Message of 12-23-13

A Daily Spiritual Seed
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Message of the Day

“God, in Christ, comes to seek for humankind, the ‘lost sheep’ of the parable in the Gospel, even in the ‘depths of the earth’ . . .
- Olivier Clement, “The Roots of Christian Mysticism” -

(God comes seeking us. Let your attitude in prayer this day be to allow God to find you.)

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Readings of the Day
 - http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month

MAL 3:1-4, 23-24;    PS 25:4-5, 8-10, 14;   LK 1:57-66

R. Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.

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Reflection on the Scriptures
- http://www.preacherexchange.com/daily_bread.htm

I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me.

During these weeks of Advent, we are slowly but surely making our way toward Bethlehem, toward the birth of Jesus. We have been waiting and preparing, lighting candles and saying prayers. There’s one more thing we are to do: repent. Malachi says this messenger will be like a refiner’s fire, which will purify us. Years later, the early church saw John the Baptist as the messenger Malachi had foretold, a messenger who proclaimed a message of repentance, transformation and change. Like prophets before and after him, John called people back to the covenant with God.

Prepare us for your coming, O God.

- by Jeanne Lischer

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Spiritual Reading

The Sparkling Stone, by St. John Rusybroeck (1293-1381)

The voice of the Father is heard by all who follow our Lord Jesus Christ, for He says of them all: "these are My chosen sons, in whom I am well pleased." And, through this good pleasure, each one receives grace, according to the measure and the way in which God is well-pleasing unto him. And therefrom, between our pleasure in God, and God's pleasure in us, there arises the practice of true love. And so each one tastes of his name and his office and the fruit of his exercise. And here all good men abide, hidden from those who live in the world; for these are dead before God and have no name, and therefore they can neither feel nor taste that which belongs to those who live indeed.

- Chapter 12. Of the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Thabor

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