My Beloved
Elizabeth Faust
Published by Kenos Press an imprint of
Six Degrees Publishing Group, Inc. at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Faust
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
http://www.sixdegreespublishing.com
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Author's Note:
You are this book's final author. Use it as an accompaniment to your prayer life and to enhance your reflections of Sacred Scripture. Part II of this book contains sacred scripture messages from the Jewish texts, or Old Testament and the New Testament. It is hoped you will silently reflect on these messages as a personal retreat, or share your insights with a small faith community and use it to grow in your relationship with God.
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"God knows us so intimately
because his Breath
his Spirit,
is everywhere."
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CONTENTS
Prologue
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My Beloved is a series of meditations and reflections meant to facilitate the everyday practice of the presence of God and inspire the intimate sharing of God's Holy Love — Divine Charity — through a method of prayer known as Kenosis.
Kenosis means emptying ourselves in order to grow in openness to God's Holy Love. In Matthew Jesus says, "Ephphatha!" which means be opened. How do we do that?
Entering into silence — emptying oneself of distractions — reflecting in meditative prayer — help move you to awareness of God's presence in your everyday life and the recognition of the ways in which the Holy Spirit inspires you.
Included in this two-part book are one-line meditations that focus on the special love, a reciprocal love, poured out by God for you. These meditations are cross-referenced by a selection of suggested readings of Sacred Scripture.
This book is unfinished. You are its final author. Use this book as an accompaniment to your prayer life and to enhance your reflections of Sacred Scripture. Use it to grow in your relationship with our God.
Divine Charity
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St Thomas describes Divine Charity as triune in nature. He explains it as the love of the Father and the Son and the infinite realm of the Holy Spirit. He says it is not something created by the soul, but is the Holy Spirit dwelling in you.
St Augustine compares Divine Charity to a small sack or bag. He tells it this way: "Suppose you fill a sack or container with something that is not of great value to you. And then I come along and I am going to give you something valuable. You will immediately empty the sack and stretch it out as big as you can in order to fill it with this valuable thing."