Eucharistic Reflection - May 28, 2013

"You consider Zacheus happy because Our Lord vouchsafed to enter his house and eat with him; you deem St. John happy because he rested on the breast of our Savior at the Last Supper; and, above all, you regard St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary so very happy because they nourished and supported Our Dear Lord. But are you not as happy as they? Are you not even happier? You do not hold Our Lord in your arms as Simeon did, but you receive Him into your heart in Holy Communion; you do not rest on the bosom of St. John, but the Savior rests in your heart after Holy Communion; you do not nurse and support Our Lord like St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin, but you have a still greater happiness, for the Savior Himself nourishes you and gives Himself to you as your food. O Love! O Love! O who can understand the love of God for men!" 

(From The Blessed Eucharist by Fr. Michael Muller, C.S.S.R.)

 

Sunday Snippetts - May 26. 2013

Thanks RAnn for hosting another week of Sunday Snippets. I look forward to visiting each  week and to encouraging my blog visitors to do likewise. I have never been disappointed. 

 

Come join an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn's place where you are sure to find something that God wants you to hear or to see.

I have been working on two Kindle books and only had time to post twice this week. I hope you find something of value:

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - May 23, 2013

Turn Off Your Television and Watch This Video

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - May 23, 2013

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.

Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman

 

“The Catholic Church holds it better for the sun and moon to drop from heaven, for the earth to fail, and for all the many millions on it to die of starvation in extreme agony, as far as temporal affliction goes, than that one soul, I will not say, should be lost, but should commit one single venial sin, should tell one willful untruth, or should steal one poor farthing without excuse.” 

(From Apologia Pro Vita Sua)

 

Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val

“Have a great devotion to the Passion of Our Lord. With peace and resignation, put up with your daily troubles and worries. Remember that you are not a disciple of Christ unless you partake of His sufferings and are associated with His Passion. The help of the grace of silence was the only thing that enabled the saints to carry their extremely heavy crosses. We can show our love for Him by accepting with joy the cross He sends our way.”

(From The Power of the Cross- Applying The Passion of Christ to Your Life by Michael Dubriel)

 

 

 

The Congregation For Clergy
 

“Whenever a confessor is available, sooner or later a penitent will arrive. And if the confessor continues to make himself available, even stubbornly so, sooner or later many penitents will arrive! Our rediscovery of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, both as penitents and as ministers, is a measure of authentic faith in the saving action of God which shows itself more clearly in the power of grace than in human strategic or pastoral initiatives which sometimes overlook this essential truth." 

 

(From The Priest Minister of Divine Mercy: An Aid for Confessors and Spiritual Directors)

 

Turn Off Your Televison and Watch This Video

The next time you decide to sit down in front of the television for a half hour and watch some senseless sitcom or cooking or home improvement show, do yourself a favor instead and invest 22+minutes of your life absorbing this remarkable video.

If you want to hear the full version of Zach's song, then invest another 3+ minutes viewing this:

Sunday Snippets - May 19, 2013

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 speak to your soul. Take a few minutes and visit!

 

Monday Musings

This Could Be You When You Go To Fill Up Your Gas Tank

 

Eucharistic Reflection

 

If You Are A Blogger Try This Out

If You Are A Blogger Try This Out!

I learned a great deal from reading "10 Ways to Refresh Your Blog," Charlotte Ostermann's most recent article on the Catholic Writers Guild blog.  It was filled with helpful and practical suggestions.

Charlotte references Tagxedo.com,  a neat way to get a different perspective on your blog. This site will generate a word cloud from the words contained in your blog. "The words are 'weighted' by the number of times they are used," she writes,"and it's an interesting look at what content has the most gravitas on your site." It's fun and best of it is free.

If you are blogger, do yourself a favor and take a look at Charlotte's 10 Ways for refreshing your blog. I have already followed her advice.

 

 

What do you think about her suggestions, my word cloud, and the new look for "Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation"?

We would both love to hear from you.

Eucharistic Reflection - Come To Me

“The same Jesus of Nazareth Who says, ‘I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly,’ Who heals the broken-hearted, Who gathers the little ones to Himself, is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

 

The Blessed Sacrament is the Sacred Heart of Jesus living in our midst…

Monday Musings - May 13, 2013

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.

(Image from Biblebios.com)

 

If one unconfessed mortal sin will result in eternal damnation, then how can we be so complacent about sin and about the salvation of souls?

Why are so many in the Catholic Church lightening quick to voice their public support for favored legislative proposals like immigration and health care reforms, international treaties, global warming initiatives or gun control, but virtually silent on the teachings of Humanae Vitae,  or when the military seeks to prohibit a soldier or his chaplain from sharing their faith, or when self-identified Catholic politicians persistently and obstinately seek to expand abortion services, promote gay marriage and other intrinsic evils, or when a retired Bishop publicly challenges the teachings of his Church and the directions of his Archbishop, or when priests persist in grave liturgical abuses when directed not to do so, or voice support for the active homosexual lifestyle?

This Could Be You When You Next Fill Up Your Tank!

Just had to share this "gem" that Mark Shea is passing along:

Sunday Snippets - May 12, 2013

A Happy and Blessed Mother's Day!

Consider spending a few minutes with an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn's place where you are sure to find something that will speak to your heart and stir your soul.

Here are my contributions for the week:

Eucharistic Adoration - Why?

The greatest crisis facing the Catholic Church today, in the minds of many observers, is the wholesale failure of many Catholics, to believe that Jesus is really, substantially and truly present, Body Blood Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament.

There are a number of things our Church must do to correct this horrible reality. Let me highlight one - promotion of and participation in Eucharistic Adoration.

May the following words of those who come to spend an hour with Him each week encourage others to go, visit and believe:

Adoration has the peace the world cannot give…It’s like you’re in a bubble of grace. The pressures and anxieties I bring in with me are diminished while I’m in here. When I leave, I feel reassured and renewed. The more I go to Adoration the more time I need. An hour is not enough. After nearly a week I’m hungry for this oasis of peace.

 

When I think of all the hours that Jesus is in Church alone, I am so happy to spend this time with Him.

 

Pondering Tidbits Of Truth - May 9, 2013

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 Anthony J. Paone, S.J.
 

"My child, human respect is the fear of being criticized or corrected by people. Live your life in My presence, and do not think too much of what people may think or say. As long as your conscience is clear, the thoughts or words of men can neither add to nor subtract from your true worth. You are not a better man when people praise you, nor are you worse when they find fault with you. You are what you are, and I see you as you really are. Your value in My eyes does not depend upon the judgments of people. I look upon your heart. I see your intentions and your sincere efforts. Men judge you mainly by your external actions. They cannot be sure of your merit or guilt in the deed. Too often they judge you by their own likes and dislikes, or by their own vanity and fixed ideas." 

(From My Daily Bread)

 

St. John Marie Vianney 

 

"We can very well say that the Passion which the Jews made Christ suffer was almost nothing compared with what Christians make him undergo with their insults of mortal sins…what horror there will be when Jesus Christ shows us the things for which we have abandoned Him!" 

(From Sermon on Sin)

All of Us Can and Must Evangelize

 

Thanks to The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (http://www.tfp.org/) for showing us that it really isn't very difficult to explain and share the Truth with others. Just use common sense and trust in the God whose Truth you are sharing:

 

 

Recognize, however, that not everyone will accept the Truth. Some will hate you for sharing It.

Sunday Snippets - May 5, 2013

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!

 

Here are my contributions: