Message of 1-25-08
Published: Sun, 01/20/08
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- - -
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more
for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot.
- John Bunyan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 22:3-16; Ps. 117:1bc, 2; Mk 16:15-18
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the
LORD endures forever.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Mark 3: 13-19 (Jesus chooses the Twelve)
Gospel parallels between Jesus and Moses are surely not
coincidental. Moses went up on the mountain and brought back God's
laws to the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus goes to the mountaintop
and returns with twelve men empowered to extend his healing love to
a broken world.
- William Barclay noted that the apostles had no special gifts of
intelligence or literacy, but they all loved Jesus and were willing
to stand up for his cause. Are these qualities true of you?
- What kind of power does Jesus enable you to realize and extend?
- Thank God for the grace of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE (Benedictine Approach)
1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking
directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it
slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments
awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage
and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in
loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence taught:
That he had always been governed by love, without selfish views;
and
that having resolved to make the love of GOD the end of all his
actions, he had found reasons to be well satisfied with his
method.
That he was pleased when he could take up a straw from the
ground for
the love of GOD, seeking Him only, and nothing else, not even His
gifts.
- Second Conversation
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed