Rich in What Matters to God

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

Monday of the Twenty Ninth Week of Ordinary Time

Rich in What Matters to God

“You see My riches. I need you and I enrich you. Therefore, may our hands gather in unity since our thoughts are one and our souls are in harmony.” (Jesus) (October 15, 1962)

Today’s Readings: But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.” (Luke 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read about a man who is much like many of us. He makes plans and thinks to himself what to do with the material things and possessions he has. He is thinking ahead of a future with overflowing barns and eating and drinking and being merry. How many of us think like that- plans for retirement and some future time where we will have our paradise here. But it does not work that way really- even those who retire well for example will have to die and leave behind all earthly treasures. And how many times do we hear of those who die suddenly or become sick or disabled and none of those things that were so important really matter very much anymore. Lord, help us to see Your Riches, may we walk, no matter our state in life and how blessed we may be here, hand in hand with You because You are our only treasure! Living well also means dying well- living forever with You in Heaven.

If It Delays- Wait for It

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!

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!