Pondering Tidbits of Truth - March 6, 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.

Patrick Stewart  

“…the most important thing about the duty of the moment is this: the duty of the moment is where we meet Christ. He’s waiting for us in the duty of the moment, in His will for us. Where am I supposed to be now? What am I supposed to be doing now? That’s where Christ is. That’s where He is waiting for me. Not in the chapel. Of course, He’s in the chapel, but if I’m supposed to be chopping wood right now, he’s not in the chapel waiting for me. He’s at the woodpile. If I’m supposed to be cleaning the dorm, that’s where He is waiting for me. Where am I going to meet my Beloved? Wherever I am supposed to be. It’s so simple. And so wonderful.” 

(From the July-August 2022 issue of Restoration, the monthly newspaper of the Madonna House Apostolate (https://www.madonnahouse.org).

 

William of Saint Thierry, Abbot

“…You first loved us so that we might love You, not because You needed our love but because we could not be what You created us to be, except by loving You.”

(From The Office of Readings for December 16, 2024)

 

Father Jose Gonzalez

“In our own lives, God is constantly calling us to seek Him out and worship Him…How is He calling you? In what way is He sending you a star to follow? Many times when God speaks, we ignore His voice. We must learn from the Magi and diligently respond when He calls. We must not hesitate and must seek to daily be attentive to the way God invites us to a deeper trust, surrender and worship.

Reflect today, upon God’s call in your life. Are you listening? Are you responding? Are you ready and willing to abandon all else in life so as to swerve His Holy Will?"

Seek Him, wait on Him and respond.

(From the Daily Gospel Reflection for January 5, 2025)

 

 

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - October 31, 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.

Father Jose Gonzalez

"Reflect upon the scenario in which you were supposed to receive a very large inheritance but were cheated out of it. How would you react? The right reaction would be to care more for the soul of the person who cheated you than to care about actually being cheated. A person who is fully detached from material possessions will care little about losing such an inheritance or gaining one. It will truly matter not. If that is hard to accept, know that this is a sign that your soul is too attached to the things of this world. Pray for freedom from all greed. That is the only way to obtain the true riches of God."

(From Daily Reflections - October 21, 2024)

 

St. Teresa of Calcutta

"How did Christ love us? He made Himself the Bread of Life. He made Himself a living bread that you and I may eat and live. He made himself so small, so weak, just bread to satisfy our hunger for God.” 

(From Kathy Snider He Comes in Grandeur and Humility published in the Oct 2024 issue of Restoration)

 

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D.

"Of course, technology itself is innocent. It is the worship of it, the idolization of it, that is evil. Adam tilling the garden was technology. Noah's ark was technology. Solomon's temple and Notre Dame Cathedral were technology. So was Cain's rock and the Roman art of crucifixion and the gas chambers in Auschwitz and the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

(From How to Destroy Western Civilization and Other Ideas from the Cultural Abyss)

 

 

 

Monday Musings - My Friend, Am I The Reason You Are Walking Away from God?

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

For several months now, at Sunday Mass, I have noticed that a middle-aged gentleman quickly walks out of the Church as soon as the congregation begins to approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. He leaves before anyone who might be inclined to approach or speak to him, is able to do so. I do not know why he will not approach our Lord; there could be countless reasons. Maybe he simply does not believe that it is Jesus he is walking away from.

To date, all I have done is to pray for him.

However, after Mass today, I read an article written by Father Denis Lemieux, entitled “Who Will Be Saved?” This thought-provoking column appeared in the July-August 2018 issue of Restoration, the newspaper published by Madonna House. 

The good Father offers, what I consider, a possible explanation for this man’s reluctance to receive Communion that shook my soul and made it quite clear I must offer this man much more than my prayers.

Here is the relevant excerpt from his article: