One should not seek his own comfort, or the esteem and the pleasure of someone else, but the sole and only pleasure of God.

 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:2)

Volume 4-March 16, 1902

Oh! how hard it is to have Him come for a little! It is a continuous heartbreak and fear that He may come no more. Oh! God, what pain! I don’t know how I live, though I live dying. Then He made Himself seen for a little, in a pitiful state, with one arm severed, and all afflicted He told me: “My daughter, see what creatures do to Me – how can you want Me not to chastise them?” And while saying this, He seemed to take a tall cross, the arms of which were hanging over six or seven cities; and various chastisements would happen. In seeing this, I suffered very much, and He, wanting to distract me from that pain, added: “My daughter, you suffer very much when I deprive you of my presence. This must happen to you by necessity, because since you have been close to the Divinity for a long time, identified with It through Its contact, you have enjoyed as you pleased all the pleasure of divine light; and the more one has enjoyed the light, the more he feels the privation of that light, and the bothers, the annoyances and the pains which darkness brings with itself.” Then He repeated: “However, the most important thing for everyone, is that in each thought, word and work, one should not seek his own comfort, or the esteem and the pleasure of someone else, but the sole and only pleasure of God.”

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how often we seek our own comfort and think only of ourselves. Sometimes, You will deprive us of consolations even when you are always with us for the good of our souls so that we would mature in our union with You! May we always seek only You in our words and works!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Third Thursday of Lent

The Finger of God

Now I fill your heart with the feeling of My Divinity. Oh, that we might gather together as much as possible! (Jesus) (October 18, 1962)

Today’s Readings:

But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. (Luke 11)

Prayer Meditation: O Jesus, by the finger of God, You have touched our lives every step of the way. May we realize that the Kingdom of God is indeed upon us- in Your Sacraments, In Your Word, in Your Healing Presence and Grace in our lives in all circumstances. Lord may we ask with our whole hearts for union with You so that we may live Your life on Earth to save others.

When Souls Are All Filled With God, Storms Have No Strength To Agitate Them Slightly

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵ He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?”(Luke 8:24-25)

Volume 8-March 15, 1908

“My daughter, do not want to trouble yourself. You must know that when there is a strong storm in the sea, where the waters are deep the storm is only superficial. The depths of the sea are in the most perfect calm, the waters remain tranquil, and the fish, when they detect the storm, go to nest where the water is deeper so as to be safer. So, the whole storm unloads itself where the sea contains very little water, because since there is little water, the storm has the strength to agitate it from top to bottom, and even to transport it elsewhere, to other points of the sea.
So it happens to souls when they are completely filled with God – up to the brim, up to overflowing outside: storms have no strength to upset them even slightly, because there is no strength that can defy God; at the most, they may feel it superficially. Even more, as the soul detects the storm, she puts the virtues in order, and goes to nest in the inmost depths of God. So, while externally there seems to be a storm, it is completely false – it is then that the soul enjoys more peace, and rests, tranquil, in the bosom of God, just like the fish in the bosom of the sea.
All the opposite for the souls who are empty of God, or contain just a little bit of God: storms agitate them all over; and if they have a little bit of God, they waste it. Nor does it take strong storms to agitate them; the slightest wind is enough to make virtues flee from them. Even more, holy things themselves, which form a delicious pasture for those former souls who enjoy them to their fill, for these souls, turn into storms. They are knocked about by all the winds; from no side is it ever dead calm for them, because reason demands that where the whole of God is not, the inheritance of peace is far away from them.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, only You can calm the storms in our lives! Let us be filled with You because nothing can defy You! May we rest in Your inmost depths in peace and tranquility!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Never Let Us Go

Jesus: “My little one, whenever a magnet attracts something to

itself, it does not let go because that would be against the laws of

nature. So, I never let go of you or of anyone else because that

would be against the law of My Divine Tenderness. (Jesus) (August 3, 1964)

Today’s Readings: Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place. (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, in these times it seems everything is upside down. We realize how fragile life really is and that all we know can change in a minute. And yet we can be comforted that through it all, Your Law which is Your Word remains. We can know with certainty that You never let us go but You are loving us right now through the storm as we strive to hold onto Your Word. Only You are the Author of the world’s story- all that we can do is hang onto Your Word and trust in Your Mercy!

Participation In The Pains Which The Humanity Of Jesus Received From The Divinity

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(1 Corinthians 2:2)

Volume 12- March 14, 1919

“My daughter, since I have chosen you as the first one to live life in my Will, I want that you too take part in the pains which my Humanity received from the Divinity in my Will. Every time you enter into my Volition, you will find the pains that the Divinity gave Me – not those which the creatures gave Me, although these too were wanted by the Eternal Will; but since those were given to me by creatures, they were in a finite way. Therefore I want you in my Will, in which you will find pains in an infinite way and innumerable. You will have countless nails, multiple crowns of thorns, repeated deaths, pains without end – all similar to mine, in a divine way and immense, which will extend in an infinite way to all, past, present and future. You will be the first one who – not a limited number of times, as those who have shared in the wounds of my Humanity, but as many times as my Divinity made Me suffer – together with Me, will be the little lamb killed by the hands of my Father, to rise again and be killed again. You will remain crucified with Me by the eternal hands, to receive in you the mark of the eternal, immense and divine pains. We will present ourselves together before the throne of the Eternal One, with written on our foreheads, in indelible characters: ‘We want death to give life to our brothers; we want pains to free them from the eternal pains.’ Aren’t you happy?”
And I: ‘Jesus! Jesus! I feel too unworthy, and I believe that You are making a big mistake in choosing me, poor little one. Therefore, mind what You do.’ And Jesus, interrupting my speaking, added: “Why do you fear? Yes, yes, I minded for thirty-two years of bed in which I have kept you. I exposed you to many trials, and even to death – I calculated everything. And besides, if I am mistaken, it will be a mistake of your Jesus, which can never do harm to you, but immense good. However, know that I will have the honor, the glory, of the first soul stigmatized in my Will.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, You asked Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta to share not only in Your exterior Passion but Your interior Passion for the purpose of saving souls. And You have given us through Luisa and St. Hannibal the Hours of the Passion so that linked to Luisa we can make reparation for our sins and the whole world past present and future. Let us meditate well on Your Passion Lord as we compassionate You for the good of all and for Your Glory!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Payback or Pay it Forward?

“Are there persons

to whom You extend Your hands and they pay no attention?” (Elizabeth) (May 24, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ (Matthew 18)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read how You so easily forgive all of our debts- even our really big sins. You forgive and forget all of our sins. And yet so often, we do not extend the same grace to others. We forget how much we have been forgiven. Lord help us today to forgive and extend mercy to all that ask today and even to those who do not. Let’s not return evil for evil but let us return love (Romans 12).

If The Soul Cannot Be Without Jesus, It Is A Sign That She Is Necessary To His Love

For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Volume 7-March 13, 1906

This morning blessed Jesus was not coming, and I was saying to myself: ‘Lord, don’t You see that I feel life missing in me? I feel such necessity of You, that if You do not come, I feel my being destroyed. Do not deny me what is absolutely necessary to me; I do not ask You for kisses, caresses, favors, but only for what is necessary.’ While I was saying this, I found myself all absorbed in Him; my whole being was dissolved in such a way that I could do nothing and see nothing but what He Himself was doing and seeing. I felt blissful, happy, all of my powers dozy – just like one who goes into the depths of the sea, which is all water, and if he looks, he sees water; if he speaks, the water prevents his speech and enters even into his
bowels; if he listens, it is the murmuring of the waters that enters into his ears. With this difference: that in the sea one’s life is in danger, and one feels neither happy nor blissful, while in God one reacquires divine life, happiness and beatitude. Then blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, if you cannot be without Me, so much am I necessary for you, it is a sign that you are necessary to my love. In fact, the degree in which one becomes necessary to someone else, is a sign that the second is necessary to the first. Therefore, even though sometimes it seems that I am not coming, and you struggle, and I see how necessary I am for you, as this necessity grows in you, so does it grow in Me, and I say to Myself: ‘I am going to go and take this relief for my love.’ This is why, after you have struggled, I come.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, at times we can wonder where You are yet You are always with us, even when we do not feel You near. Let us dissolve into You like a little drop of water in the wide Ocean of Your Mercy and Your Love!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Too Familiar? (There is a Prophet in Israel)

“You know, the great sin of the world is to ignore My inspirations.

It is because of that and lukewarm consecrated souls

that the world is walking in darkness. They could help Me, but they

are not even aware how dangerous their tepidity is. (Jesus) (First Sunday of January 1964)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:
“Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place. (Luke 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, it is easy to shake our heads at the town folk of Nazareth but we really should be pointing a finger back at ourselves. How many Masses attended without full attention, Sacraments received nonchalantly, and how much presumption that our parishes would always be available to us. We have had the bridegroom with us and we have given You at best often a  perfunctory genuflection when we should have been listening attentively to You at Your feet like Mary of Bethany. Lord, wake us up- may we take this time to meditate on Your Word and in prayer- let us search for You in sorrow like the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph and may we again have the joy of finding You in Your Father’s House!

The Divine Will Perfects Love; It Modifies It, It Constrains It, And It Expands It Into Something Holier And More Perfect

So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. ¹⁹ We love, because he first loved us. ²⁰  (1 John 4:16-20)

Volume 9-March 12, 1910

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came just in passing and told me: “My daughter, my Will perfects love; It modifies it, It shrinks it, and It expands it into something holier and more perfect. Sometimes love would want to run away and devour everything; but my Will masters love and says: ‘Slow down, don’t run away, because by running away you can hurt yourself, and by wanting to devour everything you can be mistaken.’ Love is pure insofar as it is conformed to my Will; they walk together, and they kiss each other continuously with the kiss of peace. Other times, either because of an interior state or because in its escapes it has not succeeded as it wanted, love would want to constrain Me and almost sit down sluggishly; so my Will spurs it on and says to it: ‘Come on, true lovers are not lazy – they don’t remain idle.’ When it is enclosed in my Will – only then is love safe. So, love makes one appreciate and desire something, and it is taken by follies and by excesses; while my Will tempers and calms love itself, and nourishes the loving soul with a food more solid and divine. Therefore, in love there can be many imperfections, even in holy things, while in my Will – never; everything is perfect.
My daughter, this happens especially in loving souls who have received the grace of my visits, of my kisses and caresses: they remain prey to love when I deprive them of Myself; love takes possession of them and renders them panting, fidgety, delirious, mad, restless, impatient. So, if it wasn’t for my Will that nourishes them, calms them, strengthens them, love would kill them. Though love is nothing but the firstborn child of my Will, it needs always to be corrected by my Will; and I love it as much as I love Myself.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, please perfect our love with Your Love- only in Your Holy and Divine Will can our love be perfect like Yours! Your Perfect Love drives out all fear and fills us with Your Peace!

Today’s Consuming Fire Meditation- – A Daily Dose of the Flame of Love Diary Served Up with Today’s Scriptures

Third Sunday of Lent

If We Only Knew The Gift of God

Keep this great grace you received from Me in the depth of your soul. It is a special gift of God. (Jesus) (May 4, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.” (John 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read about the Samaritan Woman- so skeptical at first but by the end of the encounter she was a true believer. You showed her everything she ever did and yet You offered Her Your Living Water that she would never thirst again. Today, Lord, so many skeptical and stuck in poor decisions just like the Samaritan Woman. Will we open ourselves to Your Gift of Yourself or will we stay stuck where we are? Lord You thirst for us and nothing we have ever done can keep us from You- only we can keep ourselves from You. May we thirst always for the Living Water that will save our souls and the souls of all we love.