Message of 8-1-07
Published: Wed, 08/01/07
SHALOM PLACE PREMIUM GROUPS
- Life-long learning and formation in Christian spirituality.
Groups now open include the following:
A. Psychological Types and Spirituality
B. The Way of Christian Spirituality
C. Freedom from Codependency
D. Christian Spirituality Resources
E. Wonderfully Made (Christian Metaphysics)
F. Growing in Christ
G. Spiral Dynamics®
H. Discerning God's Will
I. Dark Night of the Soul
J. Silence, Solitude and Sabbath
K. Alpha Group -- includes all the above and all to come.
- see http://shalomplace.org/groups.html
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.
- Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Ex 34:29-35; Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9; Mt 13:44-46
R.
(see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
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Praying the Daily Gospels
- by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Matthew 13: 44-46: The pearl of great price
The two mini-parables in today’s reading emphasize the kind of response to Jesus to which we are called. Like the people in the parables, we are invited to set his kingdom as our highest priority, or ganizing our lives according to God’s will.
• If you could
write a job description explicitly suited for your most complete
response to Jesus, what would it include type of work, salary,
benefits, with whom you would work, for example? How closely does your
present occupation resemble this ideal work? How long do you intend to
remain in your present occupation?
• Pray for the grace to treasure the things of God.
• Pray for the grace to treasure the things of God.
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MYSTICISM
- by Evelyn Underhill -
These, then, are the branches into which this subject will here be split. (1) The Negative aspect, the stripping or purging away of those superfluous, unreal, and harmful things which dissipate the precious energies of the self. This is the business of Poverty, or Detachment. (2) The Positive aspect: <pb n=‘205‘> a raising to their highest term, their purest state, of all that remains—the permanent elements of character. This is brought about by Mortification, the gymnastic of the soul: a deliberate recourse to painful experiences and difficult tasks.
-- Part 2, Chapter 3
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MEDITATING ON SCRIPTURE (Method of St. Francis de Sales)
A. Settling in: call to mind God's presence; address oneself to God in vocal prayer.
B. Reading the Scripture passage slowly, prayerfully.
C. Exercise of the will and intellect in considering the message: what is this passage saying? what is it calling forth from me?
D. Conclusion: acts of thanksgiving, remorse and intercessions awakened by the meditation.
E. Application: Immediate follow-through on resolutions made.
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