Message of 4-7-08
Published: Sat, 04/05/08
MESSAGE OF THE DAY
"It is an old custom of the servants of God to have some little
prayer ready and to be frequently darting them up to Heaven during
the day, lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world.
He who adopts this plan will get great fruits with little pains."
- St. Philip Neri -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Acts 6:8-15; Ps. 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; Jn 6:22-29
R. (1ab) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Though princes meet and talk against me,
your servant meditates on your statutes.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURES
- from "Daily Bread"
http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm
"They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he
spoke."
The story of Stephen, the first martyr, continues today. Last
Saturday we heard that he and six others were chosen to tend to the
material needs of the community. They were the first deacons.
Suddenly Stephen is not only working in the first-century food
pantry, but his preaching has caused him to be brought before the
Sanhedrin. Commentators point out that Luke is intent on showing
Stephen to be like Jesus, even down to the charges brought against
him: blasphemy, threatening the temple, challenging Mosaic law.
This first martyr was not a great scholar or a priest. He was one
who told the simple truth and ministered to the poor. We're called
to do the same.
"O God, bless those called to be deacons and inspire all of us to
testify to the truth when we speak and serve others when we act."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LECTIO DIVINA PROCESS
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
* Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.
* Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?
* Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.
* Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THEOLOGICAL GEMS FROM EMIL MERCH'S "THEOLOGY OF THE MYSTICAL BODY"
from http://www.innerexplorations.com/chtheomortext/theolgems.htm
370. Christ is more interior to us than we ourselves are; He is the
source of our life, He is our head and our all. Our incorporation
into Him endows our personality with its most intimate and
supernatural depths. We are never so much ourselves as when we are
in Him.
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed