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

Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gratitude- It is Not Just For Samaritans

“Gratitude is all I want in return. Tell Me just one word: ‘Thanks’”. (Jesus) (August 7, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.” (Luke 17).

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we hear the Gospel of the ten lepers who were healed. Only one gave thanks, the Samaritan. We like to think we are like that Samaritan and that we would give thanks to You but truthfully so many of us are like the other nine. Because every day Your Grace is poured out on us in abundance. We would not even be breathing without Your Grace. It is so easy to lose focus and lose gratitude for all of our blessings even in the hard times and yet it is gratitude that is really the antidote to so much that keeps us down. Sin, selfishness, self-absorption, anxiety and depression are many times the fruits of us looking only at ourselves and not focusing on You, the One who gave all so that we could live the abundant life You died to give us. Not only here, where, yes we will suffer and have many trials, but in the next life to come. So let us be thankful even in those trials because You would not have allowed the trouble if it was not for our good. So let’s try it today- gratitude, not just for “Samaritans” but everyone because we are called by His Name and saved by His Blood if we but cooperate with Grace!

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

Saturday of the Twenty Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

Blessed Are Those Who Hear the Word of God

The material for my meditation these past months has been one phrase: “And the Word became Flesh.” This is an inexhaustible theme and I always meditate on it. (Elizabeth) (March 23, 1963)

Today’s Readings: While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, no one meditated on Your Word better and more perfectly than Our Blessed Mother! She is the model of discipleship- of hearing the Word of God and observing it. Lord, help us not only to read the Word but to meditate on it and ponder it, letting it transform us from glory to glory into Your likeness and into perfect union with You! Blessed Mother pray for us and intercede for us!

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

Memorial of Our Lady of The Rosary

Devoted With One Accord to Prayer

Mary: “On Thursday and Friday, I ask you, my daughter, to offer a very special reparation to my Divine Son. This will be an hour for the family to make reparation. Begin this hour with a spiritual reading, followed by the Rosary or other prayers in an atmosphere of recollection and fervor. (Mary) (April 13, 1962)

Today’s Readings: All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1)

Prayer Meditation-  O Lord what a beautiful feast day because The Church asks us to pray with one accord in prayer the Holy Rosary with the Mother of Jesus and in community, especially in families! Our families need prayer and Our Blessed Mother more than ever and to make reparation to You in these times we are in! Our Mother is truly our Ark of safety, of comfort and of peace. Lord may we all be more intentional about praying the Rosary and truly meditating on the mysteries, those rounds of our redemption which are outside of time and can heal us and protect us no matter how big our problems may seem. Blessed Mother, hold us tight as we hold onto the Your chain of love which is truly the ladder to Heaven!

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

Optional Memorial of Saint Faustina

That Christ May Dwell In Your Hearts

Jesus: “How wonderful that you have come. How I awaited you! At other times, I told you to be immersed in Me like a drop of water in wine. I am the wine, you are the water. Just be united with Me and you will be astonished. Only I will reign in you. My Body and Blood give strength and life to all of you. How happy you will be to receive more of My life-giving strength. Gather with Me.” (Jesus) (October 9, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, thank You for this beautiful memorial of Saint Faustina, the Secretary of Divine Mercy which is the Heart of the Gospel! She asked You to make of her a living host- a living sacrifice that daily burns in Your Honor (Diary, 1826) To be a sacrifice taking You into the world to save souls! To have Your life-giving strength, strengthened through Your Holy Spirit in the inner self. To be rooted and grounded in Your Love and to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth, length, height, and depth and to know Your Love that surpasses all knowledge and to be filled with Your Fullness! O Lord, let us today also ask to be living hosts because You invite us to be immersed in You like a drop of water in wine! Lets us offer ourselves as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to You (Romans 12) for Your Glory and for the good of all!

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

Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi

Anxious About Many Things

“I, your Master, will care for you. I will free you from every worry. I only want to be everything to you so that nothing ties you to the earth.” (Jesus) (April 20, 1964)

Today’s Readings: The Lord said to her in reply,

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, You know us in and out. So many suffer from anxiety and stress- how many prayers to You are just one complaint after another! Yet You ask only one thing – all You really want is our hearts so that You can set us free! You told Saint Faustina that anxiety is an obstacle to holiness- it makes it hard to practice virtue. Lord only You can free us from this thorn in our flesh (2 Corinthians 12). Your Grace is sufficient- Jesus I trust in You!

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

Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

If It Delays- Wait for It

O heavenly Mother, I desire so much that your Flame of Love burns that I feel a great sadness and affliction because it is being delayed. O Mother, smooth out the road of those called to promote your Cause. (Mary) (July 30, 1962).

Today’s Readings: For the vision still has its time,
 presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
 if it delays, wait for it,
 it will surely come, it will not be late. (Habakkuk 1)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, I believe so many of us are waiting for many things. We may be waiting for a spouse, a baby, the right job, or the return of our health. We may be waiting for our loved ones to return to faith. We may be waiting for the darkness to lift in our minds and hearts so that we may feel Your Presence once more though we know by faith You are always there. I believe Heaven waits for us to respond to this time of Mercy and Grace poured out on us in these extraordinary times. Mercy through the Divine Mercy and Grace through The Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Why Lord, does it seem so long when we are waiting? Yet the second reading today tells us what our attitude is to be while we wait. Stir into Flame Your Gifts in our souls because You did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and self -control (2 Timothy 1)! And the Gospel offers us the promise- if we have the faith of a mustard seed we will see great things (Luke 17). So let us who are waiting do so with expectancy and hope- Your timing is not our timing but You are never late!

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

Memorial of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

Revealed To The Childlike

My teaching, My little one, is simple and unaffected. I do not speak a scientific language that saves no one. My teaching is for those whose soul is childlike, simple, innocent, and does not give weight to anything, those who listen to Me with admiration and believe in Me. I tell you, My Kingdom belongs to those who are such. (May 19, 1963)

Today’s Readings: ”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. (Luke 10)

Prayer Meditation- Prayer Meditation- Lord today we celebrate the memorial of St. Therese, the champion of the Little Way! Lord I thank You for her, I cannot imagine how lost I would be white knuckling it on the narrow way- so thankful for the elevator that leads right to You! Because if we stay little, the helpless children we really are; as You see us struggle up the stairway of sanctification, You will lift us up in this “totally new” way to holiness which is really the heart of The Gospel! Your teaching is meant for the childlike and the simple- how You see us all as Your dearly beloved sons and daughters! So today, let us celebrate with our Sister Therese because we are all little ones fully known and loved by You!

How Patience In Suffering Temptations Is Like A Nourishing Food

For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. (Hebrews 10:36)

Volume 2-September 30, 1899

Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am hungry, give Me something.” And I: ‘I have nothing to give You.’ But at that very instant I saw a loaf of bread and I gave it to Him, and He seemed to eat it with all pleasure. Now, in my interior I kept saying: ‘He hasn’t told me anything for a few days.’ And Jesus answered my thought: “Sometimes the groom is pleased to deal with his bride, and to entrust his most intimate secrets to her; other times, then, he delights with greater pleasure in resting, as they contemplate each other’s beauty. Speaking impedes resting, and the mere thinking of what one has to say and of what one has to deal with, diverts one’s attention from looking at the beauty of the groom or of the bride. However, this is needed; in fact, after they have rested and comprehended each other’s beauty more, they come to love each other more, and with greater strength they enter the field again to work, to deal with and defend their interests. This is what I am doing with you. Aren’t you happy?”
After this, a thought flashed through my mind about the hour spent in hell, and immediately I said: ‘Lord, forgive me – how many offenses I gave You.’ And He: “Do not want to afflict or disturb yourself; it is I who leads the soul deep into the abyss, to then be able to lead her more swiftly to Heaven.” Then He made me comprehend that that loaf of bread that I found was nothing other than the patience with which I had borne that hour of bloody battle. Therefore, patience, humiliation, and offering to God what one suffers in time of temptation, is a nourishing bread that one gives to Our Lord, which He accepts with great pleasure.

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

Memorial of Saint Jerome

Priceless to God

Again, I will speak of something from your past. Remember when you were still working in the factory. Besides your work, which you did with great fidelity and responsibility, you took a course on quality control. You were very tired when you studied, so you thought and knew that you would not pass the exam. As a working mother with six children, burdened with a thousand preoccupations, you needed enormous effort to study. You surprised yourself by becoming the top student. Although you did not think of Me, My hand was upon you. (Jesus) (November 10, 1962)

Today’s Readings: O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar. (Psalm 139)

Prayer Meditation- Lord there is not one moment of our lives that You have known us, loved us, and held us in the Palm of Your Mighty Hand! From our work, to our family life, as well as our fatigue, faults, and failures- You are in all of it even when we do not think of You. Lord, may we praise and thank You today for Your Goodness and Mercy in every circumstance of our lives today- You will never let us go!

Growth of the creature before the Divine Majesty. The living in the Divine Will is gift that God will give to the creature

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

Volume 29-September 29, 1931

My daughter, the creation of man was nothing other than an outpouring of Our Love – but so great, that he could not receive it all within himself, not having the capacity to be able to enclose in his interior an act of the One who was issuing him to the light. So, Our act remained inside and outside of him, that it might serve him as nourishment in order to grow before the One who with so much love had created him, and who so much loved him. And since it was not only Our Love that poured out in creating man, but all of Our divine qualities, therefore the power, the goodness, the wisdom, the beauty, and so forth, poured out. So, Our Love was not content with loving him, but pouring out all of Our divine qualities, It left the table always prepared and at man’s disposal, so that, each time he wanted to, he could come to sit at this celestial table to nourish himself with Our Goodness, Power, Beauty, Love and Wisdom, and so grow before Us with Our same divine qualities, with the model of Our likeness. And each time he would come into Our presence to take Our sips of Our divine qualities, We would rock him on Our knees to let him take rest, and let him digest what he had taken, so that he might again nourish himself of Our divine outpourings to form his complete growth of goodness, of power, of sanctity, of beauty, as Our Love desired and Our Will wanted. When We do a work, Our Love is so great, that We give and prepare everything, so that nothing may be lacking to Our creative work. We do complete works, never by half; and if it seems that something is missing, it is the part of the creature, who does not take everything that We have put out for her good and for Our glory.”

Then, I continued to think about the Divine Will, and my beloved Jesus added: “My daughter, the living in my Will is a gift that We give to the creature – great gift that surpasses in value, in sanctity, in beauty and in happiness all other gifts, in an infinite and unreachable way. When We give this gift so great, We do nothing other than open the doors to make her the possessor of Our divine possessions – the place in which passions, dangers, have no more life; nor can any enemy harm her or do her evil. This gift confirms the creature in good, in love, in the very Life of her Creator; and the Creator remains confirmed in the creature; therefore, the inseparability takes place between one and the other. With this gift the creature will feel her lot changed: from poor to rich, from ill to perfectly healed, from unhappy, she will feel that all things change for her into happiness. To live in Our Will as gift greatly differs from doing It; the first is prize, and Our decision to win the creature, with an invincible and irresistible force; to fill the human will with Our own in a sensible way, in a way that she will touch with her own hand, and with clarity, the great good that comes to her, such that only someone who is insane would flee from such a great good. In fact, for as long as the soul is a pilgrim one, the doors do not close behind the gift, but remain open, so that, freely, not being forced, she may live in Our gift; more so, since Our Will will not give this gift by necessity, but because It loves her, and It is fully her own. On the other hand, to do Our Will is not prize, but duty and necessity, to which, willingly or unwillingly, she must submit; and the things that are done out of duty and out of necessity, if they can be shunned, are shunned, because in them does not enter the spontaneous love that makes one love and recognize Our Will as worthy of being loved and known. The necessity hides Its good, which It contains, and makes one feel the weight of the sacrifice and of the duty. On the other hand, the living in Our Will is not sacrifice, but conquest; it is not duty, but love. She feels, in Our gift, her own self dissolved within it, and she loves It not only as Our Will, but also because It is exclusively hers; and by not giving It the first place, the regime, the dominion, she would not love herself.
Now, my daughter, this is what We want to give to creatures – Our Will as gift, because by looking at It and possessing It as one’s own thing, it will be easy to let It form Its Kingdom. This gift was given to man in Eden, and, ungrateful, he rejected it back to Us. But We did not change Our Will – We keep It reserved, and what one rejects, with more surprising graces We keep prepared to give it to others. Nor do We care about the time, because centuries for Us are like one single point. However, great preparations
are needed on the part of creatures – to know the great good of the gift in order to long for it. But the time will come when Our Will will be possessed as gift by the creature. ”Fiat!!!