Author: Valerie Parisi

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

Third Sunday of Lent

If We Only Knew The Gift of God

Keep this great grace you received from Me in the depth of your soul. It is a special gift of God. (Jesus) (May 4, 1962)

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

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read about the Samaritan Woman- so skeptical at first but by the end of the encounter she was a true believer. You showed her everything she ever did and yet You offered Her Your Living Water that she would never thirst again. Today, Lord, so many skeptical and stuck in poor decisions just like the Samaritan Woman. Will we open ourselves to Your Gift of Yourself or will we stay stuck where we are? Lord You thirst for us and nothing we have ever done can keep us from You- only we can keep ourselves from You. May we thirst always for the Living Water that will save our souls and the souls of all we love.

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

Friday of the Second Week of Lent

Collecting The Produce

Your oil bearing seeds can only mature and produce abundant fruit in the rays of the Divine Sun. Try to serve Me even better. (Jesus) (October 4, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. (Matthew 21)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, You have given each of us a vineyard, You have given us all that we need to produce good fruit in our souls. And You have every right to collect our produce at any time at a time unknown to us. But will we be ready or are we fighting Your Grace as if You have no right to the vineyard of our souls. Lord, we do not own our vineyards, they belong to You! Lord, our fruit can only mature in the rays of Your Divine Sun in our lives. Lord, help us to serve You and to be ready when You call, building our lives on the Cornerstone of Your Love!

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

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

Only His Love Remains

Why do you prefer some passing goal? Do you not trust the value of sufferings? I give value to your sufferings and it causes Me sorrow if you do not appreciate them. (Jesus) (August 16, 1962)

Today’s Readings:

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. (Jeremiah 17)

Prayer Meditation: O Lord, we put our faith is so many passing things- work, health, family, our country. And yet all things will pass- only Your Love remains. We are pilgrims and one way or another, we will suffer loss, pain, and grief in this world. However, united with Your Love we are like the tree planted beside the still waters of Your Grace and we will not fear.

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

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

Drinking The Chalice

Look at the plants in your garden, they always climb and try to reach higher. Their flowers wither quickly, but soon new ones open up. The withering of the flower does not show its uselessness because the chalice of withered flowers contains the fertile seed which reproduces the plant. You understand, do you not? If there were no battle, what would then give value to things? Always try to go higher. Do not feel sorry for the withered chalices in your flowers. (Jesus) (June 29, 1964)

Today’s Readings: Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read in the Gospel about a mother and two disciples that are really no different from us. We follow You and we anticipate glory, and rightfully so, but we confuse earthly glory with Heaven. Lord, You came to serve and not to be served. You came to suffer and die for us- there is no way to Heaven except through the Cross. So, can we drink the chalice You have for us- knowing that the withered chalices of life contain the fertile seed of new life. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat but if it dies it bears much fruit (John 12:24). Lord, increase our faith, hope and trust that drinking the chalice You have for us would be not bitter but sweet in union with You!

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

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

Purify Our Intentions

My little one, do not be overwhelmed. Live hidden in great humility. Except for a few persons, no one should know about you.(Jesus) (March 4-7, 1962)

Today’s Readings: All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ (Matthew 23)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we who follow You may find ourselves in many ministries and activities to the point of exhaustion, but who are we really serving? No one wants to admit it, but are we doing what we do to be seen? Yet, Lord, You do Your Work through the humble and the hidden. Lord, many of the things we do may be good but are they about the one thing necessary (Luke 11)? Lord, all of our works are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) if You are not in them- purify our intentions that we would serve You in true humility.

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

Second Sunday of Lent

Rise and Do Not Be Afraid

Because your soul has been purified of the anguish of doubts, you now have been given the power to rise to the heavenly Father and be immersed in the delightful and joyful contemplation of the Holy Trinity. (Jesus) (October 23-24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone. (Matthew 17)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we meditate on the Transfiguration. Peter, John, and James see You in the Your Glory. Peter nervously tries to enter the conversation with You, the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) but really the Apostles are scared to death and have no idea what is going on. In so many ways, when faced with Your Glory and Your Majesty, we can be the same. And yet, You call us- Our God first and foremost but also Our Friend to rise and not be afraid especially in these turbulent times. You call us to be purified of doubt and fear and to rise to You in confidence and trust! Let us raise our eyes and see no one but You alone- reign in all the Earth Jesus!

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

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Perfected In Love

If we refer to the Flame of Love, the Lord Jesus will enlighten our intellect to know what we must do, for example, how we can choose between two things and which is the most perfect and represents the Will of God. (Elizabeth) (July 11, 1975)

Today’s Readings: And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, it just seems natural- we prefer those who like us and tend to avoid those who don’t. These people can even be among our loved ones at times- how many times do we avoid family members who criticize us. Perfect love just seems like some kind of ideal we will never reach. And yet You do not ask us to be perfect to set us up for failure. You really mean we can love those who hate us and persecute us- Lord it is in Your Love and Love alone that we can be perfected. Lord Jesus enlighten our minds and our hearts that we would always choose Your Will and not ours so that we would be perfected in love this Lenten season!

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

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Every Little Prison

All can work for Me, the free man and the one suffering in prison. What is important is the availability of the soul and the spiritual freedom which constitutes the culture of the soul. (Jesus) (May 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today we read how if we are angry, if we are holding onto resentments and unforgiveness and do not let them go there is only one place for us- prison. Because the prison is not as we imagine it, Your judgement of us over every failure, but we put ourselves in prison when we do not settle quickly with opponents even if it is just forgiveness in our own hearts. So many of us think we are free, but we are really suffering in the prisons of our own making. Lord, help us today to forgive all and let us leave resentment at the foot of the cross so that our souls will be fully available for the spiritual freedom You died to give each one of us!

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

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

Ask, Seek, Knock

Jesus: “Ask for abundant graces. The more you ask, the more you will receive. Ask for others and do not fear that you ask for too much! I am happy when I give more. Even your desires make Me happy. (Jesus) (March 4-7, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Ask and it will be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. Whoever asks, will receive. Whoever seeks, will find. To whomever knocks, it shall be opened. (Matthew 7)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how timid we are so often in prayer. So afraid to ask for what we really need or to seek what we are looking for. Do we pray to You as our real Father, who loves us far more than our own parents even if they were saints? We see in our lives how, despite our faults, we give what is best to our children. How much more so will You Lord, if we just ask with trust. Even if the answer is no You always hear our prayers and give us what we really need. Lord, today, let us repeat three words for ourselves and our loved ones- ask, seek, knock! Let us pray always with faith and trust!

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

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

The Reluctant Prophet

I overlook everything. By Your repentance You attract Me like a magnet, and any soul doing that will attract Me. (Jesus) (July 26, 1964)

Today’s Readings:

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” (Jonah 3)

Prayer Meditation: O Lord, You have asked us like Jonah to announce the good news of Your Gospel! You have asked us also to repent of our own sins. You cast them as far as the East is from the West if we only repent- how many times have You forgiven us! Let us not be afraid then to announce the message You have given us- even reluctant prophets like Jonah can be used for Your Glory!

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

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Teach Us To Pray

“One Our Father or one Hail Mary prayed in the midst of spiritual dryness is much more fruitful than exuberant prayers of someone who abounds in spiritual favors.” (Jesus) (May 2, 1962)

Today’s Readings: “Our Father, who are in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, there was a time in my life when I was anxious about many things (Luke 11) and I cried to You in frustration in my many words- I wish there was just one prayer that said it all! Then it hit me- there is! We so often take the Our Father, which most of us learned as children, for granted. But if we truly meditate on what we are praying we find that You have given us all we need to live in union with You! Lord, help us to seek Your Will in all thing and  to receive our daily bread at Mass if we can, or in spiritual communion, and in  reading Your Word. Lord forgive us for all the times we have missed it and have sinned and help us to forgive others as You always forgive us. Help us to persevere in all trials and temptations in confidence knowing You will not let us be tried beyond our strength (1 Corinthians 10). Let us pray this prayer daily with intention and we will find You have given us all that we need!

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

First Sunday Of Lent

Tempted

On another occasion, Satan tempted me terribly. I could hardly keep my thoughts on God. He argued: “Do not try so hard. You will gain nothing that way. You see that you have no protector. You continue to foolishly make efforts only because of your stubbornness.” (Elizabeth) (October 9, 1962)

Today’s Readings: But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.” (Genesis 2)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, in this first Sunday in Lent the readings are all about temptation. As we make our Lenten resolutions, it seems that a certain someone wants to derail us even before we begin. And like Eve, how often do we give in, believing his lies because for whatever reason we don’t trust in the truth of the Gospel. O Lord, it is so comforting that we read in today’s Gospel, You were tempted also with the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Yet You did not give in but were able to defeat the enemy by prayer, fasting, and speaking the Word of God out loud! These are lessons for all of us because You will never allow us to be tempted beyond our strength but You will always provide a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13).  Lord help us to fast to conquer our appetites and to hunger only for Your Word knowing that when we fight You are always with us and angels will also come to minister to us as they did for You in the desert!

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

Saturday After Ash Wednesday

Rescue for Sinners

Jesus: “My dear child, wish Me many, many souls. This is My

only request. Souls! Oh, how I long for sinners! Oh, how I suffer

from the indifference and the contempt of souls. Tell Me, Elizabeth,

is it difficult to love Me?” (August 15, 1964)

Today’s Readings:

“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus said to them in reply,

“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.

I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” (Luke 5)

Prayer Meditation: O Lord, how You long for us to be healed and not to stay in our sin and sickness! You long for us so much that You would eat dinner with those whom society has rejected and put aside. And You are knocking on the door of our hearts to dine with us! (Revelations 3:20). Lord come into our homes and heal us of our infirmities! Let us not be indifferent but help us to love You with Your Love because without You we are nothing.

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

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Losing Life to Save It

Jesus: “Do you want to give yourself to Me entirely and without reserve? I, the Man-God, ask this of you. I need you for My work of Salvation. What I am asking you now is a total abandonment. Therefore renounce yourself completely with all your strength and all your will. You must serve only Me. No one else and nothing else now exists for you. Only I.” (Jesus) (September 1, 1962)

Todays’ Readings: Then he said to all,
 “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9)

Prayer Meditation- Today in the first reading from Deuteronomy 30 we read that You have put before us life and death- our choice. The Gospel shows us the way forward- You ask us to pick up our cross daily and follow You. Not anything big or heroic, just our own little crosses tailor made for us- our family, our work, our health, all of our difficulties. Lord help us in the everyday to choose life and to bear our crosses with patience and perseverance. All things are passing- only You remain!

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

Monday of the Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Consider It All Joy

Many times you were close to falling beneath the cross of difficult trials, and you still experience many sorrows over your children. Bearing such ordeals is meritorious for you and for any mother. By Divine Will, these experiences that affected your life have not been in vain. I have taken them all into consideration. (Mary) (November 19, 1962)

Today’s Readings: Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1)

Prayer Meditation- Lord it can be so hard to count it all joy when we are so distracted by the noise of this world- the problems,  sorrows, anxieties, fears- we come so close to falling daily under the cross of difficult trials! But Lord, You know what is good for us- You know that the testing of our faith produces the perseverance we need to stand firm until the end (Matthew 24:13). Lord, all the strands that have gone into the making of the fabric of our lives have not been in vain- nothing is wasted  (John 6) of the scraps that we bring to You but united to Your Cross are restored into a beautiful tapestry of Grace!

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

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Short Fuse

“Your bad temper will go on, but from this evil nature, I will accomplish a masterpiece if you agree to submit to My Divine Hand.  Simply surrender to Me like the grapes that are pressed and transformed into wine, which will become My Precious Blood.” (Jesus) (September 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. (Matthew 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how often we fall into anger with our words, actions, and deeds. We are so easily offended- we have a short fuse and a long memory filled with unforgiveness. But the fruits of the Spirit are gentleness and self- control yet so often we do not see it in our lives. So many of us struggle with anger and the need for control- we want to walk on the water in faith but we drown in our own humans will stuck in self -reliance. Lord help us to surrender with humble trust in Your Mercy and bring to You all that is hurting us because we are all hurting people- only You can make a masterpiece of Grace out of our souls but we need to surrender and let you break us so You can heal us! Transform us with the wine of Your Spirit!

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

Memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius

Nothing Escapes His Notice

Before He left, He stayed a long time in front of our house and made me sense that He was thinking about our house. He began to list the merits of our family, those virtues which I made the children practice when they were small. He emphasized how meritorious were the fervent night prayer. He said how much He appreciated the small ejaculations that we added to those prayers. He also noted that our family was consecrated to His Sacred Heart. (Elizabeth) (August 16, 1962)

Today’s Readings: In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.” (Mark 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, absolutely nothing escapes Your Notice! You know our needs even before we know them- that it is late and we are far from home and we are going to need food. Like the Wedding Feast at Cana when Your Mother noticed the wine gone. You have watched us in our homes and in our family lives- the little things that seem like nothing, like saying Grace at family dinner, are so precious in Your Sight! You never fail to catch us at being good- we have nothing to fear because You are a Loving Father that wants nothing but Your Best for us! Nothing escapes Your Loving Gaze and if we bring You the small loaves of our lives You will multiply them because You came so that we would have life and life abundant! (John 10).

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

Doing All Things Well

Because there were four reels, the machine produced abundant material in just a few minutes. You had to be attentive so there would be no waste. The supervisor continually oversaw the good functioning of these machines and was ready to stop them immediately. He did not want a hundredth of a millimeter of error.”

“I remind you of these facts so you see that you gained success from your application and your conscientious work, not from your knowledge. I am with you as the supervisor of the machine. I walk here, I walk there, I am near you so you do not produce anything wasted. Not even an error of one hundredth of a millimeter is admissible. As I told you, not even a hair should separate us.” (Jesus) (November 10, 1962)

Today’s Readings: But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7)

Prayer Meditation- O Lord You do all things well! You did not only do them well in Your Public Ministry, You did them well in the everyday ordinary life of Nazareth as a carpenter and as a son, neighbor and friend. Lord, You know what it is to work and to do so with excellence, offering all to the Glory of God, working as if unto The Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). Because work done for Your Glory is a form of prayer, ora et labora, work and prayer. You want to be with us in every form of work we do every day- nothing is too lowly- the work of raising a family, sweeping the floors, working in a factory, all can be done for Your Glory! Lord purify our motives today- if we are nurses, we are caring for You today, if we are lawyers we work for true justice and mercy, if we are carpenters we are building the Kingdom!  Even the work of being sick when offered united to Your Sacrifice is valuable, more valuable then we will ever know.  Lord, there is nothing wasted when all is offered for love of You and for the salvation of souls (Sister Lucia).

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

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time

Committing All To The Lord

Ask often and ask for much with respect to intentions and needs and you will receive accordingly. Even more, if I perceive your trust, I will fulfill your request repeatedly. “ (Jesus) (Compendium Page 115)

Today’s Readings: Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act. He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.(Psalm 37)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, how often do we try to do it all in our own strength rather than rely on You. Why do we not trust You when we know that if we do, You will act? Lord, You know what our hearts are full of- it is in today’s Gospel (Mark 7:14-23) yet we think we can do it all on our own. Yet You ask us to give everything to You- our work, our families, our anxieties, our hurts and disappointments, everything! Lord help our feet to truly journey together with You- help us to hear Your Voice saying, this is the way, walk in it when we would turn to the right or to the left (Isaiah 30:21).

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

Memorial of Saint Scholastica
Better is One Day in Your Courts

There is always a great and continual longing for God in my heart. I accepted life, death and suffering according to His Holy Will. This filled me with such felicity that words cannot express it. My heart throbbed with happiness. (Elizabeth) (June 5, 1965)

Today’s Readings: My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.  (Psalm 84)

Prayer Meditation- How lovely is Your Dwelling Place, Lord God Almighty! Lord, it is indeed better to spend one day in Your Courts than one thousand elsewhere! Lord, today, even if we cannot get to Mass, let us offer ourselves completely to You, fully present in The Tabernacle so that all that we do today will be for Your Glory! Let us encounter You in Your Word, in prayer, and in the Sacraments!