A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- blogcast from http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com (comments option open)
Annual Appeal Week
Every year I mention the Shalom Place Discussion Board as an
example of the kind of outreach we make available through the
Internet. It is one of the primary ways that we listen deeply to
the spiritual hungers and questions of the world today, and is
unique in its ecumenical and inter-religious openness while
retaining Christian rootedness.- see http://shalomplace.org/eve/forums for the forum index page.
This is one of the most important outreaches of our Internet Ministry, so much so that we pay a professional service to host and maintain the forum for us.
Unlike blogs, which allow only the owner to open topics (and might even restrict comments), a discussion forum makes it possible for anyone to open a topic and contribute to it. To prevent spammers from over-running the place, I have set posting permissions to apply to registered users only (registration is free and "painless"). Anyone can read the forum, however, and during any given month, it is very well-visited.
Here are the Board stats from September 2013
- 1,440 registered members (to date)
- 123,237 page views (September)
- 23 forums open (to date)
- 2,665 topics open (to date)
- 44,933 posts to topics (to date)
Yes, you read that topic and post total correctly!
I daresay that I have read every one of those posts and responded to almost every topic since the Board opened in September 2000.
I am very pleased with the resource that the Shalom Place Discussion Board has become, thanks in no small part to the excellent contributors to the discussions. Because the Board is free and open to the public, that surely enhances its reach and impact. It is also indexed by Google and other search engines, with forum discussions coming up in many search queries.
Your financial support helps to keep the Shalom Place Discussion Board going. Thanks for your consideration.
Phil St. Romain
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Donation and voluntary subscription options (including secure online credit card and check payment)
http://heartlandspirituality.org/support.html
Book, eBook and/or audio resource purchases.
http://shalomplace.com/products.html and
http://shalomplace.com/psrbks.html
Message of the Day
I am certainly unfit to advise anyone else on the devotional life. My own rules are (1) To make sure that, wherever else they may be place, the main prayers should *not* be put ‘last thing at night.’ (2) To avoid introspection in prayers—I mean not to watch one’s own mind to see if it is in the right frame, but always to turn the attention outwards to God. (3) Never, never to try to generate an emotion by will power. (4) To pray without words when I am able, but to fall back on words when tired or otherwise below par.
- C.S. Lewis [20th C.], Letter to Mrs. Ursula Roberts
(How do these 4 rules compare with your own approach to prayer?)
- share comments at http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com/
Readings of the Day
- http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
WIS 7:22B–8:1; PS 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175; LK 17:20-25
R. (89a) Your word is for ever,
O Lord.Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
Reflection on the Scriptures
- http://www.dailysripture.net
Jesus identified himself with the "Day of the Lord". "Son of man" was understood as a Messianic title for the one who would come not only to establish God's kingdom but who would come as Judge of the living as well as the dead. Jesus points to his second coming when he will return to complete the work of restoration and final judgment. While we do not know the time of his return, we will not mistake it when it happens. It will be apparent to all, both believers and non-believers as well. When the Pharisees asked Jesus what sign would indicate the "Day of the Lord", Jesus replied that only one sign would point to that day and that sign was Jesus himself. Jesus surprised the Jews of his time by announcing that God's kingdom was already present among them in his very person – the Son of God sent from the Father to redeem the world from sin and destruction. In Jesus we see the power and the glory of God's kingdom. His divine power overthrew the powers of darkness and sin. Jesus knew that the only way to victory was through the cross. On that cross he defeated death and canceled the debt of our sins. The victory of his cross opens the way for us to become citizens of God's kingdom. Do you seek the coming of God's kingdom with joyful hope?
"Lord Jesus Christ, may your kingdom come and my your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be the Ruler of my heart and the Master of my life that I may always live in the freedom of your love and truth."
Spiritual Reading
The Cloud of Unknowing, by Anonymous (late 14th C.)
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/ 0385030975/?tag=christianspiritu
(Link to the translation by William Johnson, S.J., which is easier to read than the public domain translation below).
Lo! here may men see what a privy pressing of love may purchase of our Lord, before all other works that man may think. And yet I grant well, that she had full much sorrow, and wept full sore for her sins, and full much she was meeked in remembrance of her wretchedness. And so should we do, that have been wretches and accustomed sinners; all our lifetime make hideous and wonderful sorrow for our sins, and full much be meeked in remembrance of our wretchedness.
- Chapter 23
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Amazon Gift Cards: Good for any occasion.
- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067L6TQ/?tag=christianspiritu
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- http://heartlandspirituality.org/support.html
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