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If my work does not come from God, I would consent to its ruin. I would join our enemies in destroying it if I thought it did not have God as its author, or that God did not will its progress. But if God declares Himself its defender, let us fear nothing: no arm can uproot what God has planted; no hand can snatch away what God holds in His.
- St. John Baptist de La Salle -
(Offer your work and play to God, that it may bear good fruit.)
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Book Study on The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, by Brene Brown, Ph.D., L.M.S.W.
Led By: Ann Axman and Pattie McGurk on Zoom
Dates: Tuesday June 23 and 30; July 7, 14, 21 and 28. 12:05 - 12:55 p.m.
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1 KGS 19:9A, 11-16; Ps 27:7-8A, 8B-9ABC, 13-14
MT 5:27-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“What I say to you is: anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts.” —Matthew 5:28
We live in a promiscuous society where girl-watching and boy-watching seem virtuous compared to fornication, adultery, and pornography. What once was called pornography is now called prime-time TV. However, Jesus calls us to sexual purity, not merely a lesser degree of perversion.
Jesus calls us to be pure as He is pure (1 Jn 3:3). Our bodies are not our own; they have been purchased at the price of Jesus’ blood (1 Cor 6:19-20). The parts of our bodies, including our sexual organs, are not to be used as weapons of evil, but weapons of righteousness (Rm 6:13). Let’s glorify God in our bodies, especially in our sexuality (1 Cor 6:20; cf Rm 12:1).
Prayer: Father, take away guilt from sexual sin. Replace it with purity and freedom.
Promise: “After the earthquake there was fire — but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak.” —1 Kgs 19:12-13
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
BOOK II,
CHAPTER III. THE TRIALS CONNECTED WITH THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT
SECTION I. Unwise interference.
The first trial: the obloquy and unreasonable exactions of persons with a reputation for wisdom and piety.
Are they not aware that these practices, however good and holy they may be, are, after all, only a way leading to divine union? Is it necessary, then, to be always on the road when one has already arrived at the goal.
Nevertheless, it is this that is exacted of a soul which is supposed to be labouring under illusion. This soul has made its way, like others, at the beginning; like them it knew what to do, and did it faithfully; it would be vain now, to attempt to keep it bound to the same practices. Since God, moved by the efforts it has made to advance with these helps, has taken it on Himself to lead it to this happy union,
from the time it arrived at the state of abandonment, and by love possessed God; in fine, from the time that the God of all goodness, relieving it of all its trouble and industry, made Himself the principle of its operations, these first methods lost all their value and were but the road it had traversed. To insist upon these methods being resumed and constantly followed, would be to make the soul forsake the end at which it had arrived to re-enter the way which led to it. But, if this soul has
any experience, their time and trouble will be thrown away. In vain will they pursue it with noisy clamours; turning a deaf ear it will remain untroubled and unmoved in that intimate peace in which it so advantageously exercises its love. This is the centre in which it reposes, or, if you prefer it, it is the straight line traced by the hand of God. It will continue to walk therein, for all its duties are plainly marked out in it and by following this line it fulfils them without confusion or
haste as they present themselves. For all else it holds itself in perfect liberty, always ready to obey every movement of grace directly it perceives it, and to abandon itself to the care of Providence. God makes known to this soul that He intends to be its Master, and to direct it by His grace; and makes it understand that it cannot, without attacking the sovereign rights of its Creator, allow its own liberty to be fettered. It feels that, if it tied itself down, to the rules of those who live
by their own efforts and industry, instead of acting according to the attraction of grace, it would be deprived of many things necessary in order to be able to fulfil future duties. But, as no one knows this, it is judged and condemned for its simplicity, and, though it does not find fault with others but approves of every state, and well knows how to discern every degree of progress, it is despised by pretended wiseacres who cannot appreciate this sweet and hearty submission to divine
Providence.
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Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
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