Spirit and Power

Spirit and Power

My daughter, you will have to suffer much. I will give you no consolation that will tie you to the earth, but I will always give you My fortifying grace. Also, the power of the Holy Spirit will be with you.(Jesus) (March 4-7, 1962)

Today’s Readings: He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” (Luke 1)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord today we thank You and praise You and worship You because today we have announcements- announcements from Heaven. Announcements about the coming of the one who was to prepare the way for You to turn the hearts of fathers towards children and an announcement to an ordinary widow that Your Grace will always be with her even in her suffering as she lives out the plan You have for her life. Because Lord, You have a plan for each one of us, be it a big mission or a smaller more ordinary one. You have had a dream for our lives from all Eternity. O Lord You know we cannot do anything on our own (John 15) except fall down and yet You promise us the power of the Holy Spirit to remind us always of what You have taught us (John 14:26). Not a spirt of fear but of power, love and self control! (2 Timothy 1:7). So Lord, let us surrender ourselves to You without questioning and doubting like Zechariah in today’s Gospel, fully trusting that Your plan is always for our good.

“My child, even if you seemed to love everything, even if all the affections of your heart were to fade away and you found yourself alone and misunderstood by everyone, I should still be your treasure, your goal, your incomparable friend, your beginning and your end. “So don’t be upset by anything. Once and for all, place your heart in Mine, in joy as in distress. If I fill your cup to overflowing, I am your peace. If I put you to the test, I am your companion. Nothing ever ceases to flow from Me to you, if you accept Me. Now do you understand a little better the reason you were born? To be one with Me. Begin, begin right from this very moment. Tighten the bonds of union. Ask the immaculate one for this grace. Her heart never left Me. And you, child, never leave Me. Never. I’ll be tempted to thank you.””

— He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

⁸ Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8).

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,^[d]
    I fear no evil;
for thou art with me;
    thy rod and thy staff,
    they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Revelations 1:8)

Reflection- O Lord we can feel so alone in this world even in the best of circumstances. But now during this Holiday Season, so many can really be feeling the losses- of loved ones, of poor health, of loneliness and depression. And yet You are our treasure, our goal, our only purpose in life. Our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end. And You promise that You are not just there on the mountaintop but as a faithful companion in the valley, our comfort and our peace. So let us ask for the grace to live fused in Your Most Holy and Divine Will, one with You no matter the circumstances. Mary Queen of Peace please pray for us.

Stumbling Into Holiness

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

Stumbling Into Holiness

You did not make yourself worthy. I, God, thought you worthy of your call. Even one instant is too much for you to be occupied with something else. My love does not rest. May our thoughts be as one!” (Jesus) (August 30, 1964)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, like the first reading today in Isaiah 40 we do run and grow weary, we walk, and not only do we faint, we stumble and fall. We work in our own power to somehow be good enough, to measure up, even for those of us on a spiritual path to make ourselves holy. We are literally tripping on our own feet! You see all of this and You say to us today enough! You call to us to come to You, all who are labored, burdened, just plain worn out and sick and tired of being sick and tired and You ask us to turn in that worn out yoke for a brand new one of Your making. Because we do not make ourselves good or holy- only You do when we surrender ourselves to Your Divine Will, the sacrament of the Present Moment which includes our duties to You and to our state in life and loving acceptance of all that comes to us through Your Hands for our good! Thank You Jesus for stepping into this holiday madness with Your Word in the Gospel today- let us have ears to hear!

Never Leave Your Immaculate Mother

“Never leave your immaculate mother. She won’t leave you either. She loves you even more than your own dear mother. She suffered more to give birth to you, for she bore My death. Queen of Martyrs! If suffering increases love, just imagine the tenderness she feels for you. Nothing could ever quench it, not even your ingratitude. Thank her. Love her. Above all, speak to her about your love, and this will draw you nearer to Me. Where else would she lead you if not to Me? She is much too humble to take for herself what belongs to Me, she who lived for God alone. Ask her to teach you to live for Me. Put all your trust in her. She will help you on your uphill climb; it is strenuous work climbing the mountain of perfection.” (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis)

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman′u-el. (Isaiah 7:14).

⁴³ And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)

²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷ Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27).

Reflection- O Lord how can we thank You enough for Your Immaculate Mother and ours. She gave Her Fiat to Your Incarnation but Her Love did not stop there. She followed You all the way to the Cross and She participated in Your Sufferings for our sake. She is our true Mother who wants all of Her Children safe and home in You. You remind us today that suffering increases love! So many of us are suffering but are we increasing in love? How many of us just feel empty and numb and overwhelmed? But Our Lady wants to give us Her Love so that She can lead us to You as we strive to get up out of whatever valley we may find ourselves in today. So let us put our trust in Her as we strive to climb the mountain of perfection because She will draw us even nearer to You!