Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation

We thank Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with them and their followers . Here is my contribution:    Is The Lord in Our Midst or Not? (Originally published on March 18, 2019) One question continues to echo through the centuries. "Is the Lord in our midst or not?" (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons) After fleeing the Egyptians, the Jews grumbled about the lack of bread, the absence of meat and about the shortage of water. In response to each of their complaints, God provided them with the material items they sought – none of which could permanently satiate their appetites.  Our Lord knew the Israelites would always be hungry or thirsty so long as they ignored His invitation to an intimate relationship with Him. The Israelites’ focus was always on themselves. They complained about God...

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons) " There are no words to describe the privilege which I grant you in Holy Communion. Avoid routine. Never become so accustomed to receiving Me that you lose your appreciation of this privilege. Try to make every reception a grand occasion. Do it by putting variety in your preparation and thanksgiving. Do not always say the same prayers, nor always follow the same method. One day meditate on My words or your daily life. On another day say vocal prayers or read prayer books.  At another time sing hymns within your mind. Use variety and you will never fall into the dull rut of routine. Do not let the thought of your unworthiness hold you back from Holy Communion. Think only of this, that I want you to receive Me because you need Me. For this reason, I command you to come to Me. If it were strictly a matter of worthiness, no one could ever receive Me." (Father Anthony J. Paone, S.J. from My Daily Bread )

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) 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 .   Ven. Fulton J. Sheen "Death is an affirmation of the purpose of life in an otherwise meaningless existence. The world could carry on its God-less plan if there were no death. What death is to an individual, that catastrophe is to civilization - the end of its wickedness. This is a source of anguish to the modern mind, for not only must human beings die, but the world must die. Death is a negtive testimony to God's power in a meaningless world, for by it God brings meaningless existence to nought. Because God exists, evil cannot carry on its wickedness indefinitely. If there were no catastrophe, such as the Apocalypse reveals, at the end of the world, the univese would then be the triumph of chaos... Death proves also that life has meaning, because it reveals that the virt...

We thank Allison Gingras at  Reconciled To You  and Elizabeth Riordan at  Theology Is A Verb   for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with them and their followers .  We Don't Love God As He Deserves  (Originally posted on March 17, 2019) (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons ) Let's be honest. We need to take a closer look at how we treat the God we profess to love. Listen here.

“My Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, how can I ever express the sympathy and sorrow which should be expressed for the unbelievable foolishness which we show in our daily neglect of You. The church is so crowded on Sunday [written in 1954] with men and women who are ready to do what they must do to save their souls. But on weekdays, the same Church has but a handful of people who rise a little earlier to come and kneel at Your feet. Others will rise earlier for a number of other reasons, but for an extra half hour with You, they will not do so.  (Photo©Michael Seagriff) You offer so much in the Mass and Holy Communion, yet we do so little to deserve Your generosity and love. Lord, place my heart in Yours for a moment and inflame it with the fire of Your love. Let me grow in appreciation of Holy Communion so that I may come to You more often. You desire to come to me that You many grant me more graces and blessings. In Holy Communion the privilege is all mine. I s...