Pondering Tidbits of Truth - November 21, 2024

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.

Dan Burke and Connie Rossini  "When we have too many vocal prayers to say, our goal easily changes to getting them done instead of praying them well. They become less, rather than more, contemplative. The Holy Spirt might be moving us to linger silently on the meditation of a mystery, but we feel that we can't stop or we will never fit all our prayers in. So we find ourselves working against the Holy Spirit...We forget that the very purpose of prayer is communing with the Lord."  (From The Contemplative Rosary)    Dom Lorenzo Scupoli  "No creature ever loved Jesus Christ more ardently, nor showed more perfect submission to His will, than Mary, His mother. If then, this Savior, immolated for us sinners, gave His mother to us, an advocate and intercessor for all time, she cannot but comply with His request, and will not refuse us her assistance. Let us, then, not hesitate to implore her pity; let us have recourse to her with great confidence in all our necessities, as she is an inexhaustible source of blessing, bestowing her favors in proportion to the confidence placed in her."  (An excerpt from The Spiritual Combat and A Treatise on Peace of Soul)

Rev. D. Chisholm

“If Christians only knew the immense treasure they possessed in the Holy Eucharist, and all they could obtain by going to Holy Communion, their joy would be so great that earth would be changed for them into Heaven itself; they would go in crowds to the Holy Table every day, and with hearts overflowing with love.”

 (From The Catechism in Examples)

 

 

 

Book Review - The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer- Kindle Edition by Connie Rossini - A Gem of a Book!

Prayer is the primary method by which we establish a real and loving relationship with our Lord – wherein we talk to Him and He with us – one heart to another.  Prayer takes on many forms and serves a number of diverse purposes. Sometimes we use the words of others, sometimes our own and on other occasions we simply listen to the silent promptings that stir our souls.

But prayer can become complicated and even unsettling. What is mental prayer? What is contemplative prayer? How does one progress from one form of prayer to another? How would one know which contemporary prayer models, even those popular among Catholics, are not really authentic forms of prayer?

Many of us - prayer novices and veterans alike - are searching for answers to these and a myriad of other questions. Nearly everyone can use guidance as to how to pray, how to discern what they experience during prayer and how to know if it is really God who is speaking to their hearts. Some may not know where to turn for accurate answers to questions they may have and/or know what authentic prayer resources and authors they should consult. 

Thankfully, author, Connie Rossini’s latest book, The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer, is a concise, sound and reliable guidebook and resource for those seeking answers to questions about prayer, especially mental prayer. I have no doubt readers of this little gem will soon discover or reinvigorate a path toward a richer and more fulfilling prayer life.

This book is a resource all Catholics should have and one whose readers will frequently pick up and use not only for their own spiritual benefit but to help others who might have questions about prayer. In fact, while reading an advance copy of The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer, I was able to answer a very specific question posed to me by an acquaintance by referring to one answer among the 125 questions Connie answers in her book.

The author has a gift to bring the truths and spiritual treasures of our Catholic faith to life. Her Carmelite spirituality and life of study, prayer and teaching have prepared her well for the work she has done.

I highly recommend this book to everyone and thank Connie Rossini for this great gift. It is available for pre-order on Kindle here.

Monday Musings - Bringing the Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary to Life

[I could not let the month of May come and and go without sharing this post from December of 2017]

Bringing the Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary to Life

Let me be frank. Dan Burke and Connie Rossini are fine outstanding lay Catholics whose efforts on behalf of the Lord they serve have touched the hearts of countless souls seeking a closer union with God. Nary a day passes without my being enriched by the wisdom and insight they share at spiritualdirection.com  and at authenticcontemplativeprayer.

But I am upset with both of them! Why you ask? Because I was too weak to stand my ground, to honor the promise I made not to buy another book this year! It is THEIR fault that I was unfaithful to that promise and succumbed once again to that “buy with one click” button on Amazon.

Had they not written The Contemplative Rosary with St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of  Avila, I would have been successful in fulfilling my promise. They should have known that this rosary loving Lay Dominican, who never leaves home without his beads, would rush to get a copy. It’s unfair that they chose this particular point in time to write a book that will enhance the prayer life of those who read and follow its recommendations, that will bring the mysteries of the Rosary to life, and that will draw souls closer to the eternal embrace of a loving God.

Most of the concepts in this book were not completely foreign to me. Some had been forgotten or weakened by inattention and distraction and others had become too routine. What an excellent job the authors have done to incorporate their unique insights and the wisdom of St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Avila into one concise volume. The pictures and reflections are lush with fruit for meditation. 

Let me end with a suggestion and a plea: get your copy of The Contemplative Rosary with St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Avila now; and Dan and Connie, please do not write or publish any more books this year. I don’t want to break another promise.

Book Reviews - Stirring Slumbering Souls - 250 Eucharistic Reflections

Stirring Slumbering Souls - 250 Eucharistic Reflections is doing just that - stirring souls to rediscover and treasure Christ's Real and Substantial Presence here among us.

Read what noted Catholic authors, Connie Rossini and Virginia Lieto, have to say about this inspiring book. 

Consider sharing this post and a copy of Stirring Slumbering Souls with those you know and love. Join the effort to quench our Lord's Thirst to be visited, adored and loved.

Book Review - Is Centering Prayer Catholic?

When I returned to the Catholic Church, I was hungry to really learn and live my Faith. Naturally, I turned to those who had welcomed me back for guidance, never suspecting for a second that those I approached would ever (intentionally or unintentionally) steer me anywhere but to the Truth. 

I read and devoured everything they put before me, including suggestions that I turn to “centering prayer”.  At the time, my prayer life was rather simple. I relied heavily on the words others created and was in no position to compare the efficacy and/or validity of centering prayer to other forms of prayer.

Initially, I enjoyed this new way of praying. But as I matured in my Faith, I abandoned it. It did not seem “right” although I was still too spiritually immature to articulate why I felt that way.

It would have been helpful to me during that part of my spiritual journey had “Is Centering Prayer Catholic?” existed. Connie Rossini has done a great service to the Church and the souls of its members by objectively and professionally comparing “centering prayer” and what its proponents have said about it to what the Catechism of the Catholic Church and some of its great spiritual guides, such as St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, actually teach about prayer.

The book is well-written, clear, informative, instructive and a must read for anyone seeking a more fruitful prayer life.  I highly recommend you read (and re-read) this outstanding book.

Book Review - Trusting God with St. Therese

I have too long delayed in writing a few words about this outstanding book. Oh, it is easy to mouth the words "I Trust God" but far more difficult to actually do so. Connie has given us the tools to help turn our words into action.

How does she manage to do this? - by drawing upon her own spiritual journey, life experiences, challenges and crosses, and the teachings of the Little Flower.

I particularly enjoyed the way in which she weaved her personal story with the teachings and life of St. Therese. She provides the reader with penetrating, potentially life changing questions at the end of each chapter - some of which force a painful but necessary self-examination. The reader would be wise to take much time to ponder the issues she raises.

This book is not a one-time read - it can be, and should be, a lifetime resource which one frequently takes off the shelf from time to time to re-read, to re-ponder and to become spiritually re-invigorated. I am about ready to do just that!

Get your copy and join Connie and St. Therese on a rewarding spiritual journey.

Guest Post - What Is A Mystic?

It is my privilege to welcome Connie Rossini as my guest blogger today. Connie is a homeschooling Mom of four boys, a Lay Carmelite and a gifted writer and author who hails from Minnesota.. You will want to visit her blog regularly:

What is a Mystic?

by Connie Rossini

The word mystic presents a similar problem as the word contemplation. It's not particular to Catholics, or even Christians. And among Catholics, mystic is understood in different senses. What does it mean to be a mystic, according to the Catholic Church? How did the Carmelite saints view mysticism? Is mysticism for a chosen few, or for everyone?

First, let's look at the history of the word mystic. Mystic comes from a Greek root meaning "hidden" or "concealed." In the rime of Christ and the early Church, many people in Eastern Europe, which was then under the influence of Hellenistic (Greek) culture, practiced mystery religions. Practitioners were initiated into spiritual secrets through private rites.

Early Christians adopted the word mystical to refer to the Eucharist, and the Greek culture influenced the development of the liturgy. When converts were preparing to enter the Church, they left Mass before the Eucharistic prayer. They did not observe the consecration until they were baptized and ready to receive Communion themselves. 

This practice has changed only in the past several decades. Last week, catechumens were admitted to the Eucharist for the first time, at the Easter Vigil Mass. But, as we know, they were welcome to attend the entire Mass before their initiation was complete, even though they could not yet receive the Sacrament. 

In popular parlance, a mystic is someone who experiences supernatural communication with God (or a pagan deity, etc.) through visions, locutions, or altered states of consciousness. So, if we hear that a woman is a mystic, we might suspect she is receiving private revelations. When non-Christians hear the word mystic, they may think of a Buddhist monk in meditation.

Continue reading at Connie's blog Contemplative Homeschool.