Of Sinners And Pharisees

Posted byValerie Parisi July 6, 2023  EditOf Sinners And Pharisees

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

Friday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Of Sinners and Pharisees

“My little one, work hard so that many sinners come to Me. Cry and repent for their sins also.” (Jesus) (January 14, 1963)

Today’s Readings: The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”( Matthew 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, I have to admit it, it is so easy to sit back from my comfortable perch, looking at the evil in the world, and just get right into that Pharisee mode. Sinners are those “others” that like the proud Pharisee in prayer (Luke 18: 9-14) we condemn and proceed to thank You that we are not like “them”. Who am I kidding? Because You know where I came from and who I was before You picked me up from the dirt and told me to sin no more! Lord, I needed You to heal me then and I still do- Lord heal us of the disease of self -righteousness that causes us not to see others as You see them. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours!

Paralyzed No More

Posted byValerie Parisi July 5, 2023  EditParalyzed No More

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

Thursday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Paralyzed No More

I am the sole Donor of blood in the whole world. Permeate yourself with My love, My almighty
love. Meditate on that now in the light of My holy brightness. Can’t you feel this Precious
Blood? My Precious Blood warms up and sets into motion the frozen, paralyzed energy of your
souls.” (Jesus) (January 16, 1964)

Today’s Reading: Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” (Matthew 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we thank You for Your Word today and this Gospel Reading! Lord, we are all like this man in many ways. Yes, we may all struggle with physical infirmities in our lives but that is not the true paralysis. As a rehabilitation nurse I have been blessed to know many who may be broken in body but not in spirit. But the real paralysis Lord is the presence of sin in our lives- that is where we need healing! Lord call us to repentance and to the sacrament of reconciliation so that our frozen, paralyzed souls will be warmed and healed by Your Precious Blood!

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Set Me Free

Posted byValerie Parisi July 4, 2023  EditSet Me Free

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

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Set Me Free

“My little one, I am the country’s beggar. They refuse to give Me work. All forms of begging are forbidden in this country. I alone keep on begging. I wander without eating or drinking, from street to street, from house to house and from village to village, in the cold winter and in the heat, in the howling wind or in the heavy rain. (Jesus) (May 2, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, You could do so much good in us if we would only let You- You could set us free of all that makes us captive, just like the demoniacs. We are all in chains, tied to  something! And even when we see the good You have done in ourselves and others; we let whatever has us in chains run us off the cliff like the swine in the Gospel. Maybe it is fear of loss of the material like the townspeople or maybe like the Prodigal son we have just not come to our senses- we are not ready for full deliverance and healing! Yet Lord You never give up on us- we beg You to leave but You beg us to open the doors of our hearts and let You in so that You can set us free!

Why Are You Terrified?

Posted byValerie Parisi July 3, 2023  EditWhy Are You Terrified?

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

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Why Are You Terrified

Jesus: “Tell Me, little sister, why do you consider yourself alone since I am the One leading you? Have no fear, I will not let go of you. Come, let us go together and let there be no other moment when you would feel alone.” (Jesus) (January 25, 1966)

Today’s Gospel: They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us!  We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm. (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we all know there is much to be anxious or even terrified about these days. To the question You asked the Apostles we may feel like saying are You kidding Lord- have You seen the news? But the truth is, You not have only seen the news, You hold the future and for You being outside of time, You already know what happens. No need for You to follow some 24/7 news cycle. So really why are we so terrified- why is our faith so small when You are so big! Bigger than anything that may be happening in our world today and You are still in control! So let us have no fear- You will never let us go even when the waves, the winds, and the sea threaten to drown us. Let us have faith and trust that You will rebuke the winds and the sea even if it just in our own souls and with You there will be great calm always if we keep our eyes fixed on You!

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen

Posted byValerie Parisi July 2, 2023  EditBlessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen

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

Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen

“Even now, adorable Jesus, I cannot grasp this miracle.’ (Elizabeth) (April 9, 1966)

Today’s Readings: Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, if we are honest, we will admit we; even we who call ourselves faithful, have had our moments of doubt when it is hard to believe. It could be moments of grief or it could just be the weariness of life or fear as we get older. Lord, You do not turn away from us in those moments. Just as with St. Thomas You come to us and You admonish us to not be unbelieving but to believe. Lord, help us to know that we know that we know that You are there whether we “see” You or not! There is much we will not grasp this side of Heaven but may we be those who have not seen and have believed even when it is dark and difficult.

Just A Cup Of Water

Posted byValerie Parisi July 1, 2023  EditJust A Cup Of Water

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

Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Just A Cup Of Water

Accept with humility his words which are also from Me. Let your fervent desire to share in My work of Salvation continue to burn in your soul with great humility. You will not lose your reward, everlasting happiness. Just serve Me with all your strength.” (Jesus) (August 28, 1962)

Today’s Readings: And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today the Gospel from Matthew  and the Epistle from Romans are about dying to ourselves so that we will rise with You. About our priorities- You first then family because we can only really love them perfectly with Your love. About carrying our crosses and following You. Lord we want to be all in but sometimes we lose our way about what that really means and what that looks like. We may well feel that we are failing in sharing in Your work of salvation in our everyday lives as the world seems to be moving further and further away from Your truth. But You tell us something interesting- that even if we give a cup of cold water to someone in need- in other words the little acts of kindness done with great love, we will not lose our reward. Because as much as we may want to do big things to turn the ship of our world around, it is You who are still on the throne and still in control! You want us to share with You our desire and love for souls- pure intentions not great works! And You tell us to serve You with all of our strength no matter how weak we may be because You turn every act of love into an ocean of Mercy for the whole world when united to Your Saving Cross!

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

Saturday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time

Only Say The Word

I beg you, carve this

in your mind: the Word of God is always the same… Through it, I

seek the salvation of souls.(Jesus) (April 9,1964)

Today’s Readings: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority, 
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord ,we thank You and praise You and adore You for the beautiful healings in today’s Gospel because surely You have taken away our infirmities and borne our diseases. (Matthew 8). Today we see the faith of the Centurion who asks You to “only say the Word” and his servant would be healed. These are the words we say before we receive You in Holy Communion where You heal us and change us little by little every day if we are disposed to receive You. Let us carve this in our minds, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) because You seek our ultimate healing, the salvation of our souls and the souls of those who are close to us!

You Can Make Me Clean

Posted byValerie Parisi June 29, 2023  EditYou Can Make Me Clean

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

Friday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time

You Can Make Me Clean

Jesus: “You see, such is the soul that recollects before My altar but which, for years, has not kept itself clean. It does not look within, it comes into My presence out of habit. It also comes before Me with a layer of dust as thick as a finger on its soul.” (December 22, 1963)

Today’s Readings: When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it. Be made clean.”(Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we praise You, we thank You and adore You for healing the leper of his disease and for his faith and humility in coming before You. Leprosy in the Gospels has often been equated by the spiritual writers with sin. We are all unclean and yet for many of us, it may not be so apparent because the dust has built up for years. The dust of unbelief and doubt, negativity, worry, gossip, selfishness, vanity and pride. We look in a mirror at ourselves but we fail to see the dust  that is as thick as a finger on our souls. Let us repent Lord, of coming to You out of habit but lets us come in all humility and repentance asking You to make us clean and whole again because You will that our hearts be pure before You!

Finishing The Race

Posted byValerie Parisi June 28, 2023  EditFinishing The Race

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

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Finishing the Race

“Don’t forget, your principal missionary work will always be your own family. I could not entrust you with that before, because I did not want you to stop halfway. Your family is the point of departure for your mission. This work is not yet finished. Be interested principally in priestly vocations.” (Jesus) (August 28, 1962)

Today’s Readings: I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Timothy 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today as we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are reminded that no matter how much time we may have, our work is not yet finished! You do not want us to stop halfway- You have placed us in families, in workplaces, in communities- many mission fields without leaving home! Lord help us at the end of our time on Earth to pray with St. Paul and state that we have competed well and let us pray with St. Peter that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16) as You welcome us home!

Bearing Abundant Fruit

Posted byValerie Parisi June 27, 2023  EditBearing Abundant Fruit

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

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus

Bearing Abundant Fruit

Jesus: “Remain silent, My little Carmelite. Do not be surprised if I say this often. Do you know who is truly wise? The one who says very little. True wisdom matures in the soil of silence, and only in silence can it take root. I am your Master and I instruct you. I prepared Myself for three years of activity by thirty years of silence. Being your Master, and united with Me, you will also find wisdom. Speak only when I give you the signal, expressing yourself only in the way you have learned from Me, or in the manner I would say it Myself. In a word, imitate Me. You will see that just a few words can produce good abundant fruits in souls (Jesus) (August 16, 1962)

Today’s Readings:

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.” (August 16, 1962)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, thank You for teaching us how to bear the abundant fruit of the Spirit. It is only in remaining in You that we can bear the good fruit- joy, peace, love, self control. Lord, let us not fall away from Your Tree of Life by opening our mouths too much- let our words be Your Words and not ours which so often get us into trouble! Help us to stay united to You so that we would find wisdom because the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy and insincerity. (James 3:17). Let our few words united to You produce abundant fruit in souls.