Message of 2-20-08
Published: Wed, 02/13/08
"An old saint, being asked whether it is easy or hard to love God,
replied: 'It is easy to those who do it.'"
- C. S. Lewis [20th C.], "Mere Christianity" -
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Jer 18:18-20; Ps. 31:5-6, 14, 15-16; Mt 20:17-28
R. (17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
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REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
" Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take
my life?"
The true prophet of God seldom tells us what we want to hear, but
instead what God wants us to hear. Small wonder that the
contemporaries of both Jeremiah and Jesus plotted to kill them, and
that even today there are those who would silence any who speak the
Gospel message and its mandates boldly. Each of us is called to
share in the prophetic ministry of Christ, and responding to that
call often costs us something. It might be only inconvenience or
embarrassment, or it might entail physical danger. Whatever
happens, if we walk in the will of God we will be upheld and
ultimately rewarded by God.
"Lord, purify and strengthen me that I may serve your people and
speak your Word."
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "Meister Eckhart's Sermons"
Now when the Holy Spirit saw that the Only Begotten Son of the
Father had drawn so wisely that He had won to Himself all things in
heaven and earth, He also felt impelled by His own love and
kindness to draw. Therefore He said, I will also draw with My cords
and My net. So He made a net of the seven high attributes of the
Father, of the seven graces of the Son, of His own seven gifts, and
of the seven Christian virtues. Thus He assures us that we shall
never perish, for we are so caught by His goodness that He expels
from us all the evil works of the flesh, and produces in us His
fruits, so that we gain the reward of everlasting life. May the
Father of His love, and the Son of His grace, and the Holy Spirit
with His fellowship, grant us to be worthy of the same. Amen.
- Sermon One: The Attractive Power of God
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REVIEW OF DAY
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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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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