Message of 2-29-08
Published: Sat, 02/23/08
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and
stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.
- St. Bernard
(We need both, of course. Which would do you more good at this
time?)
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Hos 14:2-10; Ps. 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17; Mk
12:28-34
R. (see 11 and 9a) I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
An unfamiliar speech I hear:
"I relieved his shoulder of the burden;
his hands were freed from the basket.
In distress you called, and I rescued you."
"Unseen, I answered you in thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, my people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, will you not hear me?"
"There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt."
"If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
I would feed them with the best of wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would fill them."
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Mark 4: 26-34 (The mustard seed)
The kingdom of God will conquer, Jesus assures us, for God's will
is sovereign. Grace reaches deeper than sin; evil will be uprooted.
- Do you believe you have made progress in your life in growing
closer to Christ during the past few months? Years? How has grace
transformed you?
- Do you feel hopeful about God's kingdom conquering evil? Why? Why
not? How does this affect your everyday attitude?
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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.
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NOTES FROM A CLASSICAL WORK
- "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence shared:
That he had been lately sent into Burgundy, to buy the provision of
wine for the society, which was a very unwelcome task for him,
because he had no turn for business and because he was lame, and
could not go about the boat but by rolling himself over the casks.
That however he gave himself no uneasiness about it, nor about the
purchase of the wine. That he said to GOD, It was His business he
was about, and that he afterwards found it very well performed.
That he had been sent into Auvergne the year before upon the same
account; that he could not tell how the matter passed, but that it
proved very well.
So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had
naturally a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do
everything there for the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all
occasions, for His grace to do his work well, he had found
everything easy, during the fifteen years that he had been employed
there.
- Second conversation
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