Message of 11-2-07
Published: Sat, 10/27/07
- All Soul's Day -
A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life
depend on the labors of other people, living and dead, and that I
must exert myself in order to give in the full measure I have
received and am still receiving.
- Albert Einstein
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Wis 3:1-9; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Rom 6:3-9; Jn 6:37-40
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
- - -
Praying the Daily Gospels
- by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Luke 12: 54-59 (The signs of the times)
We have become quite adept at understanding God's creation and of
prospering from it. We have placed people on the moon and learned
the secrets of the atom. We have a technology which promises
wonders only dreamed of by science fiction writers in the past. Yet
we have achieved only minimal ethical and spiritual progress
through the ages. In today's reading Jesus tells us that we ought
to apply our intelligence to the things of God as much as to
creation and materialism.
- People do not change, only culture" is a familiar maxim. Do
you agree with this? Why? Why not?
- What are some of the signs of the times today to which we
ought to pay more attention? What are you doing to take a stand?
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ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
- by Jean Pierre de Caussade, S.J.
The divine action although of infinite power can only take full
possession
of the soul in so far as it is void of all confidence in its own
action; for
this confidence, being founded on a false idea of its own
capacity, excludes
the divine action. This is the obstacle most likely to arrest
it, being in
the soul itself; for, as regards obstacles that are exterior,
God can change
them if He so pleases into means for making progress. All is
alike to Him,
equally useful, or equally useless. Without the divine action
all things are
as nothing, and with it the veriest nothing can be turned to
account.
-- Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 6
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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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