Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

  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. Francis de Sales “Souls but little confirmed in piety advance well and happily when the Lord gives them consolations in prayer. But if He afterwards deprive them of these, they immediately become languid and discontented, like children who thank their mother when she gives them sweet things and cry when she takes them away, because they are children, and do not know that a long course of such things is hurtful to them and causes worms. Sensible consolations of the soul often produce the worm of self-satisfaction and that of pride which is the reason why the Lord, who gives them to us at first to encourage us, afterwards takes them away that they might not hurt us, and therefore merits no less thanks in taking them away than in giving them.”  (From Introduction to the Devout Life )

We thank Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with them and their followers . Monday Musings - Where Is He? (Originally posted on November 12, 2012) (Tabernacle at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, NYC) It happened again!   I wanted to scream! I wanted to cry!  We arrived early to the only Catholic Church in the town we were passing through on our way to be with family. We were looking forward for a few minutes to adore our waiting Lord, to spend time in His Presence, and to silently pray and prepare for the holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Little in this mammoth structure would lead anyone to sense they were entering a sacred place and holy ground. Two thirds of this structure had nothing to do with adoration, prayer and worship. The majority of this structure wa...

(Photo©Michael Seagriff) "Wouldn’t it indeed be a failure of respect to neglect the Divine Guest who awaits us in the tabernacle? He dwells there, really present, He who was present in the crib, at Nazareth, upon the mountains of Judea, at the Last Supper, upon the cross. He is there, the same Christ who healed the lepers, stilled the tempest, and promised to the good thief a place in His kingdom. We find there our Savior, our Friend, our elder Brother, in the fullness of His almighty power, in the ever-fruitful virtue of His mysteries, the infinite superabundance of His merits, and the ineffable mercy of His love." Blessed Columba Marmion

We thank Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with them and their followers .   Eucharistic Reflection - Not Much Has Changed (Originally published on November 30, 2012)   Sadly, as noted by Father John Croiset in 1863, the lack of appreciation for the gift of Jesus living physically among us is not a recent development:   “There have been newly converted Christians, in the Indies and in Japan, who have traveled more than a hundred leagues every year, to have the consolation of once adoring Jesus Christ in the most Blessed Sacrament, of hearing one single Mass; and they thought nothing of the fatigue, of so difficult a journey, that they might have the happiness of spending half an hour with Jesus Christ.   My God! How many will rise up at the day of judgment and w...

"Further, one must go to church not inattentively. For, it is always possible that one may go to church not in a way worthy of praise but rather of condemnation, i.e., by going and not receiving any spiritual benefit. Approaching the church, you must leave every care and worry about your affairs at the threshold in order to enter with a serene mind.  (Photo©Michael Seagriff) Entering the church, you must put on reverence like a garment, remembering to Whom we are coming and to Whom we intend to address our prayers. Having taken your place in the church (best of all, the same place each time), you should gather your thoughts and mentally stand before the face of the omnipresent God, offering Him reverent worship in body and spirit, with a contrite heart and in humble reverence.  After this, you must follow, without wandering thoughts, everything that is going on — what is being sung and read in the church — all the way to the end of the service. Th...

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. Man’s earthly life is full of miseries and crosses. Wherever you turn, you will find a cross. If you carry it willingly, you will find greater strength in the cross, and it will lead you towards Heaven. If you bear it unwillingly, you only make it a greater burden than it already is; and you still have to bear it. One who runs away from the cross is only running toward another cross, perhaps a heavier one. There is no other road to Heaven except the way of the cross. No man can escape his cross.” (From My Daily Bread )

    We thank Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with them and their followers .   Monday Mornings - Choose The Clarity of Truth (Originally posted on July 17, 2017)   Few Pontiffs spoke with such clarity and authority than the late St. John Paul II. Anchor your soul to the certainty of His teaching.  Run from those who wish to replace the clear waters of Truth with doubt and uncertainty. They will lead you to eternal damnation. Truth does not hide itself behind ambiguity. Satan does: