Train Your Soul for Peace A beloved and treasured prayer for a century, the Peace Prayer has been ascribed to Saint Francis of Assisi though, in fact, it was probably written seven centuries after his death. In fourteen simple verses, it captures the essence of soul training. Soul training is our response to the gratuity of grace that never expires and is never exhausted. The initial training can be tedious and difficult since we are born selfish and self-centered. The centripetal force of the ego makes us not only cling to personality props that we lean on for our self-worth but also promotes fears, attachments, control issues, and a sense of entitlement that hinder our surrender to grace. As we allow grace to shape us into instruments of God, we are challenged to practice the kenotic selflessness of Jesus by living lives of selfless surrender, self-denying sacrifice, and solicitous service. This selflessness is also expressed in practical ways by sowing faith, hope, love, forgiveness, and joy while consoling, understanding, and enriching the lives of others. These practices activate the centrifugal force of the Spirit that invites us to a daily death of letting go and surrendering as we walk in the footsteps of the Lord and Divine Master. As this first death becomes second nature, we prepare ourselves for the second death that leads to the imperishable crown of eternal life. —from the book Soul Training with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
by Albert Haase, OFM |  MorningOffering.com | †Saint Quote
"Be a Catholic: When you kneel before an altar, do it in such a way that others may be able to recognize that you know before whom you kneel."
— St. Maximilian Kolbe †MEDITATION OF THE DAY†
"'As God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.' No one can do better with his life than that; no one can put it to a better use. Any life must be perfect in proportion as it does what it was made to do. There are many lives that are brilliant failures; they strive after many things that they were never intended to do and fail in that one thing. It seems strange that a reasonable being should never ask himself why he was put upon earth, or that it should not occur to him that the reason must be found in the will of his Creator ... At the end of the day of our earthly life, we have to answer to our Maker whether we have been employed about our own work or about His, whether we have even made an effort to find out what He would have us do. A life that is inspired by such a motive is sure to be a success, for of this we may be absolutely certain: that each of us can fulfill in our life that for which we were created. We cannot be sure that we have the gifts needed for any other purpose ... For God, in creating us, equipped us for the work for which He created us. We have every gift of nature and of grace, of mind and body that is needed for this work."
— Fr. Basil Maturin, p. 35
AN EXCERPT FROM
Spiritual Guidelines for Souls Seeking God † VERSE OF THE DAY
"Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! Thou hast said, "Seek ye my face." My heart says to thee, "Thy face, Lord, do I seek." Hide not thy face from me. Turn not thy servant away in anger, thou who hast been my help. Cast me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation!"
Psalm 27:7-9 |  click to read more | | ST. EDMUND CAMPION St. Edmund Campion (1540–1581) was born in London, England, the son of a bookseller. He was a promising student and went on to become an esteemed and celebrated Oxford scholar, winning the high regard of Queen Elizabeth who admired his wit and pleasant disposition. Although raised Catholic, he was ordained an Anglican deacon. Unsettled by his move away from the Church, he repented and returned to the Catholic faith. While in disguise to protect his safety following his reversion, he witnessed the martyrdom of a fellow scholar and recognized his vocation. He went to Rome and became a Jesuit priest, and while assigned to minister in Moravia he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who foretold his martyrdom. He later returned to England as an undercover priest during the severe persecution of Catholics upon the Pope's excommunication of Queen Elizabeth. His mission was to strengthen Catholics wavering under government pressure and win converts among the Protestants. St. Edmund was eventually hunted down, imprisoned in the Tower of London, and tortured. After being found guilty of treason, he said, "In condemning us, you condemn all your own ancestors, all our ancient bishops and kings, all that was once the glory of England — the island of saints, and the most devoted child of the See of Peter." After spending his last days in prayer, he was dragged with two fellow priests to be hanged, drawn, and quartered on December 1st, 1581 at 41 years of age. His feast day is December 1st. | Tuesday of the First Week of Advent Lectionary: 176
Reading 1 IS 11:1-10 On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea. On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious. Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
He shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 10:21-24 Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it." | Daily Meditation: Isaiah 11:1–10 On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. (Isaiah 11:1) A good rain can produce a miracle in just about any desert. Seeds buried in dry earth are able to lie waiting for months, even years. Suddenly, in the right conditions, they sprout, and the desert floor bursts with color and life. In a way, Israel waiting for the Messiah was like a desert waiting to burst into bloom. For many years, the nation had endured exile and oppression, with only occasional flashes of hope. King David's once vibrant dynasty lay dormant, and the people were constantly tempted to follow the ways of the pagans around them. But God had spoken to this desert and promised a "shoot . . . from the stump of Jesse," who would establish a kingdom of righteousness (Isaiah 11:1). Then, centuries later, it happened! Jesus was born into David's lineage, and he ushered in the kingdom with a breathtaking display of power and grace. But there's a twist. Jesus' ministry produced a different sort of "bloom" than what many were expecting. He had come to rescue people from sin, not Roman imperialism. And his great victory was won on the cross, not at the head of a liberating army. Still, for those who believed in him, the desert came alive with all the vibrant colors of grace, mercy, and joy. Have you been through a desert this past year? Deserts are disorienting, and you may have more questions than answers as you deal with a pandemic, racial tensions, grief, financial hardship, or simply the demands of everyday life. Wearied and hurting, you may even wonder if God has turned his back on you. But God wants you to know that wherever you are, he is with you. He has not forgotten you. He's walking with you through this desert. He will always love you, and he'll always, always be faithful. As you wait for your prayers to be answered, consider the ways in which God's grace may already be blossoming around you. The stark beauty of this desert may nudge you to pray and open you to receive the "rain" of God's grace. By stripping away your comforts, this experience can even expose the unshakable faith that sits deep within your heart. "Lord, help me see your grace in the desert." Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Luke 10:21-24 |  clickable | Fire easily burns low and fades out, and charity also can burn low and even fade out, unless it is being stoked all the time.
— Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C.
from Cause of Our Joy | my2cents:
"A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom...he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted."
With authority He will speak. Remember how the spiritual realms work. Permissions. And Authorities. Let's realize this. Do not let evil have authority. But let our Lord have all say in all aspects of your life. | We pray: "He shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.*
Is justice flourishing today? It has been until today. And the word "until" does not change today, but continues today. Do you believe? I write with His authority, for you to believe. And faith is a gift. | Our Lord said "No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."
Our Lord doesn't reveal Himself to everyone. It is apparent by this statement. But He DOES reveal Himself. He's even revealed Himself to Muslims in the last few years. He reveals Himself to atheists too. He reveals Himself to whomever He decides to. This my friend is amazing. And for you, who are trying to be faithful, does He need to reveal Himself to you? John 14:9
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" | Who sees the Son, sees the Father. Want to see the Son of God? WE ARE. We are the body of Christ. The times He's revealed Himself to me are the times I decided I wanted to go see Him. In the Sacraments, or in a stranger. And so, our Lord continues: ""Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
You are seeing and hearing, the Word of God. Now believe.
I want you to be the horn of our Lord, the speaker, the teacher, the healer, the wonder worker, the amazer. Share what He is saying to you right now.
Last night I worked on a prayer video to post on YouTube, and I'd like for you to take it and share it. It asks for fasting and repentance, but for a special reason, and it is calling I could not ignore even though I kept putting it off, like the prophet Jonah.
Now it is in your hands. Click and share: https://youtu.be/BQqSk7NPUG4 Lord, we are your precious body, let us make you the most precious gift for eternity. | Random Bible verse from online generator Proverbs 20:9 9 Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"? | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment