Merry Christmas

 

 

Eucharistic Reflection - Be In The Company of He Who Loves You

"Loving souls can find no greater delight than to be in the company of those whom they love. If we, then, love Jesus Christ much, behold we are now in his presence. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament sees us and hears us; shall we, then, say nothing to Him? Let us console ourselves in His company; let us rejoice in His glory, and in the love which so many enamored souls bear Him in the Most Holy Sacrament. Let us desire that all should love Jesus in the Holy Sacrament, and consecrate their hearts to Him; at least let us consecrate our affections to Him. He should be all our love and our whole desire."

(From "The Holy Eucharist" by St. Alphonsus Liguori)

Monday Musings - Waiting Alone

 

Eucharistic Reflection - Without Him

"Without the Holy Eucharist there would be no happiness in this world; life would be insupportable. When we receive Holy  Communion, we receive our joy and our happiness. The good God, wishing to give Himself to us in the Sacrament of His Love, gave us a vast and great desire, which He alone can satisfy. 

 

In the presence of this beautiful Sacrament, we are like a person dying of thirst by the side of a river — he would only need to bend his head; like a person still remaining poor, close to a great treasure — he need only stretch out his hand. He who communicates loses himself in God like a drop of water in the ocean. They can no more be separated."

(St. John Vianney)

Monday Musings - Our Lady of Guadalupe

[I have shared this post several times over the years. Bear with me one more time.]

While my wife and I were cleaning out our attic and basement several years ago, we discovered a long lost treasure - photographs from a trip that my eldest daughter and I had taken to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City more than twenty-five years ago.

At the time of that visit, the original Church built at the request of the Blessed Mother, was deemed unsafe to enter. A new modern structure – much larger had been erected nearby.

I remember pausing in awe and wonder watching pilgrims walking on their knees across the plaza leading to the Cathedral, some of whom I was later told had been walking in that manner for miles. I regret now not having photographically captured the inspiring witness of those devoted souls.  

Pondering Tidbits of Truth - December 8, 2022

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.

 

 

 

Robert Cardinal Sarah

“Noise surrounds us and assaults us. The noise of our ceaselessly active cities, the noise of automobiles, airplanes, machines outside and inside our houses. Besides this noise that is imposed on us. There are other noises that we ourselves produce or choose. Such as the soundtrack of our everyday routine. This noise, unconsciously, often has a function that we do not dare admit: it masks and stifles another sound, the one that occupies and invades our interior life. How can we not be astonished by the efforts that we constantly make to stifle God’s silences.”

(From The Power of Silence)

 

 

Madeliene Delbrel, Servant of God

“At the beginning of each hour of the long day, we could say 'I must begin this hour as if I were going to be a martyr, and a witness' - because there is not one second we have the right to let God’s Word lie dormant in us.”

(From We, The Ordinary People of the Street)

 

 

Father Gabriele Amorth

“Satan has had a large group of followers since God first created man. Therefore, man has always had to struggle against the temptations and possessions of the demons who act out of hatred of God. But today there is a denial of God that is to be feared. Today man has been able to impose a culture in which reason and science are enough to explain everything. God, from whom everything comes, is denied. And the result is mathematical: whoever denounces God gives himself over to the devil and to all his works. The Lord has spoken clearly: either you are with Christ or you are with Satan. There are no alternatives or half measures. Today, as never before, there are many who either believe in Satan or believe that he does not exist Thus, he can operate in total liberty tempting and tormenting men in a thousand ways, without having them think that these evils come from him.”

(From The Devil Is Afraid of Me)

 

Eucharistic Reflection - I Am Unchangeable

“I am your unchangeable God, and I never change. I will not draw back from any creature who wants to come to Me.” 

Jesus to St. Catherine of Siena