A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- blogcast from http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com (comments option open)
Contents:
- Book/Resource of the Week
- Weekend Readings
- Spiritual Guidance
- Saint of the Week
- Affiliate Web Sites
- Theology Note of the Week
- Discussion Board
- Joke of the Week
- Advertising and Archives
- Subscribe/Unsubscribe links. Attributions.
- - -
Book/Resource of the Week
Grave Injustice: Unearthing Wrongful Executions, by Richard A. Stack. Potomac Books, 2013.
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/1612341624/?tag=christianspiritu
It
is most probably true that United States has executed a number of
innocent persons. This author aims to expose the main defects in the
capital punishment system in vogue in the States by showing that the
death penalty is carried out by flawed humans, and that this
irreversible punishment has no place in an imperfect system. By naming
the case of Troy Davis who spent twenty years in prison and was then
executed for a crime he most likely did not commit, sets the stage for
introducing many others whose fate was similar. Stack puts a human face
on the tragedy of capital punishment. The nineteen executions described in this book show clearly the defects in this system of “justice” and proves that capital punishment does not deter crime, and it costs more than life without parole. Noteworthy is the disparity between classes of persons who are executed: more African Americans than whites, more poor than rich, more poorly educated than well educated, more who can afford expensive lawyers that those who cannot. Procedural errors, incompetent defense attorneys, and mistaken eyewitnesses cause many unnecessary and unjust condemnations and deaths.
This author gives examples of six anti-death penalty warriors who clearly show the country how to become a more compassionate society, and prove that the death penalty is not the best way to go. Prisons were originally places for doing penance; executions eliminate all possibilities of redemption.
“…the death penalty neither deters crime nor affords the rest of society greater protection from offenders than a punishment of life without parole….Even the benefit of bringing “closure “to the murder victim’s loved ones is questionable.”
(Thanks to Sr. Irene Hartman OP for this review.)
Weekend Readings
- http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
Saturday
1 KGS 3:4-13
PS 119:9-14
MK 6:30-34
Sunday
IS 58:7-10
PS 112:4-9
1 COR 2:1-5
MT 5:13-16
Spiritual Guidance
- http://shalomplace.com/direction
Need a companion for the spiritual journey?
Consultations and spiritual direction available.
Saint of the Week
- http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/default.aspx
St. Scholastica (480-542): February 10
Twins often share the same interests and ideas with an equal
intensity. Therefore, it is no surprise that Scholastica and her twin
brother, Benedict (July 11), established religious communities within a
few miles from each other.Born in 480 of wealthy parents, Scholastica and Benedict were brought up together until he left central Italy for Rome to continue his studies.
Little is known of Scholastica’s early life. She founded a religious community for women near Monte Cassino at Plombariola, five miles from where her brother governed a monastery.
The twins visited each other once a year in a farmhouse because Scholastica was not permitted inside the monastery. They spent these times discussing spiritual matters.
According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, the brother and sister spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day.
He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own Rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey.
Benedict cried out, “God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?” Scholastica replied, “I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it.”
Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
Affliate Web Sites
- Please give them a visit
SeeScapes: picturing the deeper dimensions of our spirituality.
- http://www.seescapes.com/
Heartland Center for Spirituality: sponsoring Internet workshops year-round.
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/
Emanuella House of Prayer: a place for prayer and silence in British Columbia.
- http://emmanuellahouse.shawwebspace.ca/
Kyrie Places of Pilgrimmage and Renewal
- http://www.kyrie.com/places/index.htm
Temenos Catholic Worker: support for homeless youth in Polk Street neighborhood, San Francisco.
- http://www.temenos.org/
The Sanctuary Foundation for Prayer: resources for spiritual growth.
- http://fromholyground.org/index.htm
Philothea.net: promoting the love of God as expressed in The First Great Commandment
- http://philothea.net/
Hearts on Fire: a blog to spark inspiration, thought, wonder, laughter and prayer.
- http://heartsonfire33.wordpress.com/
Stillpoint: Programs in spiritual direction, contemplative prayer.
- http://www.stillpointnashville.org/
The Ark: Providing a variety of scripture and lectionary study resources.
- http://theark1.com/
Contemplative Ministries of the Pacific Northwest: Teaching and support on contemplative practice.
- http://www.prayeroftheheart.com/
Shalom Place: Resources on Christian spiritual living.
- http://shalomplace.com/
Inner Explorations: a vast array of spirituality resources for the mature Christian.
- http://innerexplorations.com
Reach hundreds of people who have a similar interest in Christian spirituality. Simply publish a link to Daily Spiritual Seed-- http://heartlandspirituality.org/dailyseed.html --on a prominent place on your web site and we will reciprocate with a weekly link to your site in the newsletter. Contact the Editor when you're ready to begin.
Theology Note of the Week
- http://carm.org/s
Sacrifice
Sacrifice has different meanings. It can mean the slaughter of animals for religious ceremony. It can mean the death of Christ on the cross by which our sins are forgiven. It can mean the attempt to appease a deity or deities through the death of an animal or person on an altar.
Discussion Board
- http://shalomplace.org/eve/forums
Topics being discussed at this time include:
Lonergan vs. Aurobindo
- Book and Movie Reviews forum
"The Rising Tide of Silence," by Thomas Keating
- Book and Movie Reviews forum
Snippets from the Hard Copy (on universal reconciliation)
- Recommended Resources forum
Apophatic Christian spirituality
- Christian Spirituality Issues forum
Effects of eliminating salt, sugar, wheat and dairy
- Health and Wellness forum
Joke of the Week
- http://www.pacprod.com/jokes.pl
More Punny Lexophiles
Police were called to a day care Center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.
A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
When she saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.
Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
- And the cream of the wretched crop -
Those who get too big for their pants will be exposed in the end.
(Thanks, Carol)
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Amazon Gift Cards: Good for any occasion.
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
- - - -
Please support this ministry with a tax-deductible donation.
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/support.html
_________________________________________________
* Web Archive: http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?dailyseed
* RSS: http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?dailyseed
* To subscribe by email: http://heartlandspirituality.org/dailyseed.html
* Blog subscription (includes comment options): http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment