Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

We need a reality check!   By any objective measure, most of us living in the U.S. are rich – materially rich beyond the experiences of the majority of the rest of the people who inhabit this planet. The median household income in this country, we are told, is just over $50,000.   Yet, we in America never seem to be satisfied with all that we do have and never tire of wanting more. Almost everything has become a “necessity”.       Today’s Gospel challenges us to be more realistic in our own self assessment. Despite our protestations and real hardships, we who live here in this nation are rich in a material sense.   In another sense, too many of us in this rich nation are still very poor – poor in spirit. We do not treasure and appreciate our loving Lord who nourishes us with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity and Who remains physically here among us, waiting to be visited and consoled and, in return, to love and heal us. ...

  The heart of this simple sinful man aches today as our Church bides the Holy Father a prayerful farewell from the visible throne of Peter.   It is often said that we rarely appreciate those who are in our midst until they are no longer with us. No doubt, this will be the sentiment with respect to Benedict XVI, although he will remain prayerfully united with His beloved Church and his flock for as long as God wills it. His greatest sufferings and most magnificent sacrifices, I suspect, are yet to come.   He has taken the Ship of Peter as far as God has asked Him. He has reclaimed the Sacred Liturgy.   He has called his priests and Bishops to repentance, to faithfulness, and to selfless holy lives centered on a deep and unfailing love of the Eucharist and an insatiable zeal for the salvation of souls. Nothing, absolutely nothing else, is more important and necessary for our Church during these troubling times.   There is onl...

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. Pope Paul VI   "The most sacred task of theology is not the invention of new dogmatic formulas to replace old ones, but rather such a defense and explanation of the formulas adopted by the councils as may demonstrate that divine revelation is the source of the truths communicated through those expressions."   (From Encyclical Mysterium Fidei - Mystery of Faith )   Peter J. Leithart "If the Church of the martyrs has one thing to teach us, it is this: The Church is most politically potent not when she has a place in the halls of power, but when she shares the testimony of Jesus regardless of the consequences."   (From Witness Unto Death published in First Things January 2013)   Pope Benedict XVI   "How do I treat God’s Holy name? Do I stand in reverence before the mystery of the bu...

    With gratitude to Aggie Catholics for passing this on!    

It's Sunday and time to join an interesting group of Cathloic bloggers at RAnn's place  where you are sure to find something that will speak to your soul. Take a few minutes and visit!     Monday Musings. Fra Angelico's Visual Food For Contemplation Cold As Death Eucharistic Reflection - He Loves Us Even When We Fail To Love Him

Can this adorable Savior, Who has done so much to gain the hearts of men, refuse anything to those who themselves ask of Him a place in His Heart? If Jesus Christ allows Himself to be given even to those who do not love Him, and would have Himself carried to dying persons who never condescended to visit Him in their lifetime, and who have been insensible both to the manifest marks of love which He gave them and to the cruel outrages He received in the adorable Eucharist, to persons who have perhaps themselves ill-treated Him, what will He not do for faithful servants who, sensibly touched at seeing their dear Lord so little loved, so rarely visited, so cruelly outraged, make Him atonement, from time to time, for all the insults He receive, and neglect nothing to repair so many offenses, by their frequent visits, their adorations, their homages, and chiefly their ardent love? Is it not, then, plain that there is nothing more reasonable, more useful, than the pra...

Yesterday was abortion day at our local Planned Parenthood center. Three of us were outside praying for the staff, the parents and the unsuspecting children encased in their mothers’ wombs. It was bitterly cold. In fact, this is the first time over the past four years when I ever felt cold enough to wear a hooded sweatshirt and gloves. But it was not just the physical cold and wind that was bothersome. It was the pervasive coldness emanating from this place of death on this particular day. If you ever reverently touched the hand of a loved one or friend while praying farewell at their casket, you know the type of cold I am trying to describe. It seemed more women than normal were entering this evil place and fewer were willing to interact with the sidewalk counselor this day. The honking horn and raised middle finger were auditory and visible evidence of the pleasure the evil one takes in using his minions to belittle and demean the handful who engage in this spiritual war...

(Since the size and composition of my readers have changed over the past year, I thought it would be worthwhile to republish this post.) Some of us employ words to fuel our contemplation. Others like early Renaissance painter, Fra Angelico (Blessed John of Fiesole 1395-1455), whose feast day we Dominicans celebrate today, used paint brushes to nourish hungry souls. 1- (The Nativity) 2-(The Crucifixion) 3 - (The Christ Crucified) 4- (Lamentation) His depiction of our Father Dominic in many of these scenes is a reminder of where we should also fruitfully place ourselves during times of meditation and contemplation. And of course, we need to spend t...

It is a privilege to once again join other Catholic bloggers at RAnn's Place for Sunday Snippets. I have been blessed by the many inspirational postings I have found here. May you also have a similar experience. Pondering Tidbits of Truth Eucharistic Reflection - A Prayer In Adoration

A Prayer in Adoration Here I am Lord, Sitting, kneeling, Prostrate in spirit Before You, adoring. Who You are in Your glory Lies hidden under the appearance Of this Holy Bread before me. You have revealed to Your Church The wonder, and magnificence Of Your living Presence. With Mother Church , I extol Your beauty. Truths come to mind And I give assent. I am married to You, O Holy Bridegroom. In the fullness of time, I will embrace You With a glorified vision and body, But, for now, I reach with heart And mind’s eye to catch a glimpse Of this splendid Truth Hidden as it is ‘Neath Bread and Wine And broken Body on a Cross. Favor me with an increase Of love and desire, Until my longing tears free From all that holds me captive still. I know my blindness, And have seen my foolishness. In my poverty and need, I seek refuge here Before Your eyes. Your Truth, Your splendid Truth, be mine! T...

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. St. Cyprian   “Our obligation is to do God’s will, and not our own. We must remember this if the prayer that our Lord commanded us to say daily is to have any meaning on our lips. How unreasonable it is to pray that God’s will be done, and then not promptly obey it when he calls us from this world! Instead we struggle and resist like self-willed slaves and are brought into the Lord’s presence with sorrow and lamentation, not freely consenting to our departure, but constrained by necessity. And yet we expect to be rewarded with heavenly honors by him to whom we come against our will! Why then do we pray for the kingdom of heaven to come if this earthly bondage pleases us? What is the point of praying so often for its early arrival if we would rather serve the devil here than reign with Christ?   The world hates Christians, ...

No matter how many times we are reminded that "things aren't always as they appear," we forget. Some of us are often too quick to misjudge or misunderstand another's conduct or behavior.  Many others are very stingy about sharing their attention and time with family, friends or strangers and may even resent being asked to do so. Maybe it's time to revisit these issues.   I had to share this video from Oigedchaire- Christ Is The Guest  

It's Sunday and time to visit RAnn's Place to see what a number of different Catholic bloggers have shared during this past week. I was away on retreat for most of that time. What follows are the only two posts that I published: Monday Musings - Hey! Where Are You? Eucharistic Reflection - An Object Of Man's Indifference And Neglect

“…the sacramental Savior…abides on every altar as the Author and Finisher of our sanctification. We behold Him there no longer bruised and battered for our sins; no longer is there any visible evidence of the untold mental anguish, the agonizing physical pain, or the bitter desolation which He underwent to redeem us. But in the Holy Eucharist, He is the object of man’s indifference and neglect. Although He conquered sin by His death and Resurrection, He is still within the range of the sinner’s power to insult and outrage Him…   Great then and urgent is the need of reparation on our part for the pain of which the Eucharistic King is the daily silent Victim. Calm and restful though our gratitude may be in our moments of adoration, we must never forget the studied neglect, the worldliness of His wayward children, but rather strive persistently with all our powers to comfort Him in His sacramental lowliness, while the storm of sin set in motion by the thoughtlessness, if no...

If God used Balaam’s donkey to get that prophet’s attention, I guess he can use me to get yours. May these periodic Monday postings (God willing) generate fruitful discussion and faithful change. (Image from Biblebios.com)               WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE, YOU WANT:              TO BE IN THAT PERSON’S PRESENCE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE;   TO TALK TO THAT PERSON;   TO HEAR WHAT THAT PERSON HAS TO SAY;   TO SHARE YOUR JOYS AND STRUGGLES;   TO BE LOVED AND COMFORTED; AND   TO LOVE AND COMFORT IN RETURN.   GOD IS LOVE.   HE SENT HIS ONLY SON TO DIE AND ATONE FOR OUR SINS IN ORDER THAT EACH OF US MIGHT SPEND ETERNITY WITH HIM.   UNTIL THAT TIME, HE HAS HUMBLED HIMSELF BY PHYSICALLY REMAINING HERE WITH AND AMONG US, HIDDEN IN OUR TABERNACLES AND IN THE SACRED HOSTS STORED THEREIN AND/OR...

It is difficult to believe that another week has already come and gone.  Why not look at what other Catholic bloggers and I are sharing at RAnn's place today. What Can You Tell Me About St. Thomas Aquinas? Pondering Tidbits Of Truth - January 31, 2013 Eucharistic Reflections - Thoughts from Adorers

Let’s reflect on our Eucharistic Lord from the vantage point of those adorers who have chosen to spend one hour of their time each week with Him . May their reflections spur you on to do likewise:   I feel a warmth that surrounds my heart, so much love. I don’t have this feeling anywhere else. I know Jesus is in me always, but to be in His Real Presence, in our Chapel, is the best hour of my day.   I truly love coming, never mind subbing and never feel that it is an inconvenience.   After all the years of coming, I still feel excited when I know I am going to do Adoration.   I have been at Adoration during all hours of the day and night and I believe Adoration is one of the greatest gifts given to me by our Lord.   You will not regret the time being here with Jesus.   You will fall in love too!   Adoration has given me that moment each week to better focus my life, to be close, one-on-one with Jesus. To feel love and return it to m...