NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM

Jesus: “Take part unceasingly in My work of Redemption. Do not ask how. Fervently desire the coming of My Kingdom for yourself and for all the souls. When you rest at night, examine your day. What have you done for My Kingdom to arrive?” (April 20, 1962)

Today’s Readings: You are right in saying,
    He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
    with all your understanding,
    with all your strength,
    and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” (Mark 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we bless You, adore You and thank You because You have asked us to desire Your Kingdom so that Your Kingdom would reign in our hearts on earth as it is in Heaven. And as You see us progress in our understanding of who we are and our nothingness and who You are through study of the Word, the Sacraments, and in prayer and study, we open ourselves to Your all- consuming Love. You sweetly whisper to us that we indeed are not far from the Kingdom of God. Lord, You ask us to take part unceasingly in Your Work of Redemption through prayer and sacrifice and to desire fervently the Kingdom for ourselves and for all souls. What a graced time we are indeed living in- so let us not keep our eyes on the passing things of this world (1 John 2:17) because whoever does the Will of God lives forever! Maranatha, come Lord Jesus into all hearts through the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

CAN’T START A FIRE WITHOUT A SPARK

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

Memorial of Saint Boniface

Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark

“You see that almost no one is doing
anything. The Flame of Love of My Mother is not yet going forward. You, My little one, must
stir up the fire because you have been chosen for this. This is a great privilege. Never interrupt
your desires and sacrifices because this would cause My mother great sorrow.” (Jesus) (July 12, 1962)

Today’s Readings: For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. 
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, thank You today for the reminder to stir into flame what we have been given- we have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self control! This power, this grace You are sending is abounding in these times! Lord help us to stir up the fire in us because we have been chosen to spread Our Lady’s Flame of Love- let us never interrupt our desire and sacrifices to save souls! Lord, we are little sparks- set us aflame with the power of Your Love!

FALLING FROM STABILITY

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

Tuesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time

Falling From Stability

A few hours later, the troubles of the Evil One began. If the Lord Jesus had not told me ahead of time, I do not know how I would have remained stable in confronting these revolting thoughts. (Elizabeth) (Diary Page 184)

Today’s Readings: Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3)

Prayer Meditation: Lord we are warned again and again in Your Word that we have an enemy of our souls who roars like a prowling lion looking for souls to devour (1 Peter 5:8). In these days of tumult it can seem like this enemy is in overdrive. In times of crisis and high anxiety how easy it indeed is to fall from our own stability into weakness, faults, and sins. How can we keep the big picture in mind when we seem to be fending off one threat after another. But Lord, You want us at peace because even these times are not a surprise to You! Lord how patient You have been in waiting for the prodigals to return. Lord, we are not in control of these times but we can guard our own hearts so that we grow in grace and knowledge of You, our only stability. We do this in prayer- Lord help us to pray with confident trust. May our lips pray together to gain mercy from The Eternal Father- have mercy on us and on the whole world!

TIME TO COLLECT

Time To Collect

Jesus: “I always tell you not to worry that you can give Me only little things. I say again, always remain little. Do you know what we are going to do? You will give Me the little pieces of a mosaic which you collect throughout the day. I will arrange these pieces according to their color and shape. When all is finished, you will marvel to see the work of art that I created. But I cannot be an artist unless you gather the pieces. Without you, I cannot bring about My work of art.” (Jesus) (April 10, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes,
and the elders in parables.
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants
to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. (Mark 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord we love You and bless You and adore You because You have given us everything we need to be all that You have meant for us to be! You have given us all the gifts and talents we need for the purpose You have intended only for us as we are all unique, yet made in Your likeness and image. And we should not worry because even if we can only do little things, if they are done with great love, You will collect the pieces and make of all we that we do a work of art in union with You! But sadly so many of us are not offering our gifts and talents (Matthew 25:14-20) but we are hiding them and wasting them or even acting in opposition to You because we do not appreciate what we have been given and we believe that all that we own and are is due to our own efforts. Filled with  self -love we do not acknowledge The God who loves us and Who has created us for Your Purpose and perfect plan for us! Lord You will come someday at the proper time which is the end of our lives and You will ask to collect the produce- the fruits of all that You have given us, and You will want to know what we have done with all of those gifts and talents. And what will we have to show for all that You have given us with so much love? May we come with the little pieces of the mosaic of our lives lived in love and in union with You and may we marvel Lord when we see the work of art You have made of our lives in Heaven!

O Lord You are the Living Bread! As a convert of only twelve years I still have to pinch myself- I am waiting like the lady at the banquet hall for the Pharisees to tell You do You know who she is? It is me Lord who loves much! . I am so unworthy but I can never thank You enough for calling me home!

DEATH TO LIFE

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Jesus: “I place the smallest part of a single drop of My Blood over your great sorrow. I forgive your sins fully and I forget them. Offer this profound repentance for all the sinners.” (Jesus) (July 15, 1962)

Today’s Readings: For if the blood of goats and bulls
and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes
can sanctify those who are defiled
so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from dead works
to worship the living God. (Hebrews 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we bless You, and adore You and love You on this most Holy Solemnity of Your Body and Blood shed for us. As the psalmist says, how shall I make a return for the good You have done for me? (Psalm 116). Lord, You have saved us and brought us from death to life (John 5:24) and You feed us, everyday if we wish, with Your very Self! There are no words to describe the mystery that takes place each day around the world in every Catholic Church! As Padre Pio said, “The earth could exist more easily without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”. Lord each day, if we are disposed to receive You worthily (1 Corinthians 11) You come into our hearts and our souls and if we let You, You renew our minds (Romans 12) with the things of Heaven as long we are not too full of the things of this Earth. So let us come to You today, empty and poor, offering You our nothingness so that we can be filled with Your Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Fill our hearts with You so that we would become living hosts (Divine Mercy in My Soul, paragraph 1826) and Your instruments of love and mercy in the world!

SNATCHING THEM OUT OF THE FIRE

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

Memorial of Saint Justin Martyr

Snatching Them Out Of The Fire

Mary: “Satan’s wild rage is growing steadily, he wants to dominate even persevering souls. Do not let him do this. Help me!” (Mary) (May 17, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Keep yourselves in the love of God
and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
that leads to eternal life.
On those who waver, have mercy;
save others by snatching them out of the fire. (Jude 17)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord today it seems like the fire is all around ready to engulf all that we love. And we want to save those we love and snatch them out of the fire but how do we do that when even persevering souls can have a hard time and so few endure sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3). When You return Lord will You find faith on Earth?  (Luke 8:18). O Lord You have taught us through Saint Faustina that when the merciful deed and the merciful word are not possible, there is always prayer. Prayer is never “just prayer” particularly when united to Your intercession for us in Heaven through the power of the Holy Spirit! . And it is through the powerful gift of the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary the face of the Earth will be renewed as faith again takes root in souls! So let us pray unceasingly and with great longing for Your Kingdom to come because the renewal of the Earth, although flooded with sufferings, will come about by the power of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin (March 27, 1963). Come Holy Spirit, let us put out the fire of hatred with the fire of Your Love!

BLESSED IS SHE

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

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Is She

Mary: “My little Carmelite, intensify your desire so that my Flame of Love will be put into action. Make even greater sacrifices.” It is with these very words that she spoke to me. She also repeated them on the feast of her Visitation. Mary: “Offer me greater sacrifices. Do not ask how, just improvise!” (July 30, 1962)

Today’s Readings: “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1)

Prayer Meditation: Lord, we bless You, and thank You, and adore You because today is the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. She brought You Lord Jesus to Elizabeth and to the child in her womb, John the Baptist, and She brings You Lord Jesus now to each one of us because we became Her Children at the foot of the Cross! Lord, I love to imagine at certain times in our family’s life that Mary has indeed moved in to help- times of illness, weddings, the birth of our grandchild during a hard week of work and now in my husband’s cancer treatment,  I have asked Her to come visit and She always comes bringing Your Peace and Joy! Lord may we let Her into our hearts and our homes, She who believed what was spoken to Her by You, so that we would live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Let us imitate our Mother Mary in faith, hope, and charity letting Her form us so we can carry Her Flame of Love, You, Jesus Himself, to others!

I WANT TO SEE

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

Thursday of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time

I Want To See

“In spite of all my efforts, O Lord, I see no progress in myself.” Jesus: “Do not worry! Begin anew each day. Our Mother will help you, ask everything from her. She knows how to please Me.” (March 4-7, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.” (Mark 10)

Prayer Meditation: Lord, so many days we can feel like we are walking blindly in darkness. We see our days unfold little by little- only seeing what is in front of us. We can feel helpless as we cannot see the big picture and we see no progress in ourselves, in spite of all of our efforts to grow in holiness. And that is the problem, because it is our efforts, not Your Work that we are operating in. We read about Bartimaeus who, without fear, cries out –“Son of David, have pity on me” even as others tried to silence him. He was not afraid to answer Your direct question and tell You what he wanted from You. He wanted to see! And You heard him and healed him and told him that his faith has saved Him! Lord Jesus, help us to come boldly to You and be like Bartimaeus. Let us begin anew each day and let us ask especially through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother for what we need when we our faith  and our courage seems so small.

THE WORD OF THE LORD REMAINS FOREVER

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

Wednesday of the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time

The Word Of The Lord Remains Forever

Jesus: “And the Word became Flesh. Penetrate and live in this sublime mystery, which signifies the Redemption of the world.” (Jesus) (October 15, 1962)

Today’s Readings: “All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of the field;
the grass withers,
and the flower wilts;
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
This is the word that has been proclaimed to you. (1 Peter 1)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord we love You, we bless You and we adore You because we could meditate forever on You, the Word Became Flesh. All else fades but not Your Word which remains forever. Heaven and Earth will pass away but not Your Word (Matthew 24:35). Not now and not ever! But Lord are we really living in and remaining in Your Word? Are we scrolling social media or praying Your Word out loud when we awake? So easy to do with so many apps these days that have the Daily Readings and the Liturgy of the Hours, just five minutes of the right kind of scrolling can put us in the right mindset, which is Your Mind, all day! Do we go to Mass and participate in the Table of Your Word and the Table of the Eucharist, which is You, The Word ready to strengthen us and heal us! Do we at least pop in for Adoration and  hang on Your Word like Mary of Bethany? Do we repeat Your Word, the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6) out loud not only in spiritual warfare but in praise and worship throughout the day. If we don’t know Bible verses do we just whisper and repeat Your Name in all circumstances? So many ways we can penetrate and live in Your Word, let us not just count them but let us multiply them as prayer without ceasing not just for ourselves but all of our brothers and sisters.  Let Your blessings fall like celestial dew on this world that You have redeemed and that You are even now sanctifying so that Your Kingdom will reign here on Earth as it is in Heaven!