Message of 1-8-14

A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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Message of the Day

Will-power is excellent and we should always be using it; but it is not enough. A desire to live a good life is not enough. Obviously we should all have that desire, but it will not guarantee success. So let me put it thus: Hold on to your principles of morality and ethics, use your willpower to the limit, pay great heed to every noble, uplifting desire that is in you; but realize that these things alone are not enough, that they will never bring you to the desired place. We have to realize that all our best is totally inadequate, that a spiritual battle must be fought in a spiritual manner
 - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

(How do you experience your need for God these days?)

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

1 JN 4:11-18;    PS 72:1-2, 10, 12-13;    MK 6:45-52

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

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.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.

For 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.

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Reflection on the Scriptures
- http://www.dailysripture.net

Does the Lord seem distant when trials and difficulties come your way?  The Lord nevers leaves us alone, but keeps constant watch over us at all times, especially when we are tempted and feel weak or helpless.  Do you look to the Lord to give you his strength and help when you are in need?  Jesus assures us that we do not have to give into fear or discouragement if we put our trust in Him and remember his great love for us.  He will see us through any trial that comes our way. When calamities and trials threaten to overwhelm you, do you respond with faith and hope in God's loving care and presence with you?

"Lord, may I never doubt your saving help and your ever watchful presence, especially in times of adversity. Fortify my faith with courage and my hope with perseverance that I may never waver in my trust in you".

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Spiritual Reading

The Way of Perfection, by St. Teresa of Avila
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/1456569856/?tag=christianspiritu

Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural.

I described this as well as I was able in the relation which I made of it, as I have said, so that my confessors should see it when they read the account of my life which they had ordered me to write. As I have explained all this about contemplation at such length, therefore, I shall not repeat myself here and I am doing no more than touch upon it. If those of you who have experienced the happiness of being called by the Lord to this state of contemplation can get this book, you will find in it points and counsels which the Lord was pleased to enable me to set down. These should bring you great comfort and profit—in my opinion, at least, and in the opinion of several people who have seen it and who keep it at hand in order to make frequent use of it. I am ashamed to tell you that anything of mine is made such use of and the Lord knows with what confusion I write a great deal that I do. Blessed be He for thus bearing with me. Those of you who, as I say, have experience of supernatural prayer should procure the book after my death; those who have not have no need to do so but they should try to carry out what has been said in this one. Let them leave everything to the Lord, to Whom it belongs to grant this gift, and He will not deny it you if you do not tarry on the road but press forward so as to reach the end of your journey.

- Chapter 25

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