SPIRITUAL EXCERCISES & RSV BIBLE EXTRACTS - WEEK 110
STARTS THURSDAY 4th MARCH 2010
CONVERSION - CHANGE OF HEART IS GOD’S WORK
Weekly message No. 105 (27th February 1986).
Living the messages in humility.
“Dear children! In humility live the messages which I am giving you.
Thank you for having responded to my call.”
PRACTICAL:
This week make an honest assessment about how you are living the messages of Our Lady.
Thursday: Brotherly love and reconciliation.
Matthew 5:20-26.
20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire. 23So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.”
Friday: Making the mind of Christ our own.
Philippians 2:5-11.
5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Friday: Cf. Colossians 1:15-20.
15He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Saturday: Learning from Jesus to be gentle and humble of heart.
Matthew 11:25-30.
25At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; 26yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 27All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Sunday: God is with the humble and contrite.
Isaiah 57:15.
15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Sunday: Cf. Psalm 51(50): 17.
17The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Monday: The righteous way of living.
Micah 6:8.
8He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Tuesday: Witnessing for Christ under trials and persecution.
1 Peter 3:13-17.
13Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? 14But even if you do suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; 16and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.
Wednesday: Living by the messages: living by the standard of the Gospel: compassion, humility, generosity, gentleness, patience, forgiving and loving.
Colossians 3:12-15.
12Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, 13forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.