E&W 12-29-13

Sacred Story

Encouragements & Wisdom: December 29, 2013

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Encouragements and Wisdom: December 29, 2013 (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

Inspirations can have a divine or a demonic source.
I pray for the grace to remember how to discern one from the other.

 
All of us are familiar with the cartoon image of a person with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other whispering into the person’s ear, each presumably with a different message for the individual in question.

The work of spiritual discernment, and it is work, calls us to awaken to the two different types of inspiration and notice the directions in which they lead. Those whisperings are not periodic but constant, each seeking to influence our thoughts, words and deeds—one for life and one for death.

This affirmation invites us to “remember” how to discern one from the other. We say “remember” because God has placed the truth in our hearts:

For this command which I am giving you today is not too wondrous or remote for you. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who will go up to the heavens to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may do it?” Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, “Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may do it?” No, it is something very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.
Dt. 30: 11-14

Therefore, learning right from wrong is a process of prayerful remembering, for God has placed in our hearts the truth we need to follow to find life and hope.

Lord Jesus, give us the presence of mind and heart to cultivate a deep remembering of your love in our hearts. May your grace help us to learn discernment so that in everything we may praise you in
Creation, Presence, Memory, Mercy and Eternity.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.

(Psalm 128: 4-5)

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