A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- blogcast from http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com (comments option open)
Message of the Day
Since he is the Sun of Justice, he fittingly calls his disciples the light of the world. The reason for this is that through them, as through shining rays he has poured out the light of the knowledge of himself upon the entire world. For by manifesting the light of truth, they have dispelled the darkness of error from the hearts of people.
- St. Chromaticus of Aquileia
(Let the light of God's love shine forth through you this day.)
Readings of the Day
- http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
1 JN 2:29-3:6; PS 98:1, 3-6; JN 1:29-34
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
Reflection on the Scriptures
- http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
The gospel reading focuses on John the Baptist as do many at this time of year. I have always been curious about the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus. How did John not know Jesus if Mary knew John’s mother Elizabeth? I did some searching and found some wonderful connections – I can easily accept that differences in ages, distances and the difficulty in traveling then, in addition to John’s living in the desert contributed to lack of contact between the two. What I discovered was some interesting comparison of terms throughout the Bible. For instance:
John was the light; Jesus is the sun.
The Baptist was the voice, Christ was the Word.
One is the friend; the other is the spouse.
A consistent theme is John’s proclamation that he must increase and I must decrease. I loved that one source pointed out that the birth of St. John is celebrated on June 24th, in the moment of the summer solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to reduce. On the other hand, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25th, during the winter solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to grow, to get longer. He does indeed increase as John decreases and those around realize that John is not the Messiah but rather the messenger. So must we decrease in ourselves as we allow Jesus to increase in our lives and all we do. Once we do, we can truly dance!!
- by Nancy Shirley
Spiritual Reading
Selected Quotes from St. John of the Cross on the Journey of the Soul to God by Contemplation - from The Spiritual Canticle
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/ 1604592826/?tag=christianspiritu
Stanza
1. #19. Spiritual wounds of love are very delightful and desirable. The
soul would desire to be ever dying a thousand deaths from the thrusts
of the lance, for they make her go out of herself and enter into God. #20. The wounded soul, strengthened from the fire caused by the wound, went out after her Beloved Who wounded her, calling for Him, that He might heal her. One goes out from oneself through self-forgetfulness.
- compiled by James and Tyra Arraj
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