Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

Since we have lost the sense of sin, it is unlikely that many of us have spent sufficient time looking at the true nature of our relationship with God and the actual condition of our souls – an essential self-examination if we desire to be eternally united with our Lord.   When God looks at your soul what does He see?  Photo by The Business Model Scholar on Unsplash Listen to Jesus explain this truth to St. Catherine of Siena:  “Do you know, daughter, who you are and who I am? If you know these two things you have beatitude in your grasp. You are she who is not, and I AM HE WHO IS. Let your soul but become penetrated with this truth, and the Enemy can never lead you astray; you will never be caught in any snare of his, nor ever transgress any commandment of mine; you will have set your feet on the royal road which leads to the fullness of grace, and truth, and light." Without God we are nothing! Now listen and ponder the words of St. Peter Julian Eymard as he urges us to re

 

“In order to lead the soul to a high degree of virtue, God grants it the grace of deeper recollection. This incontestable truth is little known or appreciated even by persons of piety, who too often act on the belief that progress in holiness consists in external religious practices or in a greater enjoyment of God. (Image Source) Yet it is certain that the grace of recollection, by bringing us nearer to God, nearer to the divine fire of love, does increase our light and fervor. That is why we comprehend certain truths so clearly when we are in a more profound state of recollection. We discern them, in fact, by the very lights of God. Then it is that we have a peace we never knew before, a strength which astonishes us; we feel we are with God.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard from Holy Communion )

For nearly 30 years I have been joyfully getting up in the early morning hours each weekend to adore and worship our  loving Lord. It was heart-wrenching when, without any discussion or exploration of alternatives, our Chapel of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (and others) was summarily closed in the stampede of fear and lack of trust in God that overtook our Church. Our Adoration Chapels and Churches should never have been closed. Instead, our Bishops should have urged us all to come and spend time on our knees before God making acts of reparation for our unfaithfulness and asking for His mercy, assistance and protection. We acted then, and in large measure continue to act, as if He is powerless and/or unwilling to do so. But this abandonment of our Lord imprisoned in the tabernacles of His Churches was well in place prior to the pandemic, since so few Catholics (relatively speaking) actually believe that Jesus is really, substantially and physical present in the Sacred Eucharist. Sin

  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      Dom Lorenzo Scupoli “If you want to equip your soul with virtue and acquire habitual sanctity, it is necessary to practice acts of the virtue which is contrary to your vicious inclinations…mortify your inclinations, even when the object itself is lawful, but not necessary. It will facilitate victory on other occasions; you will gain experience and strength against temptation and present yourself as acceptable to your Savior.  (From The Spiritual Combat and a Treatise On Peace of Soul )   Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty   When a poustinik enters a poustinia [a small cabin or room where one goes in to pray, fast and encounter God in silence] he really faces himself. Much of the gospel is concerned with this facing of oneself. Christ said that it is what comes out of a man that defiles him. We are loathe to face what is

T hank you Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with you and your followers .  Here is my contribution. The Real Reason for The Confusion and Chaos in Our Nation and Our Church (Originally posted on August 3, 2020) This is a "must listen to homily" given at the Vigil Mass at St. Daniel Church in Syracuse, New York by 94 year old Monsignor Eugene Yennock. I received the video link embedded below from a friend and faithful Catholic who reminded me that the good Monsignor "is noted for his straight forward talks" and "for saying it the way it is." This is the way Truth must be presented to those who have never heard it, abandoned it, forgotten it, or rejected it. This humble and courageous prelate is a model for all our priests to follow. He is an invaluable gift to the Catholic Church and to our Syracuse Diocese. The clarity of his teaching is sorely needed today. You hono

  "We must beware of discouragement, for the majority of souls fall into it saying: 'For such a long time I have attended Mass and offered my imperfections, and I still have them all and I am not dead to the least of them.' Others say: 'I have received Communion so many times and I am not at all transformed into Jesus Christ, which is the effect of Holy Communion; therefore, it is not necessary to receive Communion anymore.' (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) No, no, there is something you must note: it is in order to have us hear Mass  often and receive Communion many times that Jesus Christ does not effect this complete death or total transformation. Instead He leaves us our imperfections so that we may make a continual sacrifice of them in combating them constantly for Him. This is why Our Lord does not cause this [transformation] all at once; these matters for battle He leaves for the sake of our fidelity." (Mother Mectilde of the Blessed Sacrament from Th

Although the words quoted below were uttered by the fictional Pope Kiril I in The Shoes of the Fisherman , they are well worth pondering. I thank Armand Scenna for sharing them with me.