Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

(Photography©Michael Seagriff) 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.   Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati   "We who, by the grace of God, are Catholics, must not squander the best years of our lives as so many unhappy young people do, who worry about enjoying the good things in life, things that do not in fact bring any good, but rather the fruit of immorality in today's world. We must prepare ourselves to be ready and able to handle the struggles we will have to endure to fulfill our goals, and, in so doing, to give our country happier and morally healthier days in the near future. But in order for this to happen we need the following: constant prayer to obtain God's grace, without which all our efforts are in vain; organization and discipline to be ready for action at the right moment; and finally, we need to sacrifice our own passions, indeed our very sel...

(Photography©Michael Seagriff) "All my sermons are prepared in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. As recreation is most pleasant and profitable in the sun, so homiletic creativity is best nourished before the Eucharist. The most brilliant ideas come from meeting God face to face. The Holy Spirit that presided at the Incarnation is the best atmosphere for illumination. Pope John Paul II keeps a small desk or writing pad near him whenever he is in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament; and I have done this all my life — I am sure for the same reason he does, because a lover always works better when the beloved is with him." ( Love Dreams by Ven. Fulton J. Sheen)  

(Photography ©Michael Seagriff) It's Sunday and time to join an interesting group of Catholic bloggers at RAnn's place - T his That and The Other Thing . Why not visit every Sunday? Question this week from RAnn: What is my favorite hymn at Mass? - When the Eucharistic prayer is chanted. Here are three posts from my blog this week: Monday Musings - I Am Not Going To Cry God Is Always With Us, Isn't He? Feast Day of St. Rose of Lima

  ( Source:St. Rose of Lima Parish, Safford, AZ) (I originally posted this two years ago and thought it worth running again ) Today we remember St. Rose of Lima , the first canonized Saint of the Western hemisphere. She was born in Peru in 1586 and died there at the age of thirty-one. Like many who have felt a call to the Dominican Order over the centuries, Rose initially faced opposition from her family. They refused to let her enter a convent. Rose’s response was to become a Lay Dominican and to live a life of solitude and penance within the confines of her family’s home.

Via The Integrated Catholic Life Just had to pass this along

((St. Agatha's, Canastota, NY) (Photography©Michael Seagriff) We believe that God is always with us, don’t we? Isn’t He? Or do we believe that, only when things are going well? How often do we thank God for His blessings when our lives seem to be on the right track and our burdens light? Do we take Him for granted during those satisfying times?    What happens when we feel abandoned by God? How do we react when times are hard and challenging, when our daily crosses seem too heavy to bear? Do we accept them and thank God for sending them? Or like Gideon in today’s first reading, do we doubt God’s presence among us by asking “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”   Gideon doubted God’s presence among His people and asked for a sign before he did as God had asked of him.   God gave him a sign.   In the midst of our daily struggles will we too ask for a sign before we accept God’s will for us? Or will we become willing cr...

(Image from Biblebios.com) If God used Balaam’s donkey to get that prophet’s attention, I guess he can use me to get yours. May these periodic postings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month (God willing) generate fruitful discussion and faithful change.     Today, I wanted to cry!    I had ample reasons to cry but I am not going to!!   Instead, I am calling all Catholics to spiritual arms!