We Are The Lord’s (Seeking the Lost)

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

Thursday of the Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time

We Are The Lord’s (Seeking the Lost)

All during this time, the Lord’s presence fills me to such a degree that my soul is lifted above my bodily activities, because my soul remains next to the Lord without any interruption.(Elizabeth) (July 17, 1965)

Today’s Readings: For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14)

Prayer Meditation- Today Lord, we have a treasure trove of readings. Because You remind us every day that we are Yours! In the Psalm (Psalm 27) we are reminded to wait for You with courage and be stouthearted. In the Gospel  (Luke 15) we are reminded that You seek the lost. Lord we are all lost and You never stop seeking us. Lord, St. Paul reminds us that whether we live or we die we belong to You- we are the Lord’s! Help us Lord today to hold onto that promise and may we walk in Your Presence today and help us to remember that we are never truly lost if we turn to You in total trust and surrender.

Renounce What?

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

Wednesday of the Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time

Renounce What?

Yet Our Lord kept urging me, “Renounce yourself completely.” (Elizabeth/Jesus) (1961-1962)

In the same way,
every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we read the terms of discipleship in today’s Gospel. On the surface, especially to our modern ears, it seem rather harsh. Hate our families? Count the cost because we might not have what it takes? Renounce all possessions? Really who does this? But Lord as we meditate on Your life and Your Passion we see Your total self -emptying so that we can be free from sin and death. And we can look to the Blessed Mother and to the lives of the saints. So yes, there are people, our brothers and sisters in faith, who did live lives of renunciation. But really Lord, what does this look like- I believe the key is trust and surrender. Nothing must come before You- we are to be free from all attachments but we cannot free ourselves. Only You can set us free. So, Lord we bring ourselves to You empty handed- putting first the Kingdom of God because all the things we truly need will be given us besides (Matthew 6:24-34). So let us not worry or feel discouraged because You want us to succeed in our spiritual lives more than we do! Jesus we trust in You!

Rejoicing and Weeping

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

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo

Rejoicing and Weeping

“I am grateful to you because your heart suffers with Me, and beats in Me. I was alone and since you were not coming, I came to you. I rejoice to be with you. I am grateful for the number of times you think about Me.” (Jesus) (March 4-7 1962)

Today’s Readings: Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep. (Romans 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, the Christian life is one of unity. We are part of You, our Head, and part of Your Mystical Body. That includes those here in the Church Militant as well as in Purgatory in the Church Suffering and in Heaven in the Church Triumphant. At any given time, members will be rejoicing and members will be weeping. Because we are united to Your Sacred Heart, we are able to love others with Your Love. This verse has always been one of my favorite in describing Christian life- if we rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep we are truly accompanying others making it much harder to be judgmental or indifferent. Lord, help us to console Your Sacred Heart by consoling others that Your love would reach all who are dear to You.

The Gift And Call Of The Lord

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

Monday of the Thirty First Week of Ordinary Time

The Gift and Call of The Lord

Elizabeth accepted the call: I tried with all my strength. Afterward, everything fell into place drawing me closer to Him. He kept urging me. (Elizabeth) (1961-1962)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters:
The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy
because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we all have a call on our life- a call that is irrevocable. You do not revoke Your gifts and Your love from us ever but in Your Mercy You keep calling us to follow You. It is we who do not listen- we drown out Your gentle voice with all the noise in our lives. Yet Lord, no matter how far we have strayed from Your dream for our lives, like the prodigal son, You are always ready to welcome us home! Let us reflect today on the gift and call on each one of our lives- when have we heard or felt it, when have we run away from it, and how have You showed us mercy as we return to You with a humble and contrite heart. Lord may we all know that You have a plan for our lives and that You never give up on us while we have breath!

Sons And Daughters

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

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Sons and Daughters

“My daughter, put your earthly things in order. Time passes quickly and you are flying to Me without sensing your speed. There is an immeasurable distance between your soul and the earth. Beloved, I am waiting for you with a loving heart. God is calling you with His infinite love.” (Jesus) (September 23-24 1964)

Today’s Readings: This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?” (Luke 13)

Prayer Meditation- Lord we are Your Sons and Daughters, Your Beloved Children. Like the Gospel today, You do not want to see us bent over, eyes to the ground, stuck in our infirmities be they of the body, mind, or spirit. Lord You breathe restoration and healing over us if we but turn to You in prayer, Your Word, and in the Sacraments! Lord, You do not want our eyes on the ground, on the earthly things that do not matter and cannot save- our lives pass quickly as You wait for us with a loving heart as we return to You. Lord set us free so that we can keep our eyes on You, the One who was, and is, and is to come! (Revelation 1:8)

“October 26—After Communion. “Why do you talk to the tabernacle on the altar when I am in your heart? You are consecrated to Me. Serve Me only.” I said, “The Lord be with you.” “Yet, I am always with you. And you? If you knew how I wait for you . . . how I wait for souls. Be holy in everything you do today. Call the Spirit of holiness. Ask Him to fill you with love.””

— He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

³⁸ 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).

²⁰ But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20)

¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13).

Prayer Meditation- We love You and thank You Lord because You are always present in the Tabernacle but You are always present too in our hearts and nothing will separate us from Your Love! You await us always to turn to You- to keep You company in the Blessed Sacrament and to call out to You in prayer- let us live as if our we really believe that our commonwealth is in Heaven! May be be docile always to the Holy Spirit as He leads us in love to Holiness and Sanctification.

Be Merciful To Me A Sinner

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

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Be Merciful To Me A Sinner

“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.” For a long time, I gave thanks for His infinite mercy. (Elizabeth) (November 22, 1962)

Today’s Readings: But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we hear at Mass about the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee praises himself with his laundry list of spiritual practices. Those of us who strive to follow You can easily fall into the same fault if we are not careful- Rosary, check, Fasting, check, Daily Mass, check. It means nothing without love. Lord let us come to You like the tax collector, fully aware of who we are and who You are. You are God and we are not! Let us come with all our faults and failures because what limitless compassion You have for a repentant sinner. Even spiritual pride is deadly- Lord may we always bring humble and grateful hearts to You because only You can fix what is broken in us!

October 25—( On the terrace.) “Don’t be like the October butterflies that can’t fly anymore because it’s autumn and the wind is intractable. As your life goes on, go higher, ever higher.””

— He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. (Psalm 73:26)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

They still bring forth fruit in old age,
    they are ever full of sap and green,
¹⁵ to show that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. (Psalm 92:14-15)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord as we get older, we can be so like those “October butterflies” who find it too hard to keep flying against the winds of life. Illness, death of loved ones, so many losses can hit us like a ton of bricks making it harder to keep flapping those failing wings, And yet You promise us that while our outer nature may be wasting away, our inner nature is renewed in You each day. So higher and higher, still bearing fruit at whatever age we may be because You are our Rock and Our Portion for ever!