Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No doubt there are current-day Jeremiah's in our midst to who m we, like our Jewish ancestors, have turned a deaf ear... "[The Lord telling Jeremiah] to speak to the people of the cities of Judah whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing. Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds. Say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all nations of the earth, shall refer when cursing another."   (From Jeremiah 26:4-6 )

 

 

 

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) “We have forgotten that there is eloquence in the silent simplicity of doing one’s ordinary duty. We have forgotten that there is power and terrific impact in example. A child of six was about to undergo a tonsillectomy. The surgeon, a fallen away Catholic, to ease all tension, playfully and paternally told the little girl that he was going to help her go to sleep for a while. Whereupon the child knelt on the operating table saying: 'If I’m going to sleep, I must first say my night prayers.’ In all simplicity and with the full charm of innocent childhood she folded her hands and said what you and I have said again and again in our youth. Now I lay me down to sleep; To God I give my soul to keep. And if I die before I wake, To God I give my soul to take. That night a fallen away Catholic came back to Christ.   We forget that silence speaks, that our mere presence gives testimony to the truth – or evidence of our untruth!”  (Rev. ...

“How tightly should we hold on to our wills,” you ask Lord? How often have we mouthed the words or expressed the desire to surrender our wills to Yours, to accept whatever happens to us each day as Your will for our lives and that which is best for our salvation? How often Lord have we prayed for the grace to let go and let You direct our every thought, word and deed? - a lifetime! But most of us have failed in surrendering even a smidgen of our wills. We hold on foolishly and sinfully to them. We become more stressed, more prone to anger. And the more we realize that failure, the more entrenched in despair and discouragement we become. We do what we claim we do not want to do and fail to do what we know we should. Lord, unleash the grasp the evil one has on our hearts, minds, souls and wills. Let us Lord accept ourselves as we are. Help us Lord to resign ourselves to the things we cannot change. Release us Lord from the anxiety we harbor for the spiritual well-being of those o...

 

 

 

 

  "Tell souls not to place within their own hearts obstacles to My mercy, which so greatly wants to act within them. My mercy works in all those hearts which open their doors to it. Both the sinner and the righteous person have need of My mercy. Conversion, as well as perseverance, is a grace of My mercy.  Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls. I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity. The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is-trust.  The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it i...

[117] Venerable Fulton J. Sheen  At the very moment when a tree turns against Him and becomes a cross, when iron turns against Him and becomes nails, when roses turn against Him and become thorns, when men turn against Him and become executioners, He lets fall from His lips for the first time in the history of the world a prayer for enemies: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34).  (From  The Rainbow of Sorrow ) PAUSE AND PONDER :  Do I find it difficult to forgive those who have sinned against me? If Jesus forgave His executioners, how can I hold on to a grudge or desire for revenge? Do I understand that God will forgive me only to the extent that I have forgiven those who have injured me?                           (Excerpted from  Pondering Tidbits of Truth – Volume 6 )

"The seven dispositions with relation to our Lord in which you should exercise yourself are as follows:                              Love Him with most ardent love;                              Fear Him above all things;                            Render Him the honor and respect which are His due;                            Have a most constant zeal in His service;                              T hank and praise Him;                              Obey promptly and perfectly all His commands;...