Message of 9-14-07
Published: Tue, 09/04/07
The truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled
mass of motives altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful,
loving and bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never
unravel the good from the bad, the pure from the impure. God is big
enough to receive us with all our mixture. That is what grace
means, and not only are we saved by it, we live by it as well. And
we pray by it.
- Richard J. Foster
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Nm 21:4b-9; Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38; Phil 2:6-11; Jn
3:13-17
R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.
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Scripture Meditation (Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross)
- http://dailyscripture.net/
Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit that we may have power to be his
witnesses and to spread and defend the gospel by word and action,
and to never be ashamed of Christ's Cross. The Holy Spirit gives
us his seven-fold gifts of wisdom and understanding, right judgment
and courage, knowledge and reverence for God and his ways, and a
holy fear in God's presence (see Isaiah 11) that we may live God's
way of life and serve in the power of his strength. Do you thirst
for new life in the Spirit?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your death brought life for us. Fill me with
your Holy Spirit that I may walk in freedom and joy as a child of
God and as an heir with Christ of an eternal inheritance."
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ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
- by Jean Pierre de Caussade, S.J.
Our moments are made fruitful by our
fulfilment of the will of God. This is presented to us in
countless
different ways by the present duty which forms, increases, and
consummates
in us the new man until we attain the plenitude destined for us
by the
divine wisdom. This mysterious attainment of the age of Jesus
Christ in our
souls is the end ordained by God and the fruit of His grace and
of His
divine goodness.
This fruit, as we have already said, is produced, nourished and
increased by
the performance of those duties which become successively
present, and which
are made fruitful by the same divine will.
-- Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 5
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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Contemplative Method)
- adapted by Philip St. Romain from a variety of sources -
A. Select a short passage that you will use for prayer.
B. Settle in by sitting straight (on tailbone, spine erect).
Notice sensations in your body, sounds around you, the manner of
your breathing. Call to mind that God is present in and amidst all
of this.
C. Read the passage aloud slowly, prayerfully. Let the words make
their own impact, and voice whatever they awaken in your mind and
heart to God.
- proceed to Step E if you already feel yourself coming to
contemplative silence -
D. Read the passage a second time silently. Again, voice whatever
is awakened to God, or acknowledge before God in your heart. Let
this be a spontaneous conversation which includes your questions,
intellectual reflections, petitions, resolutions, and so forth.
E. Read the passage a third time. If there is a word or phrase
that sums up this passage, or that speaks to you in a special way,
repeat it in your mind prayerfully. Let it express your
willingness to allow God to be God in your life.
F. Allow yourself to simply be present to God in loving silence,
aware of God's unfailing Presence to you in love. When
distractions come which capture your attention, re-introduce the
sacred word from Step E. Continue with this resting until your
prayer time is over.
G. Close your prayer time with a sincere vocal recitation of the
Lord's prayer, putting your whole being into the words.
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