Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

 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. Anthony Mary Claret "...the most important point on which depends your whole welfare in the spiritual life: this point is that one must tread in the footsteps which Jesus Christ left before us, and keeping Him faithful company, patiently bear the desolation and affliction in one’s spirit, pain and hardships in one’s body, outrages, injuries, ill-will and persecution from whatever source they come. One who has no willingness to walk this road will never find God, and much less will he come to a pure and perfect love for Him…" (From The Golden Key to Heaven )

Thank you Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You   and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for  hosting Catholic bloggers at  Worth   Revisiting .   It is a privilege for us to share our work with you and your readers each week.  Stop by for a visit now .    A picture and a few words: What Do  We Need To Be Told Again and Again? (Originally posted June 22, 2017)

"The Church is hushed as the words fall silently from the sacramental lips of the priest. In answer to these words, Jesus Christ opens the gates of heaven and descends upon the altar with a mighty retinue of angels and saints. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) On the altar, He is as truly present as when upon the Cross, where He appeared for us; as truly present as He is in heaven, where He continues to appear for us before the Eternal Father.  In the priest's elevated hands we see Christ, our Redeemer. There is no moment on earth more holy than this! Let us look at the Host and at the Chalice, saying with the faith of St. Thomas: 'My Lord and my God'." (Father John T. McMahon from Live the Mass )

“I feel so incomplete,” the Pastor announced at the end of Mass. The parish we had visited during a recent trip (not the one depicted below) had been holding Stations of the Cross during Lent in their newly constructed Church even though the physical Stations of the Cross had not yet arrived or been mounted on the Church walls. “The Stations are coming,” Father assured his congregation. “We won’t be looking at empty walls much longer.” I understood that sentiment and how having the physical Stations would enhance that prayerful devotion. But… Was there not a far more compelling reason for all of us to feel incomplete?   (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons )

Thank you Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You   and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for  hosting Catholic bloggers at  Worth   Revisiting .  It is a privilege for us to share our work with you and your readers .      Stop by for a visit now .  Here is my contribution: Eucharistic Reflection - Divine Prisoner of Love (Originally published November 12, 2013)     (St.Agatha's, Canastota, NY) “O Jesus, Divine Prisoner of Love, when I consider Your love and how You emptied Yourself for me, my senses deaden. You hide Your inconceivable majesty and lower Yourself to miserable me. O king of Glory, though You hide Your beauty, yet the eye of my soul rends the veil. I see the angelic choirs giving You honor without cease, and all the heavenly Powers praising You without cease, and without cease they are saying: Holy, Holy, Holy.

"My children you are body and soul and you have a duty to feed both. The best food for the soul is the Body and Blood of your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, but you must accept it worthily and knowledgeably. To accept it worthily you must be in the state of grace. To accept it knowledgeably, you must understand and acknowledge and believe that My Son Jesus Christ's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity are present in the Host. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) It is only by recognizing what really takes place in Mass that you can obtain the full benefits. My children, if you don't understand the importance of the Eucharist, read, there are good books. Ignorance must be overcome My children, you are chosen to bring the world back to My love: and the way is by the Eucharist. Make the Eucharist the center of your lives and all will be well." (From Words from God by Matthew Kelly)