SPIRITUAL EXCERCISES & RSV BIBLE EXTRACTS - WEEK 152
STARTS THURSDAY 23rd DECEMBER 2010
THE GLORY OF ‘MARIAN HOLINESS OF LIFE’
III. SHARING GOD’S GLORY WITH OUR BLESSED LADY
Weekly message No. 148 (25th December 1986).
Living for the glory of God.
“Dear children! Today also I give thanks to the Lord for all that He is doing for me, especially for this gift that I am able to be with you also today. Dear children, these are the days in which the Father grants special graces to all who open their hearts. I bless you and I desire that you too, dear children, become alive to the graces and place everything at God's disposal so that He may be glorified through you. My heart carefully follows your progress. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
PRACTICAL:
This Christmas season may be marked by attending Holy Mass as often as possible out of gratitude for all the graces of God through our Blessed Mother.
Thursday: Recognising the good tree by its fruits.
Matthew 7:15-20.
15Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. 18A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Friday: The Magnificat of Our Lady.
Luke 1:46-55.
46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; 49for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, 52he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”
Saturday: The shepherds heard the angels ‘gloria’, and they, too, have praised God.
Luke 2:14.
14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2: 20.
20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Sunday: Following the example of Christ, we give glory to God our Father with one heart.
Romans 15:5-6.
5May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday: Those whom the Lord has ransomed will have unending joy.
Isaiah 35:10.
10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Monday: Cf. Revelation 21:3-4.
3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”
Tuesday: “Whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17.
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Tuesday: Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31.31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Tuesday: Ephesians 5:19-20.
19Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Wednesday: “All of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:12-18.
12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not see the end of the fading splendour. 14But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their minds; 16but when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.