Pondering Tidbits of Truth - September 18, 2025

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. John Chrysostom

"Even if you do not confess, God is not ignorant of the deed, since he knew it before it was committed. Why then do you not speak of it? Does the transgression become heavier by the confession? No, it becomes lighter and less troublesome. And this is why he wants you to confess: not that you should be punished, but that you should be forgiven; not that he may learn your sin—how could that be, since he has seen it?—but that you may learn what favor he bestows. He wishes you to learn the greatness of his grace, so that you may praise him perfectly, that you may be slower to sin, that you may be quicker to virtue. And if you do not confess the greatness of the need, you will not understand the enormous magnitude of his grace."                                                     (From A Year with The Church Fathers)

St. John Chrysostom   , p. 255

Mandy Mazzawi

“… Prayer is essential to our Christian life. It equips us, reminds us who we are and whose we are; it is a weapon of faith and a consolation during difficulties. It is an act of humility and surrender to God's will over our own.

In short, we need prayer to persevere in our Christian faith, to nourish our souls, to enlighten our intellect, and equip our hearts.”

(From Missio Dei for September 9, 2025)

 

St. John Chrysostom

"There is nothing colder than a Christian who does not seek to save others

You cannot plead poverty here; the widow putting in her two coins will be your accuser…

Each one can help his neighbor if only he is willing to do what is in his power,

Notice that [the selfish or foolish virgins] are not accused of personal sins, They are not accused of committing fornication or perjury or any such sin at all: only of not helping anybody. The man who buried the talent was like this. His life was blameless, but he was of no service to others.

How can such a person be a Christian?

…Do not say: it is impossible for me to influence others. If you are a Christian, it is impossible for this not to happen. If you say that a Christian cannot help others, you have insulted God and called Him a liar…

Do not insult God…The light of a Christian cannot escape notice. So bright a lamp cannot be hidden.”

(From a Homily on the Acts of the Apostles)

 

Eucharistic Reflection - In The Presence of God

As I have acknowledged previously, Father Ignatius John Schweitzer, O.P gave birth to Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore – Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration two year ago, when he invited the Lay Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph to share their thoughts on the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration. He did this not knowing how many would respond or in what genre they would write.

As a result of Father’s invitation, we now have a symphony of diverse reflections – from the simple to the sublime. Each reflection is a gem in its own right. Each one an invitation to a greater belief in, and reverence for, God’s Presence among us.

Photo by Eric Mok on Unsplash

Try this gem on for size:

                                                            In the Presence of the Lord

 “Come out of the marketplace, put down your vegetable knives, the laundry, your coming and going. Let your hands drop from the work of the world. Bring me your heart. Leave everything else.”

Imagine Jesus entering a village, and the excited residents calling from house to house, “He is here! Come! He has arrived!” A bucket drops back into the well, dough is covered with a bowl for later, the loom goes quiet, a plough tilts to one side in the furrow. Breathless villagers rush to sit at the feet of the rabbi named Jesus. The room is warm, and the energy is electric around Him. They listen, some with questions beating in their chests like birds in a cage. Jesus answers their unuttered questions as He speaks. Some bring sadness like baskets of dust, some bring the charred remains of long-held anger, some are as full of worry as a tall jar of olives. A secretly wrapped wound, a coughing child, a pain that is old and never relents - people bring all of these things to Jesus. He heals, transforms, steadies, and uplifts with both His words and His gentle, penetrating gaze, and everyone there feels this grace of His touch, even if He does not touch them physically.

When He was born, Jesus was brought gold, myrrh, frankincense. People were still coming to Him with full hands, but whether it was a gift of kings, or a tear-streaked face and an apron full of dusty figs, He accepts everything. Jesus leans forward to stress a word, raise a palm, tilts His head back and laughs, and the people know He is not only a teacher, but a healer, a master, and a joyful friend. Like dawn spreading pink and gold across the sky, they begin to realize who He is: the anointed one, long awaited, the Messiah.

When He left the village, they cried, already missing Him, and most returned to their work thinking about His words, but even more, remembering how He made them feel. They would never be the same, and they knew it.

The world is still a marketplace, a busy village, not that different from the way it was two thousand years ago. And still, God, is calling us to put down some of the busyness, and to sit with Him.

The voice of God is not a cinematic production, at least not for me. It doesn’t rock the sky with fireworks. Instead, it comes quietly the way snow arrives silently in the night, the beauty of its arrival lost if we are not awake to see it. In the stillness and silence, we can feel the presence of God. Our time in prayer is like taking new yarn and dipping it into a vat of dye. The yarn emerges tinted with the dye bath just as we emerge from prayer with hearts saturated with love.

Monday Musings - Where Do You Place Your Trust?

In her book, Mary's Mantle - Consecration Prayer Journal, Christine Watkins asked her readers: "Where do you place your hope? In the things and people and dreams of this world? Or in God?"

She then shared the insight of St. Charles Borromeo:

“God wishes us not to rest upon anything but His infinite goodness; do not let us expect anything, hope anything, or desire anything but from Him, and let us put our trust and confidence in Him alone.”

Yes, St. Charles speaks the Truth - but one that is often difficult to live.

Watkins' questions and St. Charles' observations prompted my writing the following personal reflection - in hopes something in it will resonate with you and stir your soul:

Lord, You know well, how often I have allowed the demons of despair to destroy my spiritual and physical peace. You know Lord how I allowed this destroyer of souls to take me to a point where I begged You to end my physical life. How painful it is, even now years later, to recall those dark days, those hopeless days.

If I had really believed in You at that time, if I had placed my hope in Your hands, there would have been nothing I would fear, nothing that would have caused me to despair. It should not come as a surprise then that I have struggled immensely in my spiritual journey. Folly it is for me or any other sinful soul to put our trust in anyone or anything but You. Yet time after time, I did what I knew was futile and eternally destructive.

My twin sister’s death was a devastating loss, and, at the same time, a powerful and undeserved gift - a reminder of what You intend for all of us and what we can expect when we place our hope in You – eternal salvation. You know Lord how I begged for Jane’s return to Your loving and merciful embrace and how she fought (You and me) tooth and nail. She too was tormented by the demons of despair as she battled with cancer for so many years.

But prayer and hope in You never fails. In Your mercy, You answered my long-standing prayer that she not die without first reconciling with You and without receiving the Last Rites. You sent a priest to her bedside. You welcomed Jane home. What more proof does this obstinate thick-headed man need after the miracle of Jane’s salvation?

Lord, help me to place my hope and trust in You and You alone - not in others or even myself. Fill me to overflowing with the virtue of hope, so that I will command the demons of despair to depart the instant they arrive. Lord, let me never forget that I will destroy my soul “if hope in You is not present” in my heart."

You created us to know love and serve You on this earth and to be with You eternally in the next. You promised Lord that good will come to those who trust and love You. That is Your promise to me and to all who believe in You.

You are God! You keep all Your promises! Nothing, no one can prevail against You, almighty and loving Lord – You who offers us eternal life. 

May I never lose sight of Your promises. Let nothing or no one steal this hope from me!

 

Eucharistic Reflection - Sometimes and Always

In his Introduction to Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore - Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration, Father Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P., the Priest Promoter of the Lay Dominicans St Joseph Province, USA, writes: 

"The Lay Dominicans in this book have discovered the secret! They have discovered the all-surpassing treasure and value and meaning we have in our Eucharistic Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Adoration. Their deep yearnings have kept them coming back to the Eucharist to touch the human heart's ultimate fulfillment, God, and then to go out to the world with something to share."

May Gloria J. Eldridge's refection, excerpted from this inspiring book, entice all who read it, to discover and/or rediscover, the secret!

(Photo by Thays Orrico on Unsplash)

Sometimes and Always

"Sometimes I pray. It might be the Rosary...the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Stations of the Cross.

Sometimes I read. It might be Scripture...a devotional...a recommended spiritual book.

Sometimes I just look upon Him and He looks upon me.

Sometimes I struggle and time passes slowly.

Sometimes I have questions.

Sometimes He answers immediately.

Sometimes He wants me to wait on Him.

Sometimes I fall asleep.

Always, I am glad I commit to Adoration time every week.

Always, I look forward to the quiet and peace I will feel in His presence in the Adoration chapel.

Always, I feel connected to Him in the Adoration Chapel in ways I don't experience anywhere else.

Always, I leave refreshed.

Always, I thank Him for the uninterrupted one-on-one time with Him in His holy presence.

Always, I marvel that He loves me.

Always, I want Him to know how much I love Him." 

(Gloria J. Eldridge, Mater Dei Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic, Libertytown, MD) 

 

Monday Musings - What Is The Height of Perfection?

 

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - September 4, 2025

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.

Vinny Flynn “The first level of contrition is a contrition of fear. It's called, "imperfect contrition" or "attrition," because it's motivated by awareness of the ugliness of sin and by fear of eternal damnation. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, it begins a process of inner conversion that disposes us to grace and is completed by sacramental absolution...The second level of contrition, called "perfect contrition," [is] motivated not by a self-oriented fear, but by love for God and the awareness of how good He is. This is much more personal, leading to a deeper relationship with God and a growing desire to avoid anything that might offend Him." (From 7 Secrets of Confession)

St. Teresa of Avila "I believe we shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God, for, beholding His greatness we are struck by our own baseness, His purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His humility we find how very far we are from being humble. Two advantages are gained by this practice. First, it is clear that white looks far whiter when placed near something black, and on the contrary, black never looks so dark as when seen beside something white. Secondly, our understanding and will become more noble and capable of good in every way when we turn from ourselves to God: it is very injurious never to raise our minds above the mire of our own faults." (From Interior Castle)   Father Romano Guardini "We do not come to church to attend the service as a spectator, but in order, along with the priest, to serve God. Everything we do—our entering, being present, our kneeling and sitting and standing, our reception of the sacred nourishment—should be divine service. This is so only when all we do overflows from the awareness of a collected heart and the mind’s attentiveness."  (From Meditations Before Mass)

Eucharistic Reflection - Son Bathing

There is a famous story from the life of St. John Vianney. He noticed a farmer who spent many hours in the parish, praying before the Blessed Sacrament. When St. John Vianney asked him what he did in this time of prayer, he answered, “I look at Him, and He looks at me.”

In my experience of Eucharistic Adoration, I have come to a surprising and somewhat startling discovery: I often do not feel anything happen during that time of prayer. Sometimes that time feels dry and seems fruitless. If I am in the presence of God Himself, spending direct time with Jesus physically before me, how come this is not the most fruitful and consoling time of prayer? How come I can often feel very little or nothing at all?

Despite this, I still find it important to be with Him in Eucharistic Adoration. I imagine that people who go sunbathing do not feel themselves getting tanned. They may feel the warmth of the sun, but do they perceive the chemical changes that are occurring to change the tone of their skin? From being accidentally darkened by too many hours in the sun myself, I think the answer is no (at least for me!). And yet, the change happens—silently, gradually, almost imperceptibly.

I believe Eucharistic Adoration is much the same, and perhaps can be colloquially called “Son bathing.” I may not perceive any change in myself, but I am confident the change is occurring. In fact, many times, I have felt the fruit of prayer not during the time of prayer, but after it has concluded. In this time of Eucharistic Adoration, it is not the skin that changes but our souls that are altered in appearance, more closely resembling Jesus the more we spend time in His presence. Perhaps St. John Vianney’s farmer understood this and did not feel anything in his long hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, yet remained faithfully before Him.

Jesus said to St. Faustina, “The flames of mercy are burning Me—clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don't want to believe in My goodness.” Centuries earlier, He revealed His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque as a burning furnace of Divine Love, both verbally and visually. Are the Eucharist and His Sacred Heart not one and the same? In Eucharistic Adoration, let us bathe in this flame of love, regardless of what we perceive to be happening. Let us walk away with hearts that are inflamed with Divine Love like His, as we slowly become more like Him through the furnace of the Eucharist. 

(Benjamin Dominic, St, Louis Bertrand Fraternity, Syracuse, NY, from Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore - Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration)