Daily Retreat 08/27/07
2007 Aug 27 Mon:Monica, mw M
1 Thes 1:1-5. 8b-10/ Ps 149:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Mt 23:13-22
From today’s readings: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.... The Lord takes delight in His people.... Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.....”
Love Letters
E-mail and other modern means of communications are great inventions (of course, that’s how most of you receive these daily virtual retreat reflections!), but these modern media merely supplement, but will never completely replace, older methods of communications, such as writing personal letters.
For instance, I’m sure many of you who receive this reflection have a full inbox today, and might only give a quick glance to these words. How different it would be if you received a personal letter from me! You would almost certainly take whatever time necessary to read through the whole thing....
One of St. Paul’s most effective evangelization strategies was his commitment to letter writing. Not a single letter of his is an impersonal piece of throwaway junkmail - rather, each epistle is filled with profound truth, sincere personal solicitude, hearty encouragement, and Christian charity. His letters of love became prized possessions of the recipients, so that they kept them carefully while copying them copiously to share the blessings received through reading them!
Today, the lectionary’s first reading is the beginning of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (probably the earliest written words of the entire New Testament!). Take a few minutes to read the entire letter today, but be sure to read it as a personal letter (i.e., slowly, carefully, lovingly), not skimming through it the way we do with so much junkmail (and perhaps even this email!). Then consider whom you would like to say these things to:
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers...”
Why not be like St. Paul - stop procrastinating, and write your own beautiful letter TODAY of profound truth, sincere personal solicitude, hearty encouragement, and Christian charity? This is one of the best ways to not just brighten a person’s day, but to evangelize (share good news!) and give something that becomes a prized possession, a blessing to be treasured intently and shared joyfully!
1 Thes 1:1-5. 8b-10/ Ps 149:1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Mt 23:13-22
From today’s readings: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.... The Lord takes delight in His people.... Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.....”
Love Letters
E-mail and other modern means of communications are great inventions (of course, that’s how most of you receive these daily virtual retreat reflections!), but these modern media merely supplement, but will never completely replace, older methods of communications, such as writing personal letters.
For instance, I’m sure many of you who receive this reflection have a full inbox today, and might only give a quick glance to these words. How different it would be if you received a personal letter from me! You would almost certainly take whatever time necessary to read through the whole thing....
One of St. Paul’s most effective evangelization strategies was his commitment to letter writing. Not a single letter of his is an impersonal piece of throwaway junkmail - rather, each epistle is filled with profound truth, sincere personal solicitude, hearty encouragement, and Christian charity. His letters of love became prized possessions of the recipients, so that they kept them carefully while copying them copiously to share the blessings received through reading them!
Today, the lectionary’s first reading is the beginning of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (probably the earliest written words of the entire New Testament!). Take a few minutes to read the entire letter today, but be sure to read it as a personal letter (i.e., slowly, carefully, lovingly), not skimming through it the way we do with so much junkmail (and perhaps even this email!). Then consider whom you would like to say these things to:
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers...”
Why not be like St. Paul - stop procrastinating, and write your own beautiful letter TODAY of profound truth, sincere personal solicitude, hearty encouragement, and Christian charity? This is one of the best ways to not just brighten a person’s day, but to evangelize (share good news!) and give something that becomes a prized possession, a blessing to be treasured intently and shared joyfully!
posted by FrPitstick | 8/24/2007
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