Archive for July, 2008

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"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

July 15, 2008

When: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:00 AM to Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 

Matthew 10: 34 – 42, 11: 1
 
It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man’s progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken.
— St. Francis Xavier
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful I come to You, humbled by myself, I seek to follow the words of the Psalmist by finding and ‘bringing thanksgiving as my sacrifice to honor You’; hoping and praying that by ‘ordering my way aright‘ ‘You will show Your salvation to me and mine!‘For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! The in name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
Isaiah 1:10-17
Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
Matthew 10:34 — 11:1
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

Posted in Bible Readings, Daily Bible Readings, Daily Prayers, Richard Angulo | Leave a Comment »

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

July 15, 2008

When: Monday, July 14, 2008 12:00 AM to Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 
Matthew 10: 34 – 42, 11: 1
 
It is not the actual physical exertion that counts toward a man’s progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken.
— St. Francis Xavier
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful I come to You, humbled by myself, I seek to follow the words of the Psalmist by finding and ‘bringing thanksgiving as my sacrifice to honor You’; hoping and praying that by ‘ordering my way aright‘ ‘You will show Your salvation to me and mine!‘For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! The in name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

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"… He who has ears, let him hear."

July 13, 2008

When: Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:00 AM to Monday, July 14, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach.  And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."

Matthew 13: 1 – 23
 
Hold firmly that our faith is identical with that of the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church.
— St. Thomas Aquinas
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thank You for blessing me so and for the gift of feeling; feeling for You, even if they do not yet hear You. For I do want to hear You, and I do wake each day to listen for Your Words, always asking and always praying that through Jesus who in the Spirit lives within me I will keep feeling my ear for You, and keep the faith to keep listening and hoping that someday I will truly hear You. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 65:10-14
Romans 8:18-23
Matthew 13:1-23  or 13:1-9
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

Posted in Bible Readings, Daily Bible Readings, Daily Prayers, Richard Angulo | Leave a Comment »

"… He who has ears, let him hear."

July 13, 2008

When: Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:00 AM to Monday, July 14, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach.  And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."
Matthew 13: 1 – 23
 
Hold firmly that our faith is identical with that of the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church.
— St. Thomas Aquinas
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thank You for blessing me so and for the gift of feeling; feeling for You, even if they do not yet hear You. For I do want to hear You, and I do wake each day to listen for Your Words, always asking and always praying that through Jesus who in the Spirit lives within me I will keep feeling my ear for You, and keep the faith to keep listening and hoping that someday I will truly hear You. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

Posted in Daily Bible Readings | Leave a Comment »

If they have called the master of the house Be-el’zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

July 13, 2008

When: Saturday, July 12, 2008 12:00 AM to Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el’zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10: 24 – 33
 
You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all you will remain.
— St Therese of Lisiuex
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful for this past week, grateful for these coming days, I look to Thee Lord God for thought, word and guidance on what to do and when to do it; for I am prone to selfish thoughts and prideful reactions, each of which I must die to over and over until because of Your grace and mercy, and through the teachings and Spirit of Jesus within me I have been likened to Him. Whether in this life under the sun or in the next with You, I know this is my purpose and He is the way. So I seek and ask faithfully for Your blessings, and await hopefully that You will enlarge my territory, all the while keeping me and mine from evil and from causing pain. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen. 
 
3 … "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory."
5 And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
6 Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 
7 And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." 
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Psalm 93:1-2, 5
2 thy throne is established from of old; thou art from everlasting. 
5 Thy decrees are very sure; holiness befits thy house, O LORD, for evermore.
Matthew 10:24-33
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

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No one should follow what he considers to be good for himself, but rather what seems good for another. They should display brotherly love in a chaste manner; fear God in a spirit of love.

July 11, 2008

When: Friday, July 11, 2008 12:00 AM to Saturday, July 12, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.
Matthew 10: 16 – 23
 
No one should follow what he considers to be good for himself, but rather what seems good for another. They should display brotherly love in a chaste manner; fear God in a spirit of love.
— St. Benedict
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful for yesterday, grateful for today, I know I am lost, a boat a drift at sea without compass or oars; subject to my selfish nature and weakness of the flesh with its desires and pride. Today Hosea 9 says it best ‘Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.‘ Lord God, Abba Father bless me indeed, enlarge my territory in and with Your ways and Jesus’ teachings, keep me and mine from the evil within and around us, teaching us how to walk as St. Benedict directs us today; guided by what is good for the others, and in love.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

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"If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

July 10, 2008

When: Thursday, July 10, 2008 12:00 AM to Friday, July 11, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 
Words written in red; Words of Jesus
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?  For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.

Matthew 16: 24 – 27
 
If you should ask me what is the way of God, I would tell you that it is humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are fruitless. 
— St. Augustine
 
Abba, Father, Lord God, thankful for yesterday, grateful for today, You fill me with memories, You show me what means the most to me, and all the way You keep blessing me and touch me to let me know that You are with me, and so more and more in the simplest of things I find myself saying ‘my Lord God is with me, thank You Lord God‘. You know me better than I know myself, You know the number of hairs on my head and what is best for me; You have shown and proven to me that I am nothing without You, You are my source of source. To walk without You and Your counsel is like walking with my eyes closed; I feel to walk with You will be like running with my eyes closed. While I know I have much, much to learn and understand about how to let Your will flow through me to the point that there is no doubt, hesitation or worry, just faith, hope and love. I know You are there and I seek to practice Your presence more and more, until I am one with You, as You are one with me, and as You, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one. I have a lot to reconcile under the sun and there is much work to do and things to be taken care of, oneness with Your presence is what I will need to complete that which is before me. In Jesus name I ask You to help and bless me and mine, enlarge our territory, while keeping us from evil, and from causing pain. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
 
2 Corinthians 4:6-11, 16, 17
6  For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.  8  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 
10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.  11  For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  16  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day.  17  For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 
Psalm 59:2, 10, 17-18
2  deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.  10  My God in his steadfast love will meet me; my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.  17  O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee, for thou, O God, art my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.
Matthew 16:24-27
 
 
Audio books I am listening to and other books or readings I am reading:
The Art of Presence By: Eckhart Tolle In The Art of Presence, Eckhart guides you through seven hours of transformational insights that allow "presence to naturally arise" in you. With his one-of-a-kind instruction, you will learn how to ground yourself in the vibrancy of your "inner body" while simultaneously breaking free from the illusion of separation from the outside world.
The Brain That Changes Itself: Personal Triumphs from the Frontiers of Brain Science (Unabridged) By: Norman Doidge The discovery that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains – even into old age – is the most important breakthrough in neuroscience in four centuries.
The Shack Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
 
 

Posted in Bible Readings, Daily Bible Readings, Daily Prayers, Richard Angulo | Leave a Comment »

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