Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

(Image 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. Cardinal Charles Journet “The Church continues to live in her children who are not in the state of grace. The Church seeks to work against the evil that corrupts their souls. She struggles to keep them in her fold, to bring them back to life with her love. She con­serves them as one conserves a treasure not easily parted from. And it is not because she wants to carry around dead weight. She only hopes that through the power of patience, gentleness and pardon the sinner will make his return to her. It is like the withered branch which for lack of sap is allowed time to regain health and flower once more.” (From Theology of the Church )

Why is there any hesitancy to share this truth from our pulpits?

"Dear Eucharistic soul: In that hour [of the Last Supper] Jesus thought of you. Have no doubt about it. He thought of you in particular, and had you before His eyes. He understood that, without that small, white, consecrated wafer, which you adore and which you receive every morning, you would feel lonely, very lonely, in your exile here below. He knew that your heart would hunger and thirst for love and be the prey of unmitigated nostalgia for heaven. He knew that on the road through life you would find many a cause for grief and, behind a smiling appearance, would have to conceal many a galling sorrow. And for your sake, dear soul, lest you be orphaned and without a loyal friend in whose understanding heart you might pour out the overflowing bitterness of your heart, Jesus overlooked all those sacrileges, profanations, and ingratitudes and, in that night, instituted the Eucharist for you—understand this well!—just for you. And for your sake He has remained in that small, ...

[I am honored to welcome Rev. Mr. Adolph Uryniak as my guest blogger today. Ordained to the permanent Diaconate in 2006, the good Deacon resides in New York State with his wife, Sue, their three sons and six precious grandchildren. He fuels and sustains his passion to evangelize by spending much time each week before the Eucharistic Lord he loves and serves so well.] Be Disruptive! By Deacon Adolph Uryniak (Source of Image: Wikimedia Commons ) “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” With these words Christ poses a disruptive challenge. Disruptive in that it exchanges following Mosaic Law, for following the two great Commandments of “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” In reality, following the two Great Commandments encompasses all of Mosaic law; it’s a matter of how you go about it. The disruption comes in how one changes f...

(Photo©Michael Seagriff) It's Sunday (almost) 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! For a number of reasons, I have not been responding to the question of the week for awhile. A friend challenged me on that failure. I appreciate that she did. I may go back when I have time and answer the questions I missed.  I will just briefly tackle this week's question: Do you use Facebook? Do you promote your blog there? Why or why not? I have a Facebook presence but I am not very clear on what I hope to accomplish by being there. My author friends and acquaintances feel it is essential to be visible there. I will link to some of the things I write on my blog and use it periodically to promote my books. But more often I use it to share links to the many interesting articles I run across. Here is what I shared t...

With much gratitude to Cristina T. for taking the time to read and recommend my book, Fleeting Glimpses of the Silly, Sentimental and Sublime. She really captured the purpose and flavor of what I tried to accomplish in this little book. I thoroughly enjoyed the subtle way in which she chose to introduce it to her readers: "A book review where dropping your pants and seeing crosses as toothpicks are my favorite parts! Not what you think, but it grabs your attention, eh? Written by a Lay Dominican too! ‪ Read her full review here now: http://fillingmyprayercloset.com/2014/07/23/book-review-fleeting-glimpses-of-the-silly-sentimental-and-sublime/ Do yourself a favor and start following Cristina T. Her writing will bless you, touch your heart and stir your soul.

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons ) "Jesus Christ finds the means to console a soul that remains with a recollected spirit before the Most Blessed Sacrament, far beyond what the world can do with all its feasts and pastimes. Oh, how sweet a joy it is to remain with faith and tender devotion before an altar, and converse familiarly with Jesus Christ, who is there for the express purpose of listening to and graciously hearing those who pray to him; to ask his pardon for the displeasures which we have caused him; to represent our wants to him, as a friend does to a friend in whom he places all his confidence; to ask him for his graces, for his love, and for his kingdom; but above all, oh, what a heaven it is there to remain making acts of love towards that Lord who is on the very altar praying to the Eternal Father for us, and is there burning with love for us. Indeed that love it is which detains him there, thus hidden and unknown, and where he is even despised by ungrateful s...

(Image Source: ChristImages.org ) Today the universal Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene - great sinner transformed by the forgiveness, mercy and grace of her beloved Lord into a great saint. Over the centuries various spiritual writers have referred to her to as the Apostle to the Apostles, the Evangelist of the Resurrection and the Apostle of the Ascension. The Dominicans have a great devotion to Mary Magdalene as explained here by the Nashville Dominicans . She is also the patroness of the Dominican Order. You can find out why by watching this most informative presentation by Fr. Dominic Legge, O.P.. Before visiting those sites, why not join the rest of the Dominican family, by reading the following excerpt from the Life Of St. Mary Magdalene by Rabanus Maurus, which is offered as the second reading in today’s Office of Readings   in the Dominican supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours:

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons )   "...if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. "   (Matthew 17:20) We often take the many blessings we receive for granted and easily forget from whence they come. These blessings, gifts, and "things" to which we have become attached can be taken away from us at any time. They are not our property. They come from God and are His gifts to us. We can neither earn them nor do we deserve them. How then do we react when these blessings, gifts, and "things" are taken from us? Do we accept their loss as God's will for us, despite any attendant hardships that come with their absence, or do we shout out at our Lord in resentment and out of a sinful sense of entitlement? Is our happiness dependent on trusting God under all circumstances or on holding onto the blessings, g...

(Photo©Michael Seagriff) It's Sunday and time to join an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn'splace  where you are sure to find something that will touch your heart and stir your soul. Take a few minutes and visit! Here is a sampling of what I shared this week: Eucharistic Reflection - Touch, Kiss and Cry One of Those Difficult Questions: Do You Love Your Family More Than God?  Pondering Tidbits of Truth- July 17, 2014 What Does Christian Morality Really Teach Us?

So simple, yet so profound:

Today is you last chance to get your copy of this book of inspiring and challenging quotations  BY CLICKING HERE .

(Image 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. Bishop Guiseppe Sarto (St. Pope Pius X) "A priest's life is a continual warfare against evil, which cannot fail to raise up powerful enemies. In order that they may not prevail against us, let us be united in charity amongst ourselves; thus we shall be invincible and strong as a rock."    (Letter to Pastors) Jesus to St. Catherine of Siena "Having perfect love toward neighbor depends essentially on having perfect love for Me. The same measure of perfection or imperfection that the soul puts into its love for Me is found also in the love it bears to creatures." ( The Dialogue ) St. Pius X  "We must fight the capital crime of our day, which is the substitution of man for God; we must illumine with the Ten Commandments, with the evangelical cou...

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons ) I should have written this little reflection two days ago when the Gospel reading was taken from Matthew (10:35-39). I did not want to. Why? I am a coward. That specific Scripture makes me uncomfortable. Does it have the same impact on you? It is another one of Jesus’ “hard sayings” and one that at times we no doubt have had difficulty following. Jesus minces no words. He intended to make us uncomfortable. First, our Lord tells us that if we love our family more than God, we are not worthy of Him. Secondly, He informs us, that it will often be our very own family members, those we love dearly, who will jeopardize our spiritual well-being and salvation by insisting that we ignore God and please them. Wow! What a reality check and challenge! None of us want familial discord. But we must serve God, putting Him first in all things, and above all individuals, even our families. We must obey Him despite ridicule an...

Do not miss out on your free copy of Pondering Tidbits of Truth today (July 15, 2014 through Thursday (July 17,2014) CLICK here "...every quote will make the seeker of Christ ponder well." - Barb S. "I think this book is perfect for Lectio Divina." - Faith Flaherty   Be sure to tell your friends and family of this offer in time for them to receive their free copy as well.

  (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) "You envy the opportunity of the woman who touched the vestments of Jesus, of the sinful woman who washed His feet with her tears, of the women of Galilee who had the happiness of following Him in His pilgrimages, of the Apostles and disciples who conversed with Him familiarly, of the people of the time who listened to the words of grace and salvation which came forth from His lips. You call happy those who saw Him ... But, come to the altar and you will see Him, you will touch Him, you will give to Him holy kisses, you will wash Him with your tears, you will carry Him within you like Mary Most Holy."  ( Attributed to St. John Chrysostom)

(Canandaigua, NY) It's Sunday (well almost) 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! Before I share what I wrote this week, it is my privilege to offer a FREE copy of my book, Pondering Tidbits of Truth . Your free copy will be available from July 15 through July 17. CLICK HERE for details and link. Here is what I shared this week: Monday Musings - "The End of Christiandom"  Eucharistic Reflection - The Varying Fruits of Holy Communion Revisiting Monday Musings - Cardinal Pacelli Was Worried. Why Wasn't the Rest of the Church?

Get your free Kindle copy of my book, Pondering Tidbits of Truth, Volume 1 , by clicking this link on any of the three days listed above.    We are all busy people. Many of us have convinced ourselves that we simply do not have the time to read, ponder and reflect on the wealth of spiritual wisdom our Catholic Church has accumulated over the centuries. Yet, we owe God and ourselves this reflective time. If we spend little or no time pondering the truths and mysteries of our Faith, we are not going to progress spiritually - a growth essential to our eternal well-being and that of those around us… You will find 100 quotations there...All offer much fruit for your reflection and contemplation. Don’t miss out on your free copy. Please tell your readers, friends, family and fellow bloggers to get their free copy as wel l!  Get your free copy from Tuesday July 15, 2014 through Thursday July 17 BY CLICKING HERE [YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE IN ORDER T...

Shortly after posting this on Monday Musings earlier this week, I visited Creative Minority Report (CMR) and discovered yet another prophet whose voice we ignored - Eugene Cardinal Pacelli (Pope Pius XII).  I suspect that neither this blogger nor the Archbolds over at CMR will ever have much difficulty finding and sharing further examples of how often we, as individuals and Church, have neither heard nor heeded the clear and unambiguous warnings of our loving Lord and His Most Blessed Mother:

I am a big fan of Archbishop Sheen. It is a shame that so many Catholics do not know more about him and his writings.  The following quotation is a powerful reminder of an unsettling truth: our Loving Lord has placed prophets here among us but we have ignored them. What a different world this would be had we listened to the prophetic voice of Archbishop Sheen and the other messengers God has sent: [ I ran across this particular quotation yesterday on Tony Agnesi's blog - a place you should visit.]

Source of Image - Wikimedia Commons ) "When we go to Holy Communion, all of us receive the same Lord Jesus, but not all receive the same grace nor are the same effects produced in all. This comes from our greater or lesser disposition. To explain this fact, I will take an example from nature. Consider the process of grafting, the more similar the one plant is to the other, the better the graft will succeed. Likewise, the more resemblance there is between the one that goes to Communion and Jesus, so much the better will the fruits of Holy Communion be." (St. Anthony Mary Claret, as quoted by Stefano M. Manelli in Jesus Our Eucharistic Lord )

(Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, Cincinnati, OH) It's Sunday and time to visit RAnn's place where she so generously hosts an interesting group of Catholic bloggers every week. Browse around.  You will find that was intended just for you. Monday Musings-Beginners Have Some Advantages Have You Heard About "I Thirst For Your Love"? Not Getting Anything Out of Mass?  Guest Post - The Contraception Tree

It is my privilege to welcome Marge Hendry as my guest blogger today. Marge is an artist, pro-life warrior and parish catechist. She resides in New York state. The Contraception Tree (Image © Marge Hendrey) In the 1960's the creation and acceptance of new contracepting devices, i.e. the pill, I.U.D., etc., helped promote the sexual revolution. Since then, as the Contraceptive Tree demonstrates, social norms previously understood as for the good have come to mean less and less. Generally, it seems safe to say the family before the 1960's was protected by its own borders of wisdom and chastity. Sex was understood to belong in married life because that is where its fruits could be the best protected -not only the fruit of children but also the fruit of sanctity of "mother" and "father”. Since most people lived by that standard, that is the sanctity of married life for the protection of family, the problems that arose from the lack of...

If you are among the Catholics who report they get little or nothing out of Mass, ponder the following Forgotten Truth and  words of St. John Marie Vianney and then ask God for the grace to believe that which your human eyes can not see.  As Jesus said in today's Gospel, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed ."

“...You see that same Body, not in a manger, but upon the altar; not carried in His Mother's arms, but elevated in the priest's hands. Let us, therefore, be roused, and tremble, and bring with us more devotion to the altar than those Eastern kings did to the manger, where they adored their newborn Savior."                                                          (St. John Chrysostom)