Nowhere to Rest Our Heads- All That You Can’t Leave Behind

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

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Nowhere to Rest Our Heads- All That You Can’t Leave Behind 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: As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

Prayer Meditation- O Lord, no matter where we live and where we rest our heads the truth is that we are all pilgrims, sojourners on this Earth. We can’t take it with us so whether we are slowly giving up stuff and downsizing, retiring or changing careers or dealing with other losses little by little of health, loved ones, and our previous lives by choice or by chance the only certainty in life is You! And we say we want to follow You but do we really count the cost (Luke 14:28-29) and whether we are building on a solid foundation when we are building those lives of ours. Because to follow You is to die to ourselves so that You live through us (Galatians 2:20) and to do that means we are stripped down to all that we can’t leave behind which at the end of the day is love and nothing else. So Lord help us to live with open hands and open hearts ready to give it all in this life that we would freely enter Heaven where we will finally rest our heads and our hearts! Fiat!

Who Then Is This

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

Thursday of the Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Who Then Is This?

Mary: “You have no reason to fear. Although we prepared your soul, you must unceasingly feel that you are an instrument in our hands. Attribute nothing to yourself. Fear is inevitable, it is a reflection of your pride. Do you think you are capable of anything? Devote yourself fully, my little one. Recognize your nothingness. We will lead you.” (Mary) (December 1, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him. (Luke 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord we praise You today because we read in the Gospel about how Herod is perplexed by who Jesus is. You see, Herod thought he was in control as he had already beheaded John the Baptist. And now there was a new prophet and he was curious. Herod represents the cynicism, corruption and worldliness so present particularly in the last century and today.. Lord Jesus, when you were on the Earth You were humble and You attributed everything to the Father. And You are asking us Lord to be instruments of Your Grace in these times- not to fear as we recognize our nothingness as You lead us in Your Most Holy and Divine Will. Others may or may not say about us, who then is this, as we quietly make sacrifices and acts of reparation for the world we are in today, but let us be faithful, totally united to the Holy Trinity in all that we do for Your Glory!

Dwelling In Unapproachable Light

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

Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

Dwelling In Unapproachable Light

Jesus: “Did you enjoy the hymn? I was the One who touched you by the melody. This is the hymn which we like the most. I use it to praise you because you so much love the silence of the church where I dwell.” (Jesus) (June 2, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Beloved:
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,
and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate
for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler
will make manifest at the proper time,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,
and whom no human being has seen or can see.
To him be honor and eternal power. Amen. (1 Timothy 6)

Prayer Meditation- Lord we love You and praise You and bless You because You live in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen God but Your One and Only Son, Jesus Christ has revealed You (John 1) and has showed us the way to be perfect, as You are perfect in the Gospels. Lord, You want to dwell in us and make Your love complete in us (1John 4). You care about every detail of our lives, even the hymns we like in Church and You want to share everything with us! Lord Jesus, You are light and You offer us the way to live with You forever in Your Unapproachable Light because You have made a way for us through Your Incarnation, Life, Death, and Resurrection- let us seek You always in prayer, Your Word, and the Sacraments of Your One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

““ September 6-Take and read. Take from My heart and read love. Do you know how to read love? With the eyes of ardent desire and the most loving simplicity enlightened by the remembrance of what I said through the prophets, the gospels, and My intimate friends. “Read love and read the call, for love always calls. A call is like arms outstretched to enfold. Wouldn’t you give Me the joy of letting yourself be enfolded? And what do I want if not you in all your wholeness—your entire being. You understand? “Then you mustn’t refuse Me. No, not anything. Try to be the one I desire, the one who keeps Me company in her heart joyously and leaves Me only to find Me again in her daily duties. “I am everywhere for the one who seeks Me. He lives with My life all the time he is living for Me. I possess him so that he may possess Me. How could he get along all alone? Haven’t you recognized My help at certain moments? Isn’t your way through life more joyous and safe when God possesses you? “O come close, come purely to the all-Pure.” “Lord, I never cease to long for You, and yet I never cease to be indifferent.” “And it will always be like that, My poor little girl. The weakness of your nature causes you to fall, and it’s the humble effort you make to get up and go on, the effort to please Me that charms your beloved. And this is a joy, a joy for God. Isn’t that strange? Later on you will see. Later on you will understand. “Believe in that ‘later on.’ ” “How can I believe, Lord?” “With your heart. For if I am often a joy for you, be sure that you are very much of a joy for Me. Think of this; it will help you to drop anchor in My boundless compassion, and it will give you more assurance of the goodness of your God—His perfect goodness, which never ceases to flow to you.” “Lord, make me like this for my neighbor.” “I’ll be your Self-Expression.””

— He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

⁸ For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

 ³ And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

¹⁴ For he knows our frame;
    he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:14)

Prayer Reflection- O Lord You are so close to us and You want to us to come even closer. But we can feel so unworthy yet our humble efforts please You even when we fall. May we keep our hearts set on You and that “later on” that is life with You in Eternity. May we believe with our whole hearts in the goodness of Our God!

August 30—“ Lord, I should like to take care of You as You take care of me.”

“My child, to love Me is to take care of Me. I don’t seem to need anything else. But great is My thirst for you. Perhaps you think that I say this often. But My longing is ever new. Love never repeats, you know. It finds in itself the eternal notes of its music. Take care then to comfort Me, very simply: a glance, an inward smile, even a movement of pity for My sufferings, or a prayer for sinners. “Child, give Me your life.” “Lord, you already have it.” “I want it unceasingly, like a fountain springing upward, like a symphony that never ends. Every effort for Me. When you hold back a word, when you put on gentle manners, when you do something against your own will, when you humble yourself, when you forget a discourtesy, when you sacrifice a pleasure to help your neighbor. Everything for Me. What true happiness, My beloved little girl! There will be only one music—we’ll turn around on My record, you melodious with Me, I in notes flowing from you.”” (He and I, Gabrielle Bossis)

²⁸ After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.” (John 19:28)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

Prayer- O Lord we adore You, we thank You and we worship You because we cannot even comprehend how much You thirst for our love! Every little prayer, glance Your way, meditation even for a second on Your Passion comforts Your deep longing for our love! You want us unceasingly, alive with the living water of Your Spirit living in us and offering all to You for Your Glory and the salvation of souls! Let us always let the music in our souls be in thanksgiving to You!

Keep 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)

Nothing Except Christ Crucified

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

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John The Baptist

Nothing Except Christ Crucified

At night, I laid down to rest. Because of my weakness and tiredness, I could hardly think. Quite unexpectedly, the Lord Jesus surprised me with His words and started to converse. Never in my life had His words penetrated so deeply within me. I listened to them with a trembling heart and devout concentration. (Elizabeth) (June 9, 1965)

Today’s Readings: You yourselves know, brothers and sisters,
that our reception among you was not without effect.
Rather, after we had suffered and been insolently treated,
as you know, in Philippi,
we drew courage through our God
to speak to you the Gospel of God with much struggle.
Our exhortation was not from delusion or impure motives,
nor did it work through deception.
But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.(1 Thessalonians 2)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we honor and remember the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. He had stood up for Your Commandments and was imprisoned. We can only imagine his fatigue, suffering and maybe even confusion in prison. Because Lord it is when we are weak we are strong (2 Corinthians 2:10) because You are strong in us. We all have our times of weakness and tiredness in our lives and in our service to You- times when we are really united to You, our crucified Lord, in our suffering. There is no victory without the Cross, however united to You we are assured that in faith no matter how weak and lost we may seem, we are operating not in our own human wisdom but in Your power and for Your Glory! Saint John the Baptist please pray for us because unless a grain of wheat falls into the Earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it does, it bears much fruit (John 12:24)