathy with the storm swept and the battle-scarred?
- Anonymous

(What have your learned from your struggles and suffering lately?)
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Daily Readings
Eph 1:1-10;    Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6;    

Lk 11:47-54

The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets 
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
 
Reflection on the Scriptures
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.”

Great contrast exists between the blessing of God for the many gifts we have received, enumerated in Ephesians, and the antagonism of the scribes and Pharisees plotting against Jesus in Luke. We hold this same contrast within ourselves. How ready are we to offer thanksgiving for our many blessings? How much quicker are we to question or lash out in frustration, anger or disbelief? We tend to acknowledge God’s plan for our lives only when we agree with it. We truly exalt God when we accept our blessings and our trials and thank the Lord for both.
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“Lord, grant us the grace to place our trust in your will for us, we pray.”

- from preacherexchange.com

 
Spiritual Reading
Revelations of Divine Love
- by Julian of Norwich 

Thirteenth Revelation, Chapter 27


“Often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not hindered: for then, methought, all should have been well.” “Sin is behovable—[playeth a needful part]—; but all shall be well”

But I saw not sin: for I believe it hath no manner of substance nor no part of being, nor could it be known but by the pain it is cause of.

And thus pain, it is something, as to my sight, for a time; for it purgeth, and maketh us to know ourselves and to ask mercy. For the Passion of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His blessed will.

And for the tender love that our good Lord hath to all that shall be saved, He comforteth readily and sweetly, signifying thus: It is sooth that sin is cause of all this pain; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner [of] thing shall be well.

These words were said full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me nor to any that shall be saved. Then were it a great unkindness to blame or wonder on God for my sin, since He blameth not me for sin.

And in these words I saw a marvellous high mystery hid in God, which mystery He shall openly make known to us in Heaven: in which knowing we shall verily see the cause why He suffered sin to come. In which sight we shall endlessly joy in our Lord God.
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