| ON GRAND CATHEDRALS &RENOUNCING DISTRACTION
by Greg Schlueter
WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE GREAT CATHEDRALS your eyes draw your imagination and heart upwards. Where you find yourself consumed. The pillars. Structures. Artwork. Lines. Contours. All magnificently conceived to unite the vast horizon of humanity into a unified movement towards the pinnacle. Heaven.
THIS IS HOW GOD MADE THE WORLD. We can try to examine each of the parts around us, try to make them the whole, but out of context, not connected to the whole, we are not drawn higher. We miss true majesty and beauty. We remain without the transcendence for which our souls yearn. We remain cut off. Splintered. Imprisoned.
IT'S A MIGHTY WORK OF SATAN to have us fixated on one part of our lives. To disregard everything around it. How it flows into the upward elevation. That's like looking at the Fall in the Sistine Chapel apart from where it leads. Where it's fulfilled. Indeed, in light of which the Fall, or Fault, is even regarded as "Happy."
HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION: Are we doing that in our lives? Standing amidst the cathedral that is our world and remaining fixated on a failure as a parent. Or spouse. Or something we did in the long past. Or a pressing financial circumstance. A broken relationship. A grinding justice issue. The abysmal state of things in our world, and yes, sometimes in our church. Looking at one little piece of our lives and diminishing their connection to the whole. And feeling trapped. Splintered. Languishing.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, in the context of Morning Prayer and our Parent Blessing, everyday my wife and I pray for every greater holiness, overflowing into clarity, traction, and provision in our mission.
Having just returned from Rome last night, and overwhelmed with so many amazing thoughts that have yet to be articulated, one super clear take away is awareness of the influence of the Demon of Distraction. Note that this demon could care less about the nature of the thing distracting us. It can even be objectively good.
For instance, in the midst of prayer, your mind straying to thinking about your grocery list, or how you need to respond to an email, or an important decision you need to make in your mission. If it's not from God, the thing He calls us to, the thing we're meant to be about in that moment, it's a departure from His mission. It's a fixation, if you will, on perhaps a part of a cathedral without regard to where it's pointing.
LORD JESUS CHRIST, in Your Holy Name, help us to recognize the influence of the Demon of Distraction. Through our devices. Through our world around us. Through so many impulses. Help us to deny Them influence. In Your Holy Name right now we renounce them! Cultivate within us an awareness of our mission in You. Flowing from ever deeper authentic prayer in You. Help us to be attentive to Your Voice. And to cultivate it's strength in our lives. So that, like the mighty cathedrals, we ourselves might be examples of all things rising up to heaven.
OUR MISSION: We're about uniting families in building the Kingdom. We help families make their homes places of saint-making, culture-building, and territory-taking disciples of Jesus Christ. Over the past ten years, thousands have been blessed by a "family roadmap." We've been united in gathering in our respective homes on a weekly basis to talk and pray using a fun, meaningful "Live IT Gathering Guide" based on subsequent Sunday readings. Get your free LIT Guide at ILoveMyFamily.us or the Live IT App at MassImpact.us/APP. Commit right now to the Seven Week Challenge.
Right now we are in particular need, and would be so grateful for your prayers, engagement, and Partnership.
Holy Spirit, come!
Greg Schlueter
Mass Impact | Image Trinity
Greg@MassImpact.us | (814) 449-8808
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LIVE IT THIS WEEK: SANCTUS SERIES | EPISODE 3
November 20-26, 2023
A simple guide to help your family grow in holiness. (full version)
FUN QUESTION:
If you had to sing one song before an internationally televised audience, what would you sing? (submit your fun question)
LIVE IT TIDBIT
View our new, fun, 60 second story and message at ILoveMyFamily.us.
GOSPEL | Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."
QUESTION:
What struck you in this reading? Challenged you? Inspired you? What questions did it raise?
YOU IMAGE THE TRINITY: LIVE IT
Going around, affirm how you have been blessed and/or inspired by each person this past week. Encourage him/her.
DAILY QUESTIONS:.
Everyone go around and share...
1) Something you’re grateful for?
2) A recent victory?
3) A current challenge?
4) An affirmation of someone?
5) Something meaningful happening?
GET FULL LIT GUIDE AND FIND OUT MORE AT ILOVEMYFAMILY.US
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| | | PREACH IT
On Sunday's Gospel (video)
with JOHN MICHAEL TALBOT
Today we reflect on Matthew 25 where Jesus emphasizes that whatever kindness we extend to the least fortunate, we do it unto Him. Often, we claim to love Jesus, yet we neglect those on the margins—those in the church who aren't powerful, rich, famous, or esteemed. Jesus urges us to visit prisoners, care for the poor, as in doing so, we're caring for Him. It's a powerful message. I admit, I can talk a good talk, but I don't always walk the walk. Do we truly love the poor, the outcast, or the prisoner?
Amidst the prevalent calls for strict punishment, we forget that the penitentiary system, rooted in penance and reform, originates from the idea of change for the better. Are we following Jesus' teachings? Are we aiding the marginalized, the sick, the imprisoned, the needy? Our actions give weight to our words. Embracing the poverty Jesus spoke of means assisting the poor, giving our words power.
Throughout history, spiritual revivals align with a renewed commitment to aid the disadvantaged. My prayer for all of you is that you embrace this calling. I love you all dearly. Remember, with God, all things are possible.
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"The future of humanity passes by way of the family."
~ Pope St. John Paul II
WE ARE FAMILIES UNITED IN BUILDING THE KINGDOM.
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