Set Me Free

Posted byValerie Parisi January 28, 2024  EditSet Me Free

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

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

After a period of serious doubts and torments for my soul, I accepted that the will of God be done. My soul was so overwhelmed with grace that I was unable to utter a single word (Elizabeth) (Biography)

Today’s Readings: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” (Mark 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we have been dealing with this theme in the Gospel of truly being set free. This time, the poor gentleman was so enslaved and chained by demons that he could not be around anyone else and he kept injuring himself against the stones. A very sad picture but one we see today in the countless numbers of those stuck in addictions or who have mental illness. Not to mention the amount of rage and anger that is out there. For those caught in these serious issues, and they may well be our loved ones, or we ourselves even who may be struggling with these things we know that only One Name has the power to set us free! Lord I place in the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary all who feel chained by issues that can be legion, absolutely insurmountable, and pray for healing and true freedom for all of these souls so precious to You! May their souls be overwhelmed by Your Grace!

If Today You Hear His Voice Harden Not Your Hearts

Posted byValerie Parisi January 27, 2024  EditIf Today You Hear His Voice Harden Not Your Hearts

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

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

If Today You Hear His Voice Harden Not Your Hearts

“Enter into battle, we will be the conquerors. My Flame of Love will blind Satan to the same extent that all of you spread it around the world. Just as the whole world knows my name, so I want all to know that the Flame of Love of my heart is performing miracles in the depths of the hearts.” (Mary) (October 16, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works. (Psalm 95)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we know we have been saved by Your Grace but have we really been set free? Are there areas where we are struggling- habits, sins and vices from which we just cannot get free? Are there areas where we hear Your Voice whispering to us but we just don’t want to let it, whatever it is, go? Are we like the poor man in today’s Gospel who though bound by Satan, recognized You, but was afraid of what Your presence meant for him because it would mean change? (Mark 1:21-28)  Lord deliverance can be scary! And You just want us to be quiet and still so we can let You work because we can’t set ourselves free in our own power! Lord, help us to enter the battle, to allow Your Flame of Love to perform real miracles in the depths of our hearts so that whatever is still keeping us in chains will be defeated and we will walk in true freedom! Because if The Son has set us free we are free indeed! (John 8:36)

Trusting Jesus- Are We Still Saying Not Yet?

Posted byValerie Parisi January 26, 2024  EditTrusting Jesus- Are We Still Saying Not Yet?

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

Saturday of the Third Week of Ordinary Time

Trusting Jesus- Are We Still Saying Not Yet?

He calmed me down, saying that in those moments, I should pray and ask the Blessed Virgin to place a curtain around me. He also told me to maintain the quiet and peace of my soul because Satan wants to strip me of the grace of abandonment to God. (Elizabeth) (January 18-19, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord this reading reminds me of a time when anxiety was just crippling my life. I had been in a car accident- had chronic pain, vertigo, and anxiety and fear about the whole thing. I would pray before Mass and You would remind me that You were in my boat. And from then on, no matter how many storms rise in my life, work stress, illness of loved ones, the thorns and anxieties of life that threaten to choke out the good seed of Your Word, You keep reminding me that You are in my boat and You are not seasick yet! Peace returns even in the storms because You are there. Anxiety can be such a stumbling block, I know there are others out there that suffer, and You know how hard it can be to trust and walk by faith when all the flight and fight mechanisms in our bodies are in high gear! Yet You told St. Faustina that an exaggerated sense of anxiety and discouragement are obstacles to holiness! Lord help us today, all of us weighed down by fear and worry and tossed about by circumstances to turn over that anxiety and trust In You- have pity on us and remind us that You are still in our boats and at any  time we can be calm, if we would but call Your Name!

Not For Sissies-Stir Into Flame

Posted byValerie Parisi January 25, 2024  EditNot For Sissies-Stir Into Flame

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

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus

Not For Sissies- Stir Into Flame

Suffer with courage, perseverance and sincere abandonment. All that you can do for Me on Earth is meritorious (Jesus) (July 24, 1963)

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: O Lord You did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and self- control. Stir the Flame of Love in us so that we will persevere in the work You have given us no matter how small it may seem in the natural- every sacrifice and prayer offered is for the love of You and the salvation of souls. Lord, my mother always told me that this life is not for sissies- give us courage to know and do Your will in the present moment even if we are doing it afraid!

Blinded By The Light

Posted byValerie Parisi January 24, 2024  EditBlinded By The Light

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

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul

Blinded By The Light

As I was kneeling silently before the Lord, a great brightness shone before my spiritual eyes, but I could not see it clearly. It was like a living light which sparkled and sent out small flashing particles in every direction. These particles were smaller than a grain of dust. Nevertheless, even the smallest particle shone with a great flash. (Elizabeth) (May 2, 1962)

Today’s Readings: On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.(Acts 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord as I spent time in prayer with You this morning meditating on this well known and loved conversion story of Saint Paul it struck me that he was blinded by Love, Your Flame of Love! Lord, some of us may have had conversion experiences like this where suddenly the scales fall from our eyes. Many of us do not have some “I’ve seen the light” experience but our hearts are illumined by Your Light of Love little by little, maybe kneeling in prayer, spending more and more time seeking Your Face. In any event, when the Your Light hits the darkness of our lives, we are never the same! There is a movie called Full of Grace about the life of Mary after the Ascension. My favorite line is when Mary tells the Apostles whatever they do in their lives to always remember that moment when we felt Your Gaze and saw Your Face! And if we haven’t felt Your Gaze yet, Lord give us faith to ask for this Grace! Because nothing is ever the same after hearts are set on fire with the Flame of Your Love! And if we have forgotten about that moment Lord we ask You to remind us of who we are in You! Lord, like Paul let us now proceed because You have made us Your own. Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead we press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

Posted byValerie Parisi January 23, 2024  EditChoked By Worldly Anxiety

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

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales

Choked by Worldly Anxiety

While attending morning Holy Mass, a great anxiety took possession of my soul. An infuriating battle arose within: these arguments are nothing but counter-arguments invented by my lies with which I blind myself. (Elizabeth) (June 18, 1965)

Today’s Readings: Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word,
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches,
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word,
and it bears no fruit.
But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, I have read the parable of the sowers many times and I always get stuck on the third type of soil because quite honestly that is exactly where I am stuck. So many of us are- we receive the Word and we so want to bear fruit that lasts and serve You but then it seems so much gets in the way. In particular so many of us can get literally choked by stress and anxiety- making us turn inward and keeping us in chains. We may even say we can’t help it but giving into stress is really just another word for lack of trust. And You told Saint Faustina that our lack of trust hurts Your Sacred Heart more than our sins do. Lord, when we allow worldly cares to take over than You are no longer in the center of our hearts! Lord, help us to fix our eyes that we may see what Your Mercy sees when You look at us! Let our hearts become unstuck and ready to hear Your Word and accept it! In the words of St. Francis de Sales, Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry.”  St. Francis de Sales, pray for us!

oy Before The Ark Of The Lord

Posted byValerie Parisi January 22, 2024  EditJoy Before The Ark Of The Lord

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 in Ordinary Time

Joy Before The Ark of The Lord

Because the Flame of Love of the heart of My Mother is Noah’s Ark.” (Jesus) (Spring 1981)

Today’s Readings: Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon,
as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD
with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn. (2 Samuel 6)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today in the readings we have a lovely juxtaposition. We have David dancing before the Lord with abandon because the ark of the covenant was set in its proper place in the tent in the City of David. In the Gospel, we have the new ark of the covenant, Mary, before whom John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb just as David danced. Lord, thank You for giving us Your Mother as the Ark of safety for our times- may we come to You through Her with joy and hope!  And may we always like Her do Your Will!

Blinding The Strong Man

Posted byValerie Parisi January 21, 2024  EditBlinding The Strong Man

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

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Blinding The Strong Man

“With this Flame full of graces that I give you from my heart, ignite all the hearts in the entire country. Let this Flame go from heart to heart. This is the miracle becoming the blaze whose dazzling light will blind Satan. This is the fire of love of union which I obtained from the heavenly Father through the merits of the wounds of my Divine Son.”  (Mary) (April 13, 1962)

Today’s Readings: If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house. (Mark 3)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, who is the strong man? The strong man in this parable is the enemy of our souls who does not want to let go and give back any territory he may have conquered whether invited or uninvited. And who is stronger, the one who ties us the strong man- Lord that is You, the Name above all Names. At Your Name the strong man must leave. Yet Lord, sometimes we so easily forget who is the Stronger One in this spiritual battle we face every day of our lives. And today, there is so much sin that we can’t even see Your Grace which abounds all the more (Romans 5:20). Lord, through Your Precious Blood You have set us free, You the Flame of Love who blinds Satan! Lord help us to call Your Name today and may we pray the Unity Prayer to blind Satan and set our families free because You are the Divine Antidote to the “strong man” sickness in the world.

May our feet journey together. May our hands gather in unity. May our hearts beat in unison. May our souls be in harmony. May our thoughts be as one. May our ears listen to the silence together. May our glances profoundly penetrate each other. May our lips pray together to gain mercy from the Eternal Father. Amen.

Following Him

Posted byValerie Parisi January 20, 2024  EditFollowing Him

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

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Following Him

“You must be selfless, for we will entrust you with a great mission and you will be up to the task. However, this is only possible if you remain totally selfless, abjuring yourself. That mission can be bestowed upon you only if you also want it out of your free will.” (Jesus) (Biography 1962)

Today’s Readings: As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. (Mark 1)

Prayer Meditation- Lord You ask us to follow You and You ask us to come after You but do You really mean leave it all behind? Do you really just want us to throw whatever it is we are doing down and walk with You? Well for most of us, the lay faithful, the call is not leaving the world behind but we are called to be in it but not of it (John 17:6). Lord, You know well what attachments still tether us to the Earth- it does not matter if it is a chain or a little string, (St. John of the Cross), we are still not totally free. Lord help us as we enter Lent in a few short weeks to examine what it is that needs to be abandoned out of love for You. Let us desire to walk ever closer to You every day holding nothing back!

Out Of Our Minds

Posted byValerie Parisi January 19, 2024  EditOut Of Our Minds

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

Saturday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time

Out Of Our Minds

After this, I placed my daughter C in charge of the house: “From now on, you will be the little owner of this house and I will not cook anymore.” She was surprised and asked what I would do. “Whatever you ask, I will do and I will eat whatever you give to me.” – “Mother,” she said, “you are acting like a hermit.” (Elizabeth 1961-1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3)

Prayer Meditation- Sometimes Lord we can be surprised when serving You conflicts with others’ ideas of who we ought to be and what we ought to be doing, even those closest to us. To our family they just do not understand- Church every day, really? Zoom Rosary over whatever we used to idolize and watch on TV? And mom, what’s with that Mary statue in the garden and Divine Mercy picture on the door? Have you gone crazy they say? Since when did you become a holy roller! Even Your relatives thought You were out of Your Mind Lord! And yet You have asked us to be in the world and not of the world (John 17) and to put on the Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). And as long as it is not just exterior but interior change as well You call us to keep changing and giving up our attachments as You change us from glory to glory! (2 Corinthians 3:18). Even if we may seem a bit weird these days in this increasingly secular world our families can be assured that they have our prayers and sacrifices and our love as we lay ourselves down so that Your Flame would ignite in all hearts!