Daily Retreat 11/24/07
2007 Nov 24 Sat:Andrew Dung-Lac, p, mt, & co., mts M
1 Mc 6:1-13/ Ps 9:2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19/ Lk 20:27-40
From today’s readings: “As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais.... I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.... He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive....”
Discernment of Death
Although it takes courage to do so, we should all meditate from time to time on our own mortality and inevitable death - not in a preoccupied manner (which would be morbid), but at least in a sober style, because some of the most important insights about life can be gained by directly facing death.
St. Ignatius of Loyola explained how we can make better life decisions by imagining how we will look back on those same decisions at the time of our death: will we be at peace with the decisions, or will we regret our choices as selfish and a waste of our precious God-given time on earth?
The First Book of Macabees recounts how, at the moment of his death, King Antiochus looked back at so much of what he had done with bitter remorse and utter hopelessness. By meditating on our own death, you and I can become aware of what in our present life could be a source of compunction as we face our earthly end, and therefore choose to do something about it NOW, before it’s too late!
1 Mc 6:1-13/ Ps 9:2-3. 4 and 6. 16 and 19/ Lk 20:27-40
From today’s readings: “As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais.... I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.... He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive....”
Discernment of Death
Although it takes courage to do so, we should all meditate from time to time on our own mortality and inevitable death - not in a preoccupied manner (which would be morbid), but at least in a sober style, because some of the most important insights about life can be gained by directly facing death.
St. Ignatius of Loyola explained how we can make better life decisions by imagining how we will look back on those same decisions at the time of our death: will we be at peace with the decisions, or will we regret our choices as selfish and a waste of our precious God-given time on earth?
The First Book of Macabees recounts how, at the moment of his death, King Antiochus looked back at so much of what he had done with bitter remorse and utter hopelessness. By meditating on our own death, you and I can become aware of what in our present life could be a source of compunction as we face our earthly end, and therefore choose to do something about it NOW, before it’s too late!
posted by FrPitstick | 11/21/2007
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