Eucharistic Reflection - Lose Yourself in God's Divinity

“When the fire of God's love has cleansed a man of all unlikeness to God, and such a man receives the Blessed Sacrament, he loses himself in God’s divinity. This is what our Lord told St. Augustine: “I am the food for grown men. Grow and feed on Me. Instead of transforming Me into yourself, you will be transformed into Me.” But, children, before this can happen your natures have to die many a death and we must travel along many a rough and unknown path, along which God draws us, teaching us to die.

Mondays Musings – Some Thoughts on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

((Image from Biblebios.com)

If God used Balaam’s donkey to get that prophet’s attention, I guess he can use me to get yours. May these periodic postings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month (God willing) generate fruitful discussion and faithful change.

In the first reading today (Gen 3:9-15, 20) we revisit the fall of our first parents. Adam and Eve forfeited “Paradise” out of pride. We should know “better” than to follow their sinful example. Yet, we are prone to do so and have been no less prideful or sinful.

Sunday Snippets - December 7, 2013

(Notre Dame campus

Photography©Michael Seagriff)

It's Sunday and time to join an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn's place where you are sure to find something that will touch your heart and stir your soul. Take a few minutes and visit!

The question of the week is: What is your favorite title for Mary, and why?

I have two: Our Lady of Fatima because her message is still one our world must hear and follow; and Our Lady of Guadalupe because I was privileged to see her magnificent image when visiting Mexico City with my daughter, to kneel at the site of the actual apparitions, to pray while in that holy space for the healing of my sister, and to discover upon returning home that a very significant increase in her heart function occurred precisely at the time of my prayer.

 I have three offerings this week:

Eucharistic Reflection - Visits To the Divine Solitary

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - December 4, 2013 

What Might Sacred Look Like?

What Might Sacred Look Like?

We have lost the sense of, and appreciation for, the Sacred!

May this short two minute clip from reclaimingthesacred.com help you rediscover that sense and re-ignite a hunger for the heavenly and transcendent.

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Thanks to Father Z for passing it along.

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - December 5, 2003

(Source:unprofound.com)

 Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time.

 Father Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.

“The secondary purpose of the grace which the priest receives at ordination is the sanctification of the faithful. If the priest has the care of souls, he has a special obligation to strive for holiness of life because of his duty toward the Mystical Body of Christ. In no other way will he be able to sanctify the souls committed to his charge or avoid the dangers of the world which are not to be found in a monastery. (Cf. St. Thomas, loc. cit.)

Eucharistic Reflection - Visits to the Divine Solitary

(Tabernacle-St. Agatha's Canastota, NY)

“In our visits to the Divine Solitary, we can with intense de­votion prepare ourselves to receive Him sacramentally. Poor, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked, we cannot alone make ourselves fit for the reception of our God. He must clothe our souls with the wedding garment of divine grace, and adorn them with virtue.

As we kneel before the Eucharistic Savior, the Eternal Fa­ther will draw us closer to His Divine Son. Christ will so influ­ence us as to bring out the best that is in us. The Holy Spirit will calm us with the peace of God, and thus remove the ob­stacles to our loving advance in intimate conversation with the sacramental King. Our very nearness to Christ will dispel our diffidence at the thought of too hasty an approach to the God who has found sin among the angels. Breathing the spiri­tual air of the tabernacle, illumining our souls with the light reflected from His earthly dwelling, strengthening our wills for conflict with temptation, deepening our faith in His al­mighty power, and purifying our desire to love Him more un­selfishly - how can we better prepare ourselves to receive our God with a fervor that will ever inflame us with eager enthusi­asm in His service?

Sunday Snippets - December 1, 2013

(Photography©Michael Seagriff)

It's Sunday and time to join an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn's place where you are sure to find something that will touch your heart and stir your soul. Take a few minutes and visit!

My answer to this week's question: I hope to make an Advent retreat.

Here are three posts from my blog:

Monday Musings - We Are Are Own Worse Enemies

Eucharistic Reflection  - I Need No Miracle. I Believe!

We Give Your Thanks, O Lord, For Your Presence Among Us