E&W 6-8-14

Sacred Story

Encouragements & Wisdom: June 8, 2014

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Encouragements and Wisdom: June 8, 2014 (PDF).

E & W reflections are additional helps for your Sacred Story prayer journey. Reflect on them at week’s beginning or outside of your 15-minute prayer periods.

The Affirmations

The way through the temptation is to surrender my powerlessness to God.

The temptation referenced in this affirmation is that of doubting my life as Sacred Story in the face of one’s own sinfulness and inner corruption. We recall that when St. Ignatius could not “save himself,” he nearly walked away from his conversion journey. When faced with our sinfulness, we are immediately tempted towards one of two extremes. We either want to be healed through our own efforts alone, or we try to eradicate (or redefine!) every flaw so we will have no need for God. Both temptations are faces of the same sin of pride.

So what is the solution when I confront my sinfulness and I feel overwhelmed? The feeling of being overwhelmed happens when I am not able to eradicate my sinfulness on my own or to see how it will ever be eradicated in my lifetime. The solution is to surrender to God in Christ who is the one who can make your life a Sacred Story. This point of surrender is when your true Christian journey begins. It is the point when you will begin to trust completely in God and not in yourself. This is the path to holiness, humility and strangely enough, the path to your Sacred Story!

Lord Jesus Christ, you are forgiveness, mercy and peace. You alone are my holiness. You alone are my hope. Always grant me the humility to surrender my life and sinfulness to your love and mercy. Never let be become frustrated with my slow growth but trust in your kindness and patience so that all my thoughts, words and deeds can one day find the fullness in
Creation, Presence, Memory, Mercy and Eternity.

Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD,
my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works,
O Lord! the earth is full of your creatures.

(Psalm 104: 1)

https://sacredstory.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/descent-holy-spirit-vrubel600x303.jpg

Mikhail Vrubel, The Descent of the Holy Spirit (1885)