Pearl of Great Price

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

Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time

Pearl of Great Price

“Divine Sculptor, form me in Your image and likeness, so that at the hour of my death You recognize the work of Your holy hands. O blessed Divine Hand that carves and caresses at the same time. My soul burns with desires when You say that You need my sacrifice. What a great distinction! I bless You, beloved Jesus, and exalt You without end.” (Elizabeth) (September 1, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” (Matthew 13)

Prayer Meditation- Lord we will soon honor St. Ignatius of Loyola who gave up everything in his past for the pearl of great price. We all have these big holes in our hearts until we abandon ourselves to You! As St. Augustine said, our hearts are restless until we rest in You! Lord, some of us grew up in the Church and some of us may not have and some of us wandered in darkness and confusion or we may have wandered off the path.  And when we found You, especially in the Sacraments and Your One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, we left everything to follow You!  Because You never give us on us and You never let us go! Lord may we fill our minds with spiritual reading including the Bible so that You may form us into Your likeness. Mother Mary, as St. Louis Marie de Montfort has taught us, place us in Your mold as we strive to live for Jesus!

The Lord Himself Will Fight For You- Be Still

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

Monday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The Lord Himself Will Fight For You- Be Still

Jesus: “My little sister, by calling you this way, I invite you to trust Me and to believe in the One who calls you ‘little one’. When I speak this way, I guarantee you My loving care. I will give you all that you need and I will defend you at every moment. Are you not touched that I care for your needs in such a simple way? (Jesus) (April 20, 1964)

Today’s Readings: “Fear not! Stand your ground,
and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.
These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still. (Exodus 14)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, we bless You, and thank You and adore You for the way that You come to us in every fight. You do not leave us alone but defend us at every moment, even we do not feel that You are there. How many times do we read in the Bible not to fear? And You reassure us that those “Egyptians” in our life- our worries, our fears, our problems, our sicknesses we will never see them again if we stand our ground and prepare to see Your victory because You will fight for us if only we would keep still. Sometimes the victory is on this side of the veil, sometimes it is in Eternity but we can rest assured in confident hope that united with You we will see victory because the battle belongs to You! (2 Chronicles 20). Your loving care is guaranteed.

Woe To Us?

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

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure

Woe to Us?

My beloved Jesus, I want to repent of my sins and to love You more than any repentant sinner. My beloved Jesus, in the future, I ask that not one day goes by without my love causing me tears of repentance. Humble me, Lord Jesus, every moment of my life, so I always see myself as poor and sinful. O my Lord Jesus, my heart shudders when I think that I can live with You on this earth and then, after my death, be separated from You for a short time because of my sins. Tell me, O sweet Jesus, what will I do with my innumerable sins?” (Elizabeth) (1961-1962)

Today’s Readings: Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. (Matthew 11)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we praise You and thank You and glorify You for Your Gospel today. Because we read about the towns in the Gospel that had seen Your Mighty Deeds and they did not convert. It is so easy to think that Gospel is all about those hard hearted people long ago but really if we look in the mirror, we know it is also about us. We have been given every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1) in our one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church including the Most Holy Eucharist and how many either do not believe, do not attend, or just take it all for granted. Even daily Mass attenders can easily take what they are receiving each day for granted. Even when the Churches shut down and reopened, where was the hunger among most of the faithful to return to The Sacraments? So many are now comfortable watching the Mass on TV. And yet this is the time that we who are paying attention need to repent of our sins and come to You in humility knowing we are poor and sinful. We need to do this for ourselves and we need to do it for others who have not repented. Because blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God! (Matthew 5). So let us not hear woe, a terrifying word that we never want to hear from You, but let us turn in faith, hope, and trust for mercy, salvation, and sanctification for our souls and for all souls because the Kingdom is coming!

Bearing Abundant Fruit

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

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time

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.

Blessed Are The People The Lord Has Chosen to Be His Own

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

Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Blessed Are The People The Lord Has Chosen to Be His Own

Jesus: “Do not worry, My dear little Carmelite. Do not think, ‘How will I make the Cause prevail?’ I work with chosen souls. Be satisfied with being good. Do you know how to be a good Carmelite? Live humbly. Live the hidden contemplative life in union with Me. Refrain your tongue and be on guard not to say unneeded words. (Jesus) (April 10, 1962)

Today’s Readings: “I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.” (Genesis 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we thank You and praise You and glorify You for your promises to Abraham to make of him a great nation, a people You have chosen to be Your own! It looked impossible to Abraham at the time that the promise would be fulfilled and it looked impossible to Elizabeth that Our Lady’s Cause would prevail through her who, like us was just a weak instrument. But You assure us that You have chosen us right here, right now to advance Your Kingdom, not because we are so great but because You are great and with You all things are possible! So, help us to live humbly and to walk with You living a hidden life in union with You because we are the poor instruments that You are using during these times to give You Glory and to save souls.

Do Not Worry- His Grace is Sufficient

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

Saturday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time

Do Not Worry- His Grace is Sufficient

Jesus: “You please Me a great deal at this moment. You ask why? Continue to do you your best. What did your guardian angel tell you? Increase the adoration and homage to the Holy Majesty of God. You see how by your resolve to examine your conscience every hour, your soul is refined to become more apt to immerse itself in God and worship Him. Your homage also is greatly gaining in standing with the Holy Majesty of God. This proposition on your part requires a very great peaceful contemplation. But to the one who loves, nothing is impossible. I have provided you with sufficient examples of that. Your bad temper will go on, but out of this evil nature, I will accomplish a masterpiece if you agree to submit to My Divine Hand. (September 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Therefore, that I might not become too elated,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. (2 Corinthians 12)

But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, the closer we get to You and the more we see ourselves, we can really feel the weight of who we are. St. Paul talks about a thorn in the flesh, Elizabeth has a bad temper and we all have something that is an obstacle to being the best version of ourselves. But the wonderful thing is, You know all about that- and You will accomplish a masterpiece in all of us if we submit to Your Divine Hand and let You do it because without You, we are nothing! (John 15). You tell us in the First Reading today that Your Grace is sufficient. You tell us in the Gospel that we are to seek first the Kingdom and not to worry about tomorrow. So let us keep trying to do our best and examine ourselves not in a scrupulous manner but with peaceful contemplation because to the one who loves nothing is impossible and nothing at all is impossible for God! Let us be glad in our weakness and submit our nothingness to the All whose power dwells in us!

The Extra Mile

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

Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time

The Extra Mile

Jesus: “You are My little drop of water. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating wine of My infinite Divinity, both in its life-giving power and in its sweet aroma that you pour out for Me. May My good aroma pour out around you. When others perceive it, they will be led to Me. You see, we must be one. Do not be bound by the clay of the earth filled with worms. Let the earth be only that for you. Look at it as such and let us save souls from the worms that threaten and swarm them. Do penance and pray for them. Your acceptance of the sacrifice is the salt that, once poured over the swarming worms, they will fall like dead leeches. Let them be shriveled and annihilated. Let us have just one thought: the salvation of souls.

Today’s Readings: If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Prayer Meditation- Lord You know so well that we have all heard this Gospel and yet how this goes against our flesh and our feelings. Because the truth is most days, we are ready to go to war over that tunic and we certainly are not going to walk even four feet for a spouse, a child, or a co-worker who at this moment is driving us nuts! However, Lord, the battle for today is to put away our feelings so that we can put on Your Heart- it is only with Your Grace that we can give to those who ask of us today. Even when it is difficult or we are tired or it may be inconvenient. This firm and persevering acceptance of sacrifices for love of You is what will produce abundant fruit in many souls! So let us walk that extra mile today- just leave the baggage behind!

Chosen Out Of The World

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

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

Chosen Out Of The World

“That first meeting was the great step, My little one, when My Mother entrusted you to Me in a special way. Since then, My little one, you have been flying like an arrow towards Me. In your flight, never turn to look back at earth so that the world’s noise does not bother you.” (Jesus) (April 8, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Today’s Readings: Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world. (John 15)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, You have chosen us out of the world. Not to go live in some cloister somewhere, at least most of us who live in families and have jobs and are living the day to day life. But You have called us to come away from the world’s noise and to keep our eyes fixed on You in our sojourn here on Earth. Lord, many of us have felt it as we grow closer to You- friends and family who don’t “get” all the changes in us. Or how we view what was so important to us before in our work and our entertainments as so much straw! (Thomas Aquinas). Lord help us not to look back but to look up because we are Your children now- what we will be we do not know but we know we will be like You! (1 John 3:2). Help us to fly to You Lord today!

Being Peter

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

Third Sunday of Easter

Being Peter

The Lord Jesus told me that He had just given me, with wonderful strength, the grace of faith and confidence, because without these two virtues, no other virtues can take root in either me, or in any other soul. (Elizabeth) (March 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” (John 21)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how many times like Peter have we denied You? And how many times is it because we are lacking virtue- the virtues of fortitude and courage that overcome the need for human respect and help us overcome the fear of the unknown. Peter loved Jesus but Peter blew it when Our Lord needed him- sometimes isn’t that every one of us? And yet Lord, You never fail to reach out to us with love and You never deny us Your strength and Your grace- they are there for the asking. Peter was reminded as we all should be that we will increasingly face circumstances in our life we cannot control especially with aging- at the end of the day Our Lord asks each one of us if we love Him- and no matter how much we have blown it may we have the grace to answer Yes, Lord, You know that I love You and I trust in You!