Vision

DAY'S SAINTS
Archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael
John of Dukla, Franciscan Hermit
Blessed John of Ghent, Hermit

Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
As I watched:
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Gospel Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

"Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Nathanael answered him,

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Do you believe

because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this."

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will see heaven opened

and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

+

Presumably, Daniel knew Jesus was the Son of God in the vision, and He was recognized when He was presented to the Father. Otherwise, how are we to take the passage describing the vision?

Jesus saw Nathaniel under the tree, although evidently, Jesus was not close enough to have actually seen him?

In both cases, things hidden can easily be seen by God, and perhaps we can avoid sin by remembering that God sees everything we do. If we are forgiven our sins, He does not remember them any more. Think well on this when you are angry with your brother, before you take action. He is everywhere, and sees everything and can remember what we can not. Blessed are we when He points out our sins and faults to us, because then we might take action to atone before we die.

Perhaps those who abandoned the Church can take the meaning of the visions too, that the absence of His children grieves Him, and we impoverish ourselves when we forsake our Mother.

God can do marvelous things with us in an instant. We can be snatched up to heaven in ecstasy to accomplish His Will and Purpose. What we suffered for years can be undone in an instant so we are perfect again. If He forgives our sins, we shall be perfect again.

If the world is a frightening place, we should pray for protection and ask to be defended as His child.

If the world is a frightening place, perhaps it could be different if we became different, close to God and of a like disposition, loving and affectionate toward our Creator.

I have a warning for the world; it is time to reconcile with your brothers and make peace where there is war, so that on the day He comes to reveal Himself to us, we may be as He intended we should be seen, as His children and beloved of Him. 

The Lord did not dismiss or excuse Himself from the passion, but embraced the cross and won our redemption. Let not war exist between our brothers and sisters, nor in any conclave, allow dissension and vileness pervade the friendship intended. Those who deliberately try to do others harm will be punished and what was entrusted to them will be removed. Then you must make a deal with the enemy to provide for yourself, and if you do, you will be cast out into darkness and fury.

Vision

DAY'S SAINTS
Archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael
John of Dukla, Franciscan Hermit
Blessed John of Ghent, Hermit

Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
As I watched:
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Gospel Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

"Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Nathanael answered him,

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Do you believe

because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this."

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will see heaven opened

and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

+

Presumably, Daniel knew Jesus was the Son of God in the vision, and He was recognized when He was presented to the Father. Otherwise, how are we to take the passage describing the vision?

Jesus saw Nathaniel under the tree, although evidently, Jesus was not close enough to have actually seen him?

In both cases, things hidden can easily be seen by God, and perhaps we can avoid sin by remembering that God sees everything we do. If we are forgiven our sins, He does not remember them any more. Think well on this when you are angry with your brother, before you take action. He is everywhere, and sees everything and can remember what we can not. Blessed are we when He points out our sins and faults to us, because then we might take action to atone before we die.

Perhaps those who abandoned the Church can take the meaning of the visions too, that the absence of His children grieves Him, and we impoverish ourselves when we forsake our Mother.

God can do marvelous things with us in an instant. We can be snatched up to heaven in ecstasy to accomplish His Will and Purpose. What we suffered for years can be undone in an instant so we are perfect again. If He forgives our sins, we shall be perfect again.

If the world is a frightening place, we should pray for protection and ask to be defended as His child.

If the world is a frightening place, perhaps it could be different if we became different, close to God and of a like disposition, loving and affectionate toward our Creator.

I have a warning for the world; it is time to reconcile with your brothers and make peace where there is war, so that on the day He comes to reveal Himself to us, we may be as He intended we should be seen, as His children and beloved of Him. 

The Lord did not dismiss or excuse Himself from the passion, but embraced the cross and won our redemption. Let not war exist between our brothers and sisters, nor in any conclave, allow dissension and vileness pervade the friendship intended. Those who deliberately try to do others harm will be punished and what was entrusted to them will be removed. Then you must make a deal with the enemy to provide for yourself, and if you do, you will be cast out into darkness and fury.

Disappointment

Day's Saints
Justina of Antioch, Martyr
Blessed Kasapr Stanggassinger, Martyr
Gospel Lk 8:19-21
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

+

What did you come out into the desert to see, a
reed shaken in the wind?

Disappointment can be difficult to endure. Expectations only heighten one's anticipation, and when things do not turn out the way we wanted them to do, it is easy to get disgusted and let down. This can even happen regarding spiritual things. Mary was disappointed that She could not get to see Her Son. That does not mean we will not be compensated, but we must not give up hope in the life that awaits us.

This life can be bitter, cold and dreary, just like the weather, but just like the weather, things can change in a heartbeat. One of the delights in life is when something changes in an instant into a moment that lifts up the soul out of itself into God.

God, on His part, does not wish us to be disappointed or to get discouraged, and for that reason, after testing us, He gives us what we wanted, but better than our expectations. 

Do not tire of praying for one another, and trying to encourage those who have despaired. Do not grow tired of higher expectations, because when God fulfills us, we will never be hungry in that way again.

Disappointment

Day's Saints
Justina of Antioch, Martyr
Blessed Kasapr Stanggassinger, Martyr
Gospel Lk 8:19-21
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

+

What did you come out into the desert to see, a
reed shaken in the wind?

Disappointment can be difficult to endure. Expectations only heighten one's anticipation, and when things do not turn out the way we wanted them to do, it is easy to get disgusted and let down. This can even happen regarding spiritual things. Mary was disappointed that She could not get to see Her Son. That does not mean we will not be compensated, but we must not give up hope in the life that awaits us.

This life can be bitter, cold and dreary, just like the weather, but just like the weather, things can change in a heartbeat. One of the delights in life is when something changes in an instant into a moment that lifts up the soul out of itself into God.

God, on His part, does not wish us to be disappointed or to get discouraged, and for that reason, after testing us, He gives us what we wanted, but better than our expectations. 

Do not tire of praying for one another, and trying to encourage those who have despaired. Do not grow tired of higher expectations, because when God fulfills us, we will never be hungry in that way again.

Companions

Day's Saints

Gunthildis Of Sufferheim
Blessed Joseph Marchandon, Martyr

Gospel Lk 8:1-3
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

+

What sign will we leave behind that we existed at all?

The Lord kept interesting company. They, in their turn, showed their respect and gratitude and surpassing belief. Anyone who wants salvation must do likewise.

Perhaps none can fathom deeply enough, the love of God for His children than those who were possessed and lived to see the light of day again.

Likewise, those afflicted by evil know full well, how beautiful is the love of Our Lord.

We may not be called to great or memorable deeds, but if we have lived a life that blessed His Name in every circumstance, we have done well, and certainly, those around such people benefitted greatly, for the world has little concern for them.

Indeed, it is said that early Christians were notable for their love and charity toward the poor and destitute. And if anything can be distributed to the poor, it is because someone gathered the wherewithal to feed the hungry out of their wealth. St. Francis knew full well the pleasures of wealth, and it is thus notable that he made such a radical change in his own circumstances to attend to the needs of the poor. If his preaching had any effect, it was only because of that change in attitude, for those charged with leading the faithful had been unfaithful in their duty, and those who were doing what the leaders should have been doing, were a breath of fresh air in a Church grown cold and stagnant.

Let us ask the Lord to refresh us so that our brothers and sisters in the world might renew the face of the earth. The world is in so much despair that it has grown frozen and rigid and needs the warmth of the blood of His followers in truth. Jesus left us an example in the shedding of His very last drop of Blood on the hill of His execution. Whatever He asks us to do, we must do fearlessly on account of His spilled Blood.

Do we have the courage to do as He asks?

Companions

Day's Saints

Gunthildis Of Sufferheim
Blessed Joseph Marchandon, Martyr

Gospel Lk 8:1-3
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

+

What sign will we leave behind that we existed at all?

The Lord kept interesting company. They, in their turn, showed their respect and gratitude and surpassing belief. Anyone who wants salvation must do likewise.

Perhaps none can fathom deeply enough, the love of God for His children than those who were possessed and lived to see the light of day again.

Likewise, those afflicted by evil know full well, how beautiful is the love of Our Lord.

We may not be called to great or memorable deeds, but if we have lived a life that blessed His Name in every circumstance, we have done well, and certainly, those around such people benefitted greatly, for the world has little concern for them.

Indeed, it is said that early Christians were notable for their love and charity toward the poor and destitute. And if anything can be distributed to the poor, it is because someone gathered the wherewithal to feed the hungry out of their wealth. St. Francis knew full well the pleasures of wealth, and it is thus notable that he made such a radical change in his own circumstances to attend to the needs of the poor. If his preaching had any effect, it was only because of that change in attitude, for those charged with leading the faithful had been unfaithful in their duty, and those who were doing what the leaders should have been doing, were a breath of fresh air in a Church grown cold and stagnant.

Let us ask the Lord to refresh us so that our brothers and sisters in the world might renew the face of the earth. The world is in so much despair that it has grown frozen and rigid and needs the warmth of the blood of His followers in truth. Jesus left us an example in the shedding of His very last drop of Blood on the hill of His execution. Whatever He asks us to do, we must do fearlessly on account of His spilled Blood.

Do we have the courage to do as He asks?

Sandals

Let us be used up like a pair of old sandals, as we
live our life as given to us, according to His life as 
we have come to  know it.

https://www.littlehouseofreflectionhermitage.com/

A few days ago, my back was hurting really bad, so I decided to use my cane, and as I walked across the room to come back to my desk, somehow I managed to mis-step and slammed my right foot into the cane with the full force of my stride, causing intense pain and bruising in three toes. How I managed to do that I do not know, but I don't use my cane very often, mostly because of my back or some injury to my feet. The thought has crossed my mind that this was another occasion when the Lord allowed something to happen because of my fervent prayers to participate in the suffering of His cross. sometimes evil takes a delight in inflicting severe suffering owing to our frailty and the ease with which we might be injured.

As if that were not enough, I was booted into windows 10 the other day, and the computer was taken over and I had all sorts of difficulty rectifying the problem. I removed windows 10 from the boot order, removed the windows 10 partition and formatted the partition after extending the remaining partition and adding its space to the windows 11 partition. Once windows was reinstalled, I restored the latest image.

Unless confronted in some way with the pain of His cross and passion, a Christian will remain somewhat indifferent to them, and thus, to Jesus as well. Unless one is willing to consider His passion, he will advance very little in spirituality. Remember that the spirit needs nourishment just as much as our body, and if we intend to be a part of Jesus in Heaven, it will have to be by way of a personal passage through the cross and passion of the Lord, Jesus.

We receive very great nourishment all the time from Jesus, though we may not realize it. Inexplicable little moments of utter exaltation and child-like joy burst into our day like a star exploding in the night to engulf everything in light. The light is not one our eyes can see, only our spirit, and since our life emanates from the spirit, we can ill afford to neglect our spirit in life.

Some people derive a great lift from a simple bottle of beer or a glass of wine, or even from a cigarette, and so they treasure these things for their relaxation and the pleasure they impart as they consume them. But if you have received the Eucharist well, by previously confessing and fasting and doing other penitential things, you may well derive bliss from the realization of the presence of Jesus as you kneel before Him concentrated on Him. Then we can appreciate the depths of His suffering and kindness to us in answering our prayers and preserving us from evil's intents.

Perhaps you can appreciate His suffering because He has drawn close to you, having died on the cross in the Mass, and rising again to stand alive. How to appreciate the Lord in His passion? Picture in your mind, that centurion thrusting the lance into the side of Jesus, piercing it all the way through so it came out the back. As you watch His hands being pulled into the place for the nail to be driven into the wood of the cross, you might find you can feel some part of His pain as the hammer beats the nails driving them into His hands and feet. One need not be too intense about it; a simple acknowledgement that you realized that it happened and what the consequences were, will suffice. Then if He asks anything of you, it is not so difficult a thing to do, and the peace that you enjoy will not soon be forgotten. The concurrence of such pain and equal bliss of happiness are the hallmarks of the mystical life in which, whether we understand the mysteries or not, we are able to experience them by His dispensation.

I don't think a life spent with the mind intent upon the mysteries of His life can be fruitless. Neither do I think that it can hurt our efforts to atone for our sins so we might be forgiven, if we appreciate how personal it was for Jesus to be nailed to the cross. appreciation is something He needs the same as ourselves. We like being appreciated; We need the love of those that mean the most to us, but do not let anything less than God have more appreciation than Jesus Himself. When a child draws a picture for us, he brims with joy to give it to us, as a token of his appreciation and love which he desires most intensely to give to us, as an expression of his human childhood. The saints were those whose child-like love never faded or went away, and the deeper they dove into his life, the deeper they plunged into His infinite love.

We are mortal beings, weak and helpless in many ways, so that when Jesus calls us His children, it is no exaggeration. A holy person is one who nurtures his love of Jesus as the pristine love of our childhood which He treasures the most above all other kinds of love. He even said that if we did not have the love of a child at heart, we could not enter the kingdom of Heaven. 

Approach prayer with a child-like attitude of simplicity and love, with joy, with grief for our sins and the sufferings of others, and you cannot go wrong or be lost, because His love will seek out ours, and He will linger with us to enjoy our company.

The child-like love that can embrace the cross itself is more powerful than any other force in existence.

A child might look upon the cross and be smitten with the pain he recognized existed on it. All the more a person whose whole life has been an appreciation for the gravity of the cross, will be one who will bring light, joy and peace to the lives of everyone around him or her.

I can tell you I appreciate the Lord, and His passion and He visits me when I say the Rosary, and I find the answers I need, and the strength to bear with my own participation of the passion. For a little while, as I live my life here, I find myself in great pains, and yet a little while longer, and I am simply lifted up by Him and glad for all of it. All the more so if I bear His pains, and undeserving, He makes me happy for my trouble. Holiness is in these simple little things, so that a valid life is simple and small and appreciative and grateful. You will find you can see solutions to problems that have vexed your life, and your prayer for others so bound, will live the solutions that the Lord found for them. If you realize it is so, and know the source of the solutions, you will be doubly glad and happy no matter the pain that insisted on being in your life.

The grace that comes from a crucified life is so great as to solve all the problems of spirit of all beings. If the world wants to sleep in peace at night and rise the next morning to go to work, then a person must immerse himself in the cross of Jesus and expressing gratitude for His cross and the passion He lived in it.