Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

God Whispers - Do you hear Him?   - Had to share this beautiful video

Those who mock people of Faith, those who further the culture of death, those who portray pregnancy as an unwanted and unnecessary burden, those who exploit children and women for their own sexual gratification or monetary gain, those who market the murder of innocent human life – none of these folk are at all happy that this year’s compelling pro-life film, Gimme Shelter , has made it to the theaters of this nation. Truth powerfully and honestly depicted - either through a sonogram showing not a “blob of tissues” but the beating heart of a living human being encased in a mother’s womb or on the “big screen” portraying the real life struggles of an abandoned, abused and homeless pregnant teenager who discovers hope, faith and love while courageously welcoming and protecting the life within her - is never welcomed by the purveyors of lies and deception. Truth can make these folk uncomfortable. Truth exposes their deception.   Truth thwarts the plans of those who intend e

(Photo©Michael Seagriff) Sunday has arrived once again. Please visit RAnn's place, This That and The Other Thing , and let the Catholic bloggers who post there touch your heart and stir your soul. Question of the week : Where do I get my Catholic reading material? - From  multiple sources including: TAN Publishers, Sophia Institute, Roman Catholic Books, Ignatius Press, and Amazon.com.  Here are three posts from my blog: Eucharistic Reflection - More Favored Than St. Mary Magdalen, the Apostle Thomas and St. John The Wisdom of St. Francis de Sales on Suffering Video - If the Main Stream Will Not Share the Truth, We Must!  Catholic Online honored me this week by featuring my post, "Are We Comatose or Just Suffering from Amnesia? " as its lead story. In thanksgiving for God's many blessings and in appreciation for all those who have taken the time to read my postings here and elsewhere, I am offering a FREE Kindle copy of my latest book, Fl

FREE BOOK!!! This Tuesday, January 28 through Thursday, January 30 only Get your free Kindle copy of my latest book, Fleeting Glimpses of the Silly, Sentimental and Sublime , byclicking this link on any of the three days listed above. What others have said about the book: “…entertaining and often thought-provoking…” “…[these] short stories are brimming with love…” “…inspiring…” “…easy to read and easy to understand, but profound in its message…” “… quick read that sings the praises of our Catholic faith in an easy-to-read style….” “It warmed my heart!” “…quick read and pretty enjoyable…” “…includes humor, common sense, and a sense of the eternal.” “author is entertaining and insightful in his writing.” It is my hope that the twenty personal stories and reflections contained in this book might bring you laughter at a time you feel forlorn, comfort when you are overburdened with the challenges of daily living, tears of joy when cer

(Source: From Empty Hands ) Today we commemorate the life of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of our Church. His Introduction to the Devout Life is a timeless spiritual treasure that has had a profound impact on many a searching soul - including myself. But there are many other great books he left us, worthy of our time and reflection. One of them is “ Finding God’s Will for You. ” Since suffering is an inescapable part of our human condition – one which we have difficulty embracing - I thought, on this feast day of St Francis, that I would share the following brief excerpt from that Finding God’s Will for You in hopes that it would lead to fruitful contemplation on this great mystery of our Faith:. “…Job reflects that it is from God's hand that he received those good things,- thus testifying that he loved those goods not so much because they were good as because they had come from the hand of the Lord. Since this is so, he concludes that he must lov

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) I often think of the goodness and kindness of God my Savior while He was here on earth with His visible pres­ence. One might almost say that His doing good went too far, was excessive, though of course it was not; for He was God and God is goodness itself.

(There are 1200 other quotations that will touch your heart and stir you soul in - "Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire! Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct".

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) 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! Three offerings from my blog this week: Eucharistic Reflection -  He Is Whispering to Us! Blessed Will Be The Person Who Visits and Asks This Question! Pondering Tidbits of Truth - January 16, 2014 And one via Catholic Online: How Much Do YOU Love God?

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) 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.   Rev. Clement Henry Crock “But the word “hell” is no longer a welcome word in polite society. Much less will such tolerate any mention of eternal punishments or everlasting fire and torments in hell. Now, we wish to frighten nobody. But silence will not extinguish the pains of hell, nor render them non-existent. Were all of us to agree to remain silent on the subject, hell would still continue to exist; for as sure as there is a heaven to hope for, so surely there is a hell to fear. Our Lord told us so, and God cannot deceive. And since this is true, we should think of it and speak of it more frequently; for knowing it, we shall fear it, and fearing it, we shall avoid it.”                                         (From An Eternity of Heaven or Hell )

Another picture worth a thousand words!

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) "…to the humble man the rose is redder than to the ordinary man. I say with all humility, but with complete confidence, that to the devout believer in the Real Presence, the rose is redder than to other men, the sky is of a deeper blue, the meaning of life is more profound, the light on the path more intense, and the joy which is in the heart of things more easily apprehended. For God is not only in His heaven, not only present everywhere in the inscrutable immensity of His divine nature, but He is present in our midst in a way that grips our heart-strings, looking into our souls with His human eyes, assuaging our bruises with His human hands, loving us with His human heart, and whispering to us from the tabernacle where the little lamp glows before the Sacred Presence, “Come to Me and I will give you rest.” (From The Real Presence by Eustace Boylan, S.J.)

(Photo©Michael Seagriff) I t's almost 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! This has been a challenging week making writing a difficult task. In your charity, may I ask you to keep my family and me in your prayers? I did post two Eucharistic Reflections - one on my blog (The Lord Wants To Be With Us Perpetually) and the other on Catholic Online ('Alas! It is but too true: Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is not loved!').

(Photography©Michael Seagriff) “…Jesus waits for us in the Most Blessed Sacrament, in peacefulness, in silence. Yet, His continual Presence is a proclamation in and of Itself. He comes and stays that those blinded by spiritual darkness might see; that those imprisoned by sin might be freed; and that liberty might be granted to the oppressed who bear the shackles of injustice. This is the message of Per­petual Eucharistic Adoration: our Lord wants to be with His people perpetually, that is, night and day unceasingly. A fire of love for Our Eucharistic Lord burns deep within each soul and yearns to come out. We cannot ever be truly happy or full in our relationships with God and one another if Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament is not the center, is not the source, and is not the summit of our lives.” (From Behold The Lamb by Mary Beth Bracy)

(Photography©Michael Seagriff) It's Sunday and RAnn at This That and The Other Thing has once again invited Catholic bloggers to share from their weekly postings. Those of us who do so appreciate her generosity and encouragement. There are some very talented writers who display their work here. You are sure to find something you will enjoy passing on to your family and friends. Here are my offerings: As We End This Year, We Would Do Well To Ponder "What Our Sentiments Will Be At The Hour of Death" Pondering Tidbits of Truth - January 2, 2014 Eucharistic Reflection - "Oh, If I Had Only Known!" Is Satan Afraid?

After the gifts of God's forgiveness, love and mercy, we must treasure His Eucharistic Presence among us.  Through our faithful adoration and worthy reception of Holy Communion, He will transform us into Himself and use us to help Him transform the world. ( Visit Joseph Karl Publishing )

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) "I recall the strange and touching story of St. Alexis. When he was young he left home and then, because God inspired him to do so, came back to the house of his parents in Rome dressed up like a poor and unknown beggar. There he lived in some miserable old corner of the house for seventeen years; and his parents never knew that it was he. But when he died they found out. It seems he left a note or something telling them what he had done in penance for his sins, because God wanted him to. How that mother wept when she found out that the beggar was her son. She had missed him so much and had so longed to see him. In agony she cried out: "0 Alexis, my son! My son Alexis! Had I only known it was you! How I would have loved you and enjoyed your company! Now, alas! it is too late."

(Source: Wikimedia Commons ) 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 “Our evangelizing zeal must spring from true holiness of life, and as the Second Vatican Council suggests, preaching must in turn make the preacher grow in holiness, which is nourished by prayer and above all by love for the Eucharist.”                                                                 (From Evangelii Nuntiandi , 76)