Grounded In The Gospel

Posted byValerie Parisi September 8, 2023  EditGrounded In The Gospel

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

Memorial of Saint Peter Claver

Grounded in the Gospel

“Whoever serve Me, My little one, cannot be a reed bending in the wind. She must persevere firmly at My side with an unshakable determination. Your soul cannot bow to anything that does not serve Me. Again, My little one, I ask that you persevere with Me.” (Jesus) (Compendium Page 118)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters: You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds; God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard, (Colossians 1)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, we were once far from You but You have reconciled us to You through Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ to present us holy and blameless to You provided we persevere! O Lord, we are so weak, how easily we go from firmly grounded and stable to a reed bending in the wind! We can be so double minded, unstable in all of our ways (James 1:8). Little by little we start bowing to things that are not of You! But Lord, You have promised us that You are the Vine, we the branches! (John 15:5). Lord, please help us to remain in You and persevere firmly at Your side with unshakable determination- let us never lose hope in the Gospel!

Hail Holy Queen

Posted byValerie Parisi September 7, 2023  EditHail Holy Queen

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

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail Holy Queen!

“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) (1962)

Today’s Readings:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1)

Prayer Meditation- Lord God we thank You for Our Blessed Mother- the Woman clothed with the Sun- Blessed is She who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to Her (Luke 1 NLT)! Thank You for Our Beautiful Mother who gave Her Fiat so that we would be free! Lord, thank You for giving Her to us as our Mother and Model of a life totally surrendered to Your Grace! She is our Star of the Sea and She will always point the way home to You! Hail Holy Queen our life, our sweetness and our hope! Pray for us O Holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ!

At Your Command

Posted byValerie Parisi September 6, 2023  EditAt Your Command

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

Thursday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time

At Your Command

“It is of little importance to Me what you can do on a certain day or how much you can accomplish, only do not take a break, because that would cause Me great sorrow.” (Jesus) (February 20, 1964))

Today’s Readings: “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” (Luke 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord some days it can feel like we have been working all day and all night and have absolutely nothing to show for it. No matter our vocation or state in life- the wear and tear of day to day living and our efforts to stay afloat and just tread water can make us feel like all we want to do is take a break and rest. But Lord, You ask us to keep going, to put out into the deep and lower our nets- to keep trying even when we want to give up! And it is amazing because  it is just at those times when we obey that You multiply the little we have left. Lord may those nets overflow with Your abundance so that, like Peter, we can fulfill the mission You have for us! May our humble prayer be Your Command, Fiat!

The Healing Touch of Jesus

Posted byValerie Parisi September 5, 2023  EditThe Healing Touch of Jesus

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

Wednesday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time

The Healing Touch of Jesus

I was sick. For days, I could not pray because I was so weak. The great heat of this summer contributed to my fatigue. I could hardly walk. When I felt a little stronger, I firmly resolved to return to prayer at night. I asked Jesus, “My adored Jesus, give me strength.” At 3:00 a.m., the Lord awakened me by His presence and His words. (Elizabeth) (August 1, 1962)

Today’s Readings: At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. (Luke 4)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, so many are sick today. Some are struggling with physical and chronic illness. Some are sick in mind and spirit- depression and anxiety and other maladies of the heart. We can feel so weak, sometimes it is just so hard to pray!  But Lord, You are always willing to touch and heal us- prayer can be so hard but Lord we need most of all to ask for Your Strength. Lord lay Your Hands on us through Your Word, Your Sacraments, and through the loving care of others. Lord help us to be Jesus to those among us who may be too weak or feel too defeated to reach out to You- let us be Your Hands and Feet today to those who are most in need of Your Healing Touch!

With Just One Word

Posted byValerie Parisi September 4, 2023  EditWith Just One Word

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

Tuesday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time

With Just One Word

Feel in your heart, My little sister, the reward favored with graces for having accepted My order that I gave you through your confessor. Now, you see and feel the power that caused the doubts to cease in your soul.” (Jesus) (July 17, 1965)

Today’s Readings: They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” (Luke 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord with just one word, you command the unclean spirits to leave. Lord, if we let You- You will restore us piece by piece! Lord, help us to ask You today, what are we holding on to in darkness that needs to come out into the light- fear, unforgiveness, some sin we are afraid to bring to You, our need for control? Lord with Your Word today, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation set us free and break the chains that keep us captive today!

Console One Another

Posted byValerie Parisi September 3, 2023  EditConsole One Another

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

Monday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time

Console One Another

In this ceremony, pass the lighted candle from one to another. Take the candle home and begin the family prayer in the same way. If your fervor does not fail, I will be consoled.” (Mary) (April 15, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we stand on Your Promises, that we will live with You forever, that You will come and get us when it is time. We know not the date or time for either Your return or our passing but we can be consoled that no matter where we are You will meet us! Lord, as we sojourn here on Earth, let us console one another- let our fervor not fail as we pass the lighted candle of Your Flame of Love to one another. Let our hands gather with You in unity for the salvation of souls!

The Fire That Burns In Our Hearts

Posted byValerie Parisi September 2, 2023  EditThe Fire That Burns In Our Hearts

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

Twenty Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Fire That Burns In Our Hearts

The next day, a sharp burning pain burdened my soul. “My Jesus, You promised to give me different sufferings. Although I suffer greatly, it is pleasant for me to suffer. I do not know to what I can compare this pain.” (Elizabeth) (April 20, 1962)

Today’s Readings- I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.(Jeremiah 20)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, love, it is not an easy thing. You ask us to pick up our crosses daily and follow You (Matthew 16)- to bear trials with patience and joy, to mortify our senses and to offer prayer and sacrifice for others! The world wants us to seek comfort- God forbid, we say with St. Peter, that anything negative would ever happen to us! If it is all suffering and pain for its own sake, it is just all worthless and cruel. This is a broken world but Lord You pour into us the burning Flame of Love in our hearts! We see at Calvary what real love looks like! Lord open our hearts so that they would become burning furnaces of charity ready to return love for the Love that never fails and never gives up on us!

Keep Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

Posted byValerie Parisi September 1, 2023  EditKeep Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

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

Saturday of the Twenty First Week of Ordinary Time

Keep Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

All that you can still do for Me on earth is meritorious. Time is short, little sister, and never returns. What you do not accept at a given moment will never again become available to you, because I think that you would not receive it willingly.( Jesus) (July 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. (Matthew 25)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, You have given us so much- gifts and talents, our vocation, our families, and every spiritual blessing through Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Church (Ephesians 1:3). Yet Lord so often we bury our talents in the ground- afraid to step out in faith or too busy and distracted to hear Your Call on our lives. Lord time passes quickly and so much of it can be wasted! Lord, please help us not to miss the time of our visitation (Luke 19:44)- let us not waste a single gift, talent, or opportunity that You have given us to give Your Glory in our lives and our relationships!  As St. Augustine stated so well, our hearts are restless until they rest in You, let us not wait too long or take Your Love and Salvation for granted -something we can pick up at a later time as that time may never come. Life on Earth is struggle but with You we will run our races and like St. Paul fight the good fight and keep the faith! (2 Timothy 4:7). Lord may we all hear well done good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25)

All Out Of Oil

Posted byValerie Parisi August 31, 2023  EditAll Out Of Oil

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

Friday of the Twenty First Week of Ordinary Time

All Out of Oil

With motherly love, I will await your arrival in Heaven. The drops of oil resulting from your sufferings will fall on the earth into the lamps that are either extinguished or barely flickering, and they will ignite my Flame of Love. (Mary) (October 5, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, I know so many who feel like they are all out of oil! The bad news, the media, our own sinfulness and lack of perseverance, our losing sight of You as we look around at the waves and the water, all threaten to take us under. Lord, help us to look up and fix our eyes on You, even if we cannot see You except barely with the eyes of our hearts and You seem long delayed! Help us, to offer our sufferings for the salvation of souls like drops of oil on the lamps of the multitude of souls separated from You! We may be poured out like a libation but combined with Your Sacrifice and in union with You we truly will be fighting the good fight of faith! (2 Timothy 4)

Faithful And Prudent Servant

Posted byValerie Parisi August 30, 2023  EditFaithful And Prudent Servant

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

Thursday of the Twenty First Week of Ordinary Time

Faithful And Prudent Servant

What you must love and seek the most in it are the internal and external humiliations. Never believe that you are important. Your principal task is to consider yourself as nothing; never stop doing this. Even after your death, this should be happening. It is for that reason also that you receive the graces of internal and external humiliations. In this way, you can remain faithful in spreading my Flame of Love. Take advantage of every opportunity; seek these external and internal humiliations with your own effort, because what you seek for yourself increases your humility even more.” (Mary) (September 29, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said to his disciples:
“Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. (Matthew 24)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we read today in the Gospel and in the Diary about being faithful and being vigilant! To be prepared, to be faithful in our tasks, to remember most of all that we are nothing and that You are all! To accept internal and external humiliations and to offer them to You for the salvation and sanctification of all souls! No one lived in complete faithfulness and in total union with You like Our Lady. When we feel tired and confused and just not sure what the right next step is let us turn to Her as our model and guide to Your Most Holy and Divine Will which is Love and Mercy itself! Blessed Lady may we do all of our actions under Your Maternal Gaze!