One Scarred Hand To The Other

Posted byValerie Parisi July 31, 2023  EditOne Scarred Hand To The Other

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

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

One Scarred Hand to the Other

“How good of You to come! Truly, You do not despise me. Because I am a sinner, You double Your strength in me. What goodness, what limitless compassion You have for a repentant sinner.” (Elizabeth) (November 22, 1962)

Today’s Readings: As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. (Psalm 103)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, it is difficult to take in sometimes Your Mercy and Your Compassion. How far is it really from the East to the West? Because all we see are our faults, failings, and sins. Somehow, we are never going to measure up we think. The really great news, the best news ever is that the work has already been done! You love us and forgive everything inside of us when we repent- truly Your Ocean of Mercy drowns all of it if we ask forgiveness. You especially come to meet us and to heal us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. So, what are we waiting for- how far is it from the East to the West. One scarred hand to the other!

From Small Things Big Things Someday Come

Posted byValerie Parisi July 30, 2023  EditFrom Small Things Big Things Someday Come

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

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola

From Small Things Big Things Someday Come

“Through your smallness and ignorance, and above all through your humility, we want to put our Holy Cause into action through you. Be careful, do not let vainglory come near. That is why I am bringing it to your attention: be very humble, work hard at it. In this way, your efforts will come together.” (Mary) (August 30, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’” (Matthew 13)

Prayer Meditation: Lord, You are not looking for the learned and the wise but the little ones (Matthew 11) to advance Your Kingdom on Earth! We are small, ignorant even, and most days it seems like we have no clue but Lord help us, through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother to be humble and work hard according to our state in life so that the Kingdom will be alive and growing in us!

All Things Work For Good

Posted byValerie Parisi July 29, 2023  EditAll Things Work For Good

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

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

All Things Work For Good

Now that He spoke to me after a long time, a great joy filled my soul. The spiritual dryness had lasted for so long and my misery had kept me tied to the ground. I accepted this willingly because it was for the good of my soul.(May 1962)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.(Romans 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord in life there are seasons, seasons of dryness, seasons of circumstances that can seem to last so long they keep you tied to the ground. And it is so easy to turn inward and not turn our eyes to Heaven. And yet we know in the good times on the mountaintop and the hard times in the valley You are always there and You never leave even when it seems we cannot find You! It can be hard but we know You allow all things for the good of our souls because all things work for good for those who love You Lord and are called according to Your purpose! And we can hang on Your Word and Your Promises because You are the pearl of great price and You are worth everything we own and are as long as we possess the Kingdom. Fiat Jesus, Thy Will be done!

Friend Of God

Posted byValerie Parisi July 28, 2023  EditFriend Of God

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

Memorial of Sants Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Friend of God

Jesus said, “Is it not true that we now have both gained new strength? I also suffer with you. Could you imagine that I would leave you alone? No! I would never do that. Our souls are always in harmony.” (Jesus) (February 13, 1964)

Today’s Readings: Jesus entered a village 
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. (Luke 10)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we read in the Gospel how You had friends including Martha, Mary, and Lazarus! You are God and yet You want to be our closest friend. The Friend who never lets us down and never lets us go! Lord help us to welcome You into our homes and our hearts and just “waste” time together as we pour out everything on our hearts knowing You will listen! We can be like Martha, Mary, and Lazarus  today and visit You in the Blessed Sacrament and just “hang out”.

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The Law Of The Lord Is Perfect

Posted byValerie Parisi July 27, 2023  EditThe Law Of The Lord Is Perfect

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

Friday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The Law of the Lord is Perfect

Those who will live after you on earth can draw abundantly from these treasures. They will be able to follow the simple road of your life. By this path, they also can reach Me.” (Jesus) (November 17-18, 1964)

Today’s Readings: The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.(Psalm 19)

Prayer Meditation- Your law is written on our hearts- religion isn’t a bunch of rules meant to keep us down but it is Your Perfect Law which refreshes us and in which we can trust! It is when we make ourselves simple and childlike that we can walk in Your Wisdom and by this path lead others to You! Lord, the way is narrow but You are our guide- with You we know our crooked ways will be made straight! (Isaiah 45:2)

Blessed Are The Eyes That See

Posted byValerie Parisi July 26, 2023  EditBlessed Are The Eyes That See

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

Thursday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Blessed Are The Eyes That See

Jesus said, “My little one,
take courage and gaze at Me. May our eyes look at each other and our glances melt in one
another.” (Jesus) (January 14, 1963)

Today’s Readings: “But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Matthew 13)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we can often feel that it would have been better to have been with You in person like the Apostles who walked with You day to day. But Lord, we have it even better! Because, though Your Real Presence is veiled in the Blessed Sacrament, we can receive You daily at Mass and visit You daily in any Catholic Church anywhere in the world! Lord, how we take this for granted! Lord open the eyes of our hearts that we would keep our eyes fixed on You Lord as You gaze on us with love beyond all telling!

Thorny Ground

Posted byValerie Parisi July 25, 2023 

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

Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne

Thorny Ground

“Forgive Me if I now expose before you the well-known pain of My Heart. You know, many souls consecrated to Me have fallen on good soil and produced abundant fruit. Now they are dispersed. They do not allow themselves to be plucked or ground. Without this, they will never be useful creatures. (Jesus) (November 23, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 13)

Prayer Meditation- Lord many of us start well, Your Word falls on good soil. Then the thorns appear- worries, cares of the world, return to old ways and before we know it, the gardens of our souls need an overhaul. We can indeed even become comfortable with these thorns, that is just the way I am we may say or if I didn’t have this work stress, family problems, fill in the blank, it would be easy to be holy. These are all delusions because You ask us to live for You right here right now despite our circumstances. To live each day full of holy moments trusting in You one step at a time. That is the way of the saints! Lord, help us each day to present these thorns to You so that You can pluck them out and till the soil of our hearts so that we would again bear much fruit! Without You we can do nothing!

Perplexed But Not Driven To Despair

Posted byValerie Parisi July 24, 2023  EditPerplexed But Not Driven To Despair

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

Feast of Saint James

Perplexed But Not Driven to Despair

“The Evil One wants to make you fall into despair. He will

use a ruse to ruin your humility.” (Jesus) (March 16, 1966)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we so often feel afflicted and perplexed. It is so easy to fall into despair and feel hemmed in on every side by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are but earthen vessels that hold You, our treasure! Yet if we are in You Lord, we can sing with St. Paul with all of our hearts that we are not constrained, we are not driven to despair, we are not abandoned, and we are not destroyed because Your power lives in us!

The Lord Himself Will Fight For You- Be Still

Posted byValerie Parisi July 23, 2023  EditThe Lord Himself Will Fight For You- Be Still

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

Monday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The Lord Himself Will Fight For You- Be Still

Jesus: “My little sister, by calling you this way, I invite you to trust Me and to believe in the One who calls you ‘little one’. When I speak this way, I guarantee you My loving care. I will give you all that you need and I will defend you at every moment. Are you not touched that I care for your needs in such a simple way? (Jesus) (April 20, 1964)

Today’s Readings: “Fear not! Stand your ground,
and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.
These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still. (Exodus 14)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, we bless You, and thank You and adore You for the way that You come to us in every fight. You do not leave us alone but defend us at every moment, even we do not feel that You are there. How many times do we read in the Bible not to fear? And You reassure us that those “Egyptians” in our life- our worries, our fears, our problems, our sicknesses we will never see them again if we stand our ground and prepare to see Your victory because You will fight for us if only we would keep still. Sometimes the victory is on this side of the veil, sometimes it is in Eternity but we can rest assured in confident hope that united with You we will see victory because the battle belongs to You! (2 Chronicles 20). Your loving care is guaranteed.

Praying As We Ought

Posted byValerie Parisi July 22, 2023  EditPraying As We Ought

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

Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Praying As We Ought

Meanwhile, doubts greatly disturbed my soul and I could not free myself of my depressing spiritual torments. I am the foolish victim of my own imagination. (Elizabeth) (October 23-24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.. (Romans 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord sometimes it can be so hard to pray- we feel dry or we can be in desolation and despair. A heart full of sadness can crush our spirit (Proverbs 15). We often do not know where these moods come from- sometimes it is unconfessed sin, sometimes it is fatigue or stress, sometimes it is the alternating lightness and darkness that You send us so that we will grow spiritually. But Lord we know that Your Holy Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness- even when we cannot pray as we ought, Your Spirit intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings! You never leave us alone! So Lord, help us to persist in prayer no matter what it feels like! Let us examine our consciences to see if we need correction and repentance and let us trust that the Teacher is always quiet during the test! Thank You Lord for helping us not to give up- we trust in Your Goodness Lord always!