Message of 4-25-08
Published: Sat, 04/19/08
A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly,
now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to
complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.
- The Talmud
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SCRIPTURE READINGS
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
1 Pt 5:5b-14; Ps. 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17; Mk 16:15-20 (or John
15: 12-17)
R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall
proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,
and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
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GOSPEL MEDITATION
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- John 15:12-17 (Love one another)
Thousands of pages of reflection have been written about Jesus
Christ and the meaning of his revelation for us. Jesus sums up
everything in today's reading, briefly and succinctly! We are to
bear fruit for the glory of God, for God has chosen us to share
with one another his love for us.
- A pious tradition suggests that at the end of our lives, when we
stand before God, he will ask us only one question: 'Have you lived
your life in such a way as to show others that I loved you?" Using
this past week as the basis for your answer, how will you respond?
- Do you believe that God has chosen you to be one of his friends?
How do you experience this?
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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
He (Br. Lawrence) told me, that the foundation of the spiritual
life in him had been a high notion and esteem of GOD in faith;
which when he had once well conceived, he had no other care at
first, but faithfully to reject every other thought, that he might
perform all his actions for the love of GOD. That when sometimes he
had not thought of GOD for a good while, he did not disquiet
himself for it; but after having acknowledged his wretchedness to
GOD, he returned to Him with so much the greater trust in Him, by
how much he found himself more wretched to have forgot Him.
- Third Conversation
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