Daily Archives: April 26, 2007

“The self-love of narcisism is one of the greatest problems we face today. Obviously personal care and appropriate personal attention to self is no sin. But popular culture, especially the media, constantly promotes self-interest. ‘it’s all about me’ is a slogan the Christian needs to replace with, ‘It’s all about God.'” (Embrace p. 189)

“God’s family pursues God’s purposes for the world and participates in God’s vision in the world by showing the world what a community of people in union with God is to look like.” (Embrace p.163)

“Christian spirituality, on the other hand, begins with the day-by-day repentance, a continuous change that takes place in the mind, the heart, and the will. Repentance is to hear God’s story…every day.” (Embrace p. 151)

“Peter sets forth the three steps it takes to consciously recieve God’s embrace: (1) repent, (2) be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, and (3) recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit. Here, then, is how a person responds to the passionate embrace of God.” (Embrace p. 147)

“Spirituality is our union with God through our union with Jesus Christ accomplished by the power of the Spirit….Thus the spiritual life is a calling to become fully human after the likeness of Christ, who, being united to God, has shown us what humanity, united to God, was intended to be.” (Embrace p. 103)

“The contemplation of God, of his person, creation, incarnation, and re-creation of the world, is a different kind of knowledge. It is a contemplation on the mysteries, namely, the mystery of God creating, the mystery of God incarnate, the mystery of the cross and empty tomb, the mystery of God’s presence in the church, and the mystery of Christ’s return to claim his lordship over creation. The contemplation of these mysteries moves us to live into these mysteries, participating in God’s life for the world.” (Embrace p. 87)