The Veggies
Cindy’s reflection at the celebration for the traveling Infant Jesus of Prague statue is appropriate for sharing not just during the Christmas season, but for any season of the Holy Church year. We should be perpetual shepherds, astute and ready to follow signs that leads to encountering Jesus our King in unexpected ways or places. Especially in holy church, adoring full time once our feet cross the sill of the church door, should be what is uppermost on our minds. What are we bringing with us? Will it be a gift of gold, frankincense, or myrrh, maybe all three. As we are learning from studying the Holy Liturgy from the works of Servant of God, Romano Guardini, S.J., when we walk up the church steps, something should be stirring in us. Is it that way with us? Saints of old prepared days before Holy Mass.
With the church steeple in view, are our spiritual glands secreting digestive juices for what is to come? A transformation should be going on in our minds upon entry. Is there a drawing of the line from what we bring in, verses what we leave behind outside? Jesus is in the tabernacle, present at all times. The activity of the Holy angels, church triumphant joining our celebration, all of this is like wow, wow, wow. We now can become modern day shepherds, and using the lingo of Cindy in her beautiful meditation, our Holy church experience can be a time spent in “peace and quiet” with dominating moments of “wonder and awe”. Diligently gazing, admiring, attentive listening, all of this allows for much shared joy. The radiating light of Christ to fill and illumine us, priceless.
Moments that are not about us, but moments together with those around us as the body of Christ, letting it be all about Him, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord. The clueless continue on blindly because they are sheep without a shepherd to inform them of the precious moments that are missed in adoration, and of the giving to God the Glory due Him in His own house. He is often gypped and ignored by His very own, those who are supposedly gathered in His name. Traitors, yes we are sometimes. If you have not witnessed the loud chatter in the sanctuary where Jesus is present in the tabernacle, time after time, then please let me know where you are attending Holy Mass. A few places produce a shock when people for the most part are quiet. When confronting some of the parishioners there outside of the Holy church building, it was mentioned that the priest instructed them. Thanks be to God for that. Sometimes this can work in the reverse. Once approached a friend about talking and she said: Well, the priest is talking!
One time in my hometown church, the talkers were not present and just couldn’t resist taking a little video for proof that miracles do happen. It was noticed among the people who were there spending time in holy church before the Holy Mass, absolute silence and stillness. Well thanks be to God, did not have to die without this experience. Had to quickly settle in and take advantage of those precious moments.
The way it is so loud, especially after Holy Mass is dismissed, would a stranger really be convinced of what have just happened? Blindfolded would one guess that their feet are planted on the floor of a holy church? Willing to bet this behavior would not be tolerated in a mosque. Isn’t our time spent in holy church an opportunity to pray and be quite before the Lord, spending intimate moments with Him? Maybe if we did this, more growth would occur in our spiritual lives, because the Holy Spirit would use the opportunity to speak to us within. We can’t possibly think we have reached the pinnacle. By manifested behavior, it might seem that not that much praying is going on day and night at home, that people are really prayed up. Are we giving God a tithe of our time, two hours and 24 minutes?
📖 Ephesians 5:15-16 "Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil"
📖 Malachi 3:8 "Can anyone rob God? But you are robbing me! Can anyone rob God? But you are robbing me!And you say, “How have we robbed you?”Of tithes and contributions!"
Here is what our heavenly Mother, Our Lady of Medjugorge, said on April 24, 1984
“The information suffices. People already know enough. Tell them this place is a place of prayer. Pray as much as you can, pray however you can, but pray more always. Each of you could pray even four hours a day. But I know that many do not understand because they think only of living for their work.”
The above message of April 24, 1984 even proved a shock for the Franciscan priest, Fr. Vlasic, who questioned Our Lady through the visionaries regarding her request, saying, “If we tell the people to pray for four hours, they will turn away.” Our Lady answered: “Even you do not understand. It is hardly a sixth of your day.
On November 25, 2006, this was her message:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to pray, pray, pray. Little children, when you pray you are close to God and He gives you the desire for eternity. This is a time when you can speak more about God and do more for God. Therefore, little children, do not resist but permit Him to lead you, to change you and to enter into your life. Do not forget that you are travellers on the way toward eternity. Therefore, little children, permit God to lead you as a shepherd leads his flock. Thank you for having responded to my call." What is three hours of prayer a day compared to eternity. We have the choice of spending eternity in happiness or sadness. Which would you chose ?”
This is kind of reminding me of the following scripture in Genesis. Our Blessed Lady first starts out by talking about four hours of prayer in 1984, then in 2006 it is about three hours of prayer. In the book of Genesis, chapter 18, we find Abraham asking God if He found fifty righteous people if He would spare Sodom, then that number dwindled down to ten. Well, we know that there were to be found not even ten, Lord have mercy:
📖Genesis 18:26-32 “The LORD replied: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am only dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” I will not destroy it, he answered, if I find forty-five there. But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it for the sake of the forty. Then he said, “Do not let my Lord be angry if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it if I can find thirty there. Abraham went on, “Since I have thus presumed to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” I will not destroy it, he answered, for the sake of the twenty. But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time. What if ten are found there?” For the sake of the ten, he replied, I will not destroy it”
This next article turned up during my web surf, and here is the link if anyone is interested in reading it:
www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/what-would-it-look-like-if-we-tithed-our-time-for-the-lord
Check out the applicable excerpt:
“If there are 24 hours in a day, and we assume 8 hours for a night’s sleep, a tithe of the remaining 16 hours would be 1.6 hours, or 96 minutes. That sounds like a great deal more time than most people, even Christians who pride themselves on being “practicing Christians,” spend on daily prayer. A Catholic who assists at a daily Mass lasting thirty minutes, with ten minutes of thanksgiving after; who prays a Rosary lasting about twenty minutes; and who spends about a half-hour at one or two other points in the day doing lectio divina, spiritual reading, mental prayer, or some part of the Divine Office (such as Prime or Compline) – such a Catholic will have given to the Lord 90 minutes of his day, which is almost exactly a tithe of his waking hours. It can indeed be done, and it should be done. The fruits are apparent to those who try it; and these are fruits that benefit far more than the one undertaking this prayer regimen”
There is good, there is better, and there is best, choose wisely. When we go with the highest quality, in regards to the spiritual, there will be no need for an upgrade.
Finally, here is Cindy’s meditation. It sparked a poetic creation, that poem will be shared at a later date.
🖲“*Heaven meets Earth in human form.
🖲*First Eucharist
🖲*First Eucharistic Adoration by the Shepherds.
🖲*First public contemplation of Our Lord in his infancy, The Word was made Flesh.
🖲*Time spent there was in “peace and quiet” with “wonder and awe”. Gazing, admiring, listening, all shared the joy. The radiating light.
🖲* The moment was not about us but abut Him, Jesus. No requests were made. No distractions.
🖲*We only have to bring ourselves.
🖲*Those in closest unison with the earth heard the call of the Angels. They were keepers of animals, lovers of nature.
🖲*They were the poor of society but rich in the openness to receiving God.
🖲*They trusted the “message, the “call” and acted on it.
🖲*There was no hesitation.
🖲*We are joined with them, the Shepherds, when we attend Mass.
🖲*Blessed are those who are “called” to the Supper of the Lamb.
🖲*Heaven meets earth during the Consecration and like the Shepherds, we are present and share in the “wonder and awe” of our Lord, Jesus Christ”
Cindy’s reflection at the celebration for the traveling Infant Jesus of Prague statue is appropriate for sharing not just during the Christmas season, but for any season of the Holy Church year. We should be perpetual shepherds, astute and ready to follow signs that leads to encountering Jesus our King in unexpected ways or places. Especially in holy church, adoring full time once our feet cross the sill of the church door, should be what is uppermost on our minds. What are we bringing with us? Will it be a gift of gold, frankincense, or myrrh, maybe all three. As we are learning from studying the Holy Liturgy from the works of Servant of God, Romano Guardini, S.J., when we walk up the church steps, something should be stirring in us. Is it that way with us? Saints of old prepared days before Holy Mass.
With the church steeple in view, are our spiritual glands secreting digestive juices for what is to come? A transformation should be going on in our minds upon entry. Is there a drawing of the line from what we bring in, verses what we leave behind outside? Jesus is in the tabernacle, present at all times. The activity of the Holy angels, church triumphant joining our celebration, all of this is like wow, wow, wow. We now can become modern day shepherds, and using the lingo of Cindy in her beautiful meditation, our Holy church experience can be a time spent in “peace and quiet” with dominating moments of “wonder and awe”. Diligently gazing, admiring, attentive listening, all of this allows for much shared joy. The radiating light of Christ to fill and illumine us, priceless.
Moments that are not about us, but moments together with those around us as the body of Christ, letting it be all about Him, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord. The clueless continue on blindly because they are sheep without a shepherd to inform them of the precious moments that are missed in adoration, and of the giving to God the Glory due Him in His own house. He is often gypped and ignored by His very own, those who are supposedly gathered in His name. Traitors, yes we are sometimes. If you have not witnessed the loud chatter in the sanctuary where Jesus is present in the tabernacle, time after time, then please let me know where you are attending Holy Mass. A few places produce a shock when people for the most part are quiet. When confronting some of the parishioners there outside of the Holy church building, it was mentioned that the priest instructed them. Thanks be to God for that. Sometimes this can work in the reverse. Once approached a friend about talking and she said: Well, the priest is talking!
One time in my hometown church, the talkers were not present and just couldn’t resist taking a little video for proof that miracles do happen. It was noticed among the people who were there spending time in holy church before the Holy Mass, absolute silence and stillness. Well thanks be to God, did not have to die without this experience. Had to quickly settle in and take advantage of those precious moments.
The way it is so loud, especially after Holy Mass is dismissed, would a stranger really be convinced of what have just happened? Blindfolded would one guess that their feet are planted on the floor of a holy church? Willing to bet this behavior would not be tolerated in a mosque. Isn’t our time spent in holy church an opportunity to pray and be quite before the Lord, spending intimate moments with Him? Maybe if we did this, more growth would occur in our spiritual lives, because the Holy Spirit would use the opportunity to speak to us within. We can’t possibly think we have reached the pinnacle. By manifested behavior, it might seem that not that much praying is going on day and night at home, that people are really prayed up. Are we giving God a tithe of our time, two hours and 24 minutes?
📖 Ephesians 5:15-16 "Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil"
📖 Malachi 3:8 "Can anyone rob God? But you are robbing me! Can anyone rob God? But you are robbing me!And you say, “How have we robbed you?”Of tithes and contributions!"
Here is what our heavenly Mother, Our Lady of Medjugorge, said on April 24, 1984
“The information suffices. People already know enough. Tell them this place is a place of prayer. Pray as much as you can, pray however you can, but pray more always. Each of you could pray even four hours a day. But I know that many do not understand because they think only of living for their work.”
The above message of April 24, 1984 even proved a shock for the Franciscan priest, Fr. Vlasic, who questioned Our Lady through the visionaries regarding her request, saying, “If we tell the people to pray for four hours, they will turn away.” Our Lady answered: “Even you do not understand. It is hardly a sixth of your day.
On November 25, 2006, this was her message:
“Dear children! Also today I call you to pray, pray, pray. Little children, when you pray you are close to God and He gives you the desire for eternity. This is a time when you can speak more about God and do more for God. Therefore, little children, do not resist but permit Him to lead you, to change you and to enter into your life. Do not forget that you are travellers on the way toward eternity. Therefore, little children, permit God to lead you as a shepherd leads his flock. Thank you for having responded to my call." What is three hours of prayer a day compared to eternity. We have the choice of spending eternity in happiness or sadness. Which would you chose ?”
This is kind of reminding me of the following scripture in Genesis. Our Blessed Lady first starts out by talking about four hours of prayer in 1984, then in 2006 it is about three hours of prayer. In the book of Genesis, chapter 18, we find Abraham asking God if He found fifty righteous people if He would spare Sodom, then that number dwindled down to ten. Well, we know that there were to be found not even ten, Lord have mercy:
📖Genesis 18:26-32 “The LORD replied: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am only dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” I will not destroy it, he answered, if I find forty-five there. But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it for the sake of the forty. Then he said, “Do not let my Lord be angry if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it if I can find thirty there. Abraham went on, “Since I have thus presumed to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” I will not destroy it, he answered, for the sake of the twenty. But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time. What if ten are found there?” For the sake of the ten, he replied, I will not destroy it”
This next article turned up during my web surf, and here is the link if anyone is interested in reading it:
www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/what-would-it-look-like-if-we-tithed-our-time-for-the-lord
Check out the applicable excerpt:
“If there are 24 hours in a day, and we assume 8 hours for a night’s sleep, a tithe of the remaining 16 hours would be 1.6 hours, or 96 minutes. That sounds like a great deal more time than most people, even Christians who pride themselves on being “practicing Christians,” spend on daily prayer. A Catholic who assists at a daily Mass lasting thirty minutes, with ten minutes of thanksgiving after; who prays a Rosary lasting about twenty minutes; and who spends about a half-hour at one or two other points in the day doing lectio divina, spiritual reading, mental prayer, or some part of the Divine Office (such as Prime or Compline) – such a Catholic will have given to the Lord 90 minutes of his day, which is almost exactly a tithe of his waking hours. It can indeed be done, and it should be done. The fruits are apparent to those who try it; and these are fruits that benefit far more than the one undertaking this prayer regimen”
There is good, there is better, and there is best, choose wisely. When we go with the highest quality, in regards to the spiritual, there will be no need for an upgrade.
Finally, here is Cindy’s meditation. It sparked a poetic creation, that poem will be shared at a later date.
🖲“*Heaven meets Earth in human form.
🖲*First Eucharist
🖲*First Eucharistic Adoration by the Shepherds.
🖲*First public contemplation of Our Lord in his infancy, The Word was made Flesh.
🖲*Time spent there was in “peace and quiet” with “wonder and awe”. Gazing, admiring, listening, all shared the joy. The radiating light.
🖲* The moment was not about us but abut Him, Jesus. No requests were made. No distractions.
🖲*We only have to bring ourselves.
🖲*Those in closest unison with the earth heard the call of the Angels. They were keepers of animals, lovers of nature.
🖲*They were the poor of society but rich in the openness to receiving God.
🖲*They trusted the “message, the “call” and acted on it.
🖲*There was no hesitation.
🖲*We are joined with them, the Shepherds, when we attend Mass.
🖲*Blessed are those who are “called” to the Supper of the Lamb.
🖲*Heaven meets earth during the Consecration and like the Shepherds, we are present and share in the “wonder and awe” of our Lord, Jesus Christ”