Glory to God

 LECTIO:                          1 Cor 10:31—11:1

Brothers and sisters,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or 
the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

STUDIUM:

Paul is asking everyone to do everything for the glory of God. Notice that the first thing he mentions is eating and drinking.  At this time, the Corinthians, whom this epistle is addressed to, were struggling with the fact that they were purchasing their food from that which was intended for idol worshippers to buy and offer to their idols.  

That's why it's good to pray a blessing over your food, before eating.  

MEDITATIO: 

One way not to give offense to anyone, is to accept what they offer you.  Thank them.  I don't have to eat or use it immediately.  I can say, "I'm saving this for later."  Just think WWJD.

ORATIO:

Lord, I want to be perfect like You.  I need to pray all the time.  I need to give You glory.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Glory to You, O God.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to remember to say grace before meals.

Mothers and Daughters

 Summer Island by Kristin Hannah is a book club recommendation.  It's not my style, but it was a nice story.  I would call it "chick lit."  Females love this type of story.  It ends happily, which you know from the beginning, but how it comes about is interesting.  

Nora is the main character--the mother.  She had a show like Delilah.  Delilah's show was an advice show regarding love and faith relationships.  But Nora had a past that destroyed her, her reputation, and almost her life.  Nora got drunk and broke her leg.  Her estranged daughter came to help her because she thought she could make money by writing an expose on Nora, her mother.  

While taking care of Nora, Ruby, the daughter runs into her teenage love.  

Yeah, I know.  Smartzy stuff.  Everyone ends happy ever after.  

So?  It's nice to read.  I'm glad I read Summer Island.

Spots

 LECTIO:   Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.

"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode out side the camp."

STUDIUM:

Leprosy was an ostracizing disease.  In my life time I remember when my friend's mother had tuberculosis.  She had to go away and no one could visit her, except relatives.  My friend tested positive for tuberculosis but she didn't have it.
     Imagine in Jesus' time! One with a skin problem had to show a priest.  If the disease was temporary, the person was declared clean.  What did teenagers with acne, do?  
    If someone was unclean, they had to leave the community.  They lived an isolated life.

MEDITATIO:

I remember the AIDS epidemic.  People at first, thought everyone could catch it.  Once it was learned that it was only passed on through body fluid, then people weren't so  freaked out about it.  Still.  People with AIDS were treated like lepers in Jesus' time.
   Sin is like leprosy.  It separates us from Jesus.  We need to seek reconciliation to join Jesus' society, again.

ORATIO:

Lord, don't let me ever become separated from You. My parish community helps me be reintegrated into your family whenever I sin. Keep me close, Lord.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Increase my love for your people Lord.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to go to Confession.

Fear Mongering

 Are you as afraid as I am?  Nuclear War?  Being drawn into a war?  Becoming a dictatorship?  The end of the world? Climate change?

I need to take a deep breath.  Music soothes the savage beast.  

Rosary Ring

 

My Rosary Ring finally arrived today. You wear it on your index finger and use your thumb to touch and spin the raised bumps, to mark one Hail Mary.  You can use it to just count prayers.  

Today, I used it to pray with my prayer partner and realized that I lost track of what decade  of the Rosary, I was on.  Oh well, I could pray all day.

Never-Ending Quest

 In my never-ending quest to learn to pray better, I've re-read, David Torkington's How to Pray .  I still stay the best way is to keep trying--fake it until you make it.  Try everything.  When you do something that brings you focused, sooner or later, you'll get bored or distracted.  What can I say?  You're human.  That's why I say it's a "never-ending quest."  

Liberation of St. Peter

 

Raphael's Liberation of St. Peter from prison touches me personally.  I always think of my "cloistered brothers", who are Lay Dominicans, living in prison.  

Acts 12:5-11

King James Version

5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews