The mere act of prayer is abhorrent to the forces of evil, and you will find that there will be all kinds of hindrances (depression, doubt, frustrations and so on). Many of those hindrances will have the smell of sulfur smoke about them.
- Steve Brown, Approaching God: Accepting the Invitation to Stand in the Presence of God
(Be suspicious of your reasons for excusing yourself from taking time to be alone with God in prayer. Very suspicious!)
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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.”
Shalom Place Covid-19 resource page
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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
Reflection on the Scriptures |
We never know for sure what will happen, but we try to be ready for whatever does. In the gospel, Jesus says we need to be prepared. We don’t know when, but we need to be ready. If the homeowner knew the burglars were going to break in, he would stay awake and be ready to protect his house. If the steward knew when the master was coming home, he would make sure to have supper ready, or at least he wouldn’t be
partying and ignoring his duties. Even if the master is late, the steward shouldn’t let down his guard. The thousands of people who have died from COVID didn’t expect that would happen. They couldn’t have guessed last year that there would be a deadly pandemic now. They certainly didn’t plan on it, but we hope they had or got their affairs in order. Now we know more about the situation and how to react better. . .. . Knowing that there is potential danger now, we can make the preparations to
stay safe and healthy.
We don’t know the hour. We don’t know the future. As I’m writing this now, I don’t know for sure if I’ll be in class or remote, or what. But I want to be prepared for what happens. When it’s my time, I want to be ready for the journey.
- by Tamora Whitney
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
And also in this same Shewing where I saw that I should sin, there was I learned to be in dread for unsureness of myself. For I wot not how I shall fall, nor I know not the measure nor the greatness of sin; for that would I have wist, with dread, and thereto I had none answer.
Also our courteous Lord in the same time He shewed full surely and mightily the endlessness and the unchangeability of His love; and, afterward, that by His great goodness and His grace inwardly keeping, the love of Him and our soul shall never be disparted in two, without end.
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