Prayer, which consists in the reference of all our deliberate acts to God, can be perpetual in the sense that it can last so long as such acts can last.
- Francois Fenelon {1651-1715}, Maxims of the Mystics
(Prayer as an attitude of living before God: let this be your attitude this day.)
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Webinar on What Does it Mean to Be Pro-life?, by Philip St. Romain
September 10, 2020: 7:00 p.m. CDT
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EZ 36:23-28; PS 51:12-15, 18-19
MT 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying,
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
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Reflection on the Scriptures |
God is calling us to the banquet; we have a place there. The invitation is wide open. The challenge is in how we receive it. Are we all in or is our commitment superficial? God doesn’t want us to come to the table only when it works in our schedules. He wants us seated with him all the time. God is wanting us to act, even when it isn’t convenient and this is the hard part (at least for me). God desires this
for us because of the transformative power his love brings to our lives when we are fully committed. Think about the limitations of an athlete who only shows up for games, but doesn’t commit to work outs or good nutrition. Our rewards in this life and the next are just as diminished when we don’t wholeheartedly accept God’s invitation.
Revelations of Divine Love
- by Julian of Norwich
Sixteenth Revelation, Chapter 79
I was taught that I should see mine own sin, and not other men's sin except it may be for comfort and help of my fellow-Christians
ALSO I had of this [Revelation] more understanding. In that He shewed me that I should sin, I took it nakedly to mine own singular person, for I was none otherwise shewed at that time. But by the high, gracious comfort of our Lord that followed after, I saw that His meaning was for the general Man: that is to say, All-Man; which is sinful and shall be unto the
last day. Of which Man I am a member, as I hope, by the mercy of God. For the blessed comfort that I saw, it is large enough for us all. And here was I learned that I should see mine own sin, and not other men's sins but if it may be for comfort and help of mine even-Christians.
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