Daily Thoughts - Preparation.



Daily Thoughts - Preparation.

"but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.""  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭12‬

"May your hand be with the man on your right, with the son of man whom you made strong for yourself."  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭80‬:‭18‬

Prayer.  How often do we become confused in what prayer is?  Prayer at this point of my life is very quiet, I do not say much, maybe a few requests but nothing more.  Prayer consists of more listening and hearing what God is saying in my world.  Who am I that thinks he can direct God on His outcome.  I am nothing other than a faithful servant sitting at the Masters feet.  

He who has much to say can not hear.  The readings today speak of man not hearing God, man going his own way and intentionally persecuting His creation, (each other).  

Part of the spiritual exercises is a general examination of one's conscience. 

43. METHOD OF MAKING THE GENERAL EX.
AMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
There are five points in this method

1. The first point is to give thanks to God our Lord for the favors received.
2. The second point is to ask for grace to know my sins and to rid myself of them.
3. The third point is to demand an account of my soul from the time of rising up to the present ex-amination. I should go over one hour after another, one period after another. The thoughts should be examined first, then the words, and finally, the deeds in the same order as was explained under the Particular Examination of Conscience.
4. The fourth point will be to ask pardon of God our Lord for my faults.
5. The fifth point will be to resolve to amend with the grace of God. Close with an Our Father.

Listening is prayer, how the Pharisees and Sadducee's did not listen to the voice of God in their presence and He suffers due to it.  How are we causing God's creation to suffer even if it is warrantied in our own way of thinking.  

Dear Father, Thank you for our time together, to see my own way of thinking and how my thoughts, words and deeds bring both joy and pain.  I ask for thy help in ridding the selfish ways that are deep rooted within.  Prayers for a friend serving God thru suffering, their pain is healing.   May we always recognize Your call Lord, especially when You bid us to come to thee in our final hour.  May Your voice not be foreign in our life here on earth.  I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. 

Mary, Our Lady of Victory, Pray for us. 

St Joesph, Help of the Sick, Pray for us. 

St Ignatius, Pray for us. 

https://youtu.be/fBQ3VtfZGjQ

Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.  1 John 4:4b