Daily Reflection with Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes
Dear Friends: Praying is not easy. Our daily routine calls for our full attention. And the world around us puts little value on prayer; our lives are full of material things but at the same time are getting emptier in God’s value.
For this reason, I will post a daily reflection and as you visit this site may the Holy Spirit within you come to your aid and guide you gently to the God who loves you.
Dear God, I pray for my brothers and sisters and others in my circle of family and friends who are struggling with challenges...
When they're disappointed that You haven't answered their prayers or haven't seemed to make any move to change things yet, forgive their impatience.
Help them to live like the prophets of old, who were patient even when they had to suffer, and who didn't quit though they must have felt like it sometimes.
Help these I'm praying for not to quit either. (
James 5:10–11a)
Help them to trust You and believe that You care, that You haven't forgotten them—and You won't! When trouble comes their way, when they're facing tests and challenges, help them be willing to thank You in all circumstances, difficult as that is. (
Nahum 1:7a; Isaiah 49:15b; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20)
Help them to love You with all their hearts, souls, and minds, for You cause all things to work together for our good when we love You and are called according to Your purpose.
Help them realize that somehow You're fitting them into Your plans.
Help their love for You to be as steadfast and unchanging as Your love for them. (Matthew 22:37; Romans 8:28, 38–39)
May they never question Your love, knowing it was settled once and forever at the cross. (1 John 4:10)
In Jesus' name, amen.
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
Our Father in Heaven,
We give thanks for the pleasure
Of gathering together for this occasion. 
We give thanks for this food
Prepared by loving hands.
We give thanks for life,
The freedom to enjoy it all
And all other blessings.
As we partake of this food,
We pray for health and strength
To carry on and try to live as You would have us.
This we ask in the name of Christ,
Our Heavenly Father.
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
You have cared for the earth, and have filled it with your riches.
Abundance flows in your steppes, through the pastures and wilderness.
You provide for our land, softening it with showers, bathing it in light, and blessing it with growth.
The hills sing with joy; the meadows are covered with flocks; the fields deck themselves with wheat; and together they glorify your name!
On this occasion of our Thanksgiving, we as a nation take rest from our labors to consider your many blessings.
We thank you for our freedoms, and for the opportunity to contribute our skills, our attributes and our values toward the good of society.
We thank you for the mixture of our cultures, blending us into one people under God.
Help us to be a light unto other nations, and to further the cause of freedom and justice all over the world.
We remember those who are less fortunate than we.
We lift up in prayer the victims of poverty and racism, and all those who suffer from forms of political and economic oppression.
Let the word that goes forth from our mouths speak of your peace, and let us proclaim our hope in Christ as Savior of all humankind.
We pray that you will bless all those who gather here, as we have come to experience your presence among us.
Give us your guidance, O God, and empower us for your work.
For we claim nothing for ourselves, but return all honor and glory unto you, and offer our thanks and praise. Amen.
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
Prayer is God’s activity in our lives.
Prayer is simple communication with our Father, the same way we talk to our best friend.
Prayer is carefully cultivated understanding, as well as spontaneous and “inexpressible groaning” (Romans 8:26).
Give thanks
"IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS" 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18
Gratitude works like a vaccine: it keeps you from getting infected with a spirit of ‘grumpiness’.
It’s the antitoxin that counteracts the poisonous effects of ingratitude. 
Have you noticed that we live in a thankless society?
Paul said, '... in the last days... people will be... ungrateful... l' (2 Timothy 3:1).
This generation lacks godly principles; they've learned to pray neither at home nor in school.
Because they’ve witnessed the fall of high-profile church leaders, they're concluded that ‘religion’ doesn't work.
But thanklessness is a problem among Christians too.
We ask God for things, then when we get them, we complain about having to take care of them! Ever do that?
If you want to know God’s will, listen: '... in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God...for you' (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ).
We’re supposed to demonstrate thankfulness!
Paul says, '... with thanksgiving let your requests be made known... ' (Philippians 4:6).
Why?
Because thanksgiving moves them through God’s approval process.
It also demonstrates that you’re mature enough to handle whatever He sends.
After all, why would He send more, if you don’t appreciate what you already have?
Sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice.
It’s easy to give thanks when you feel good. It’s when you don’t that it becomes a sacrifice.
David said, 'I will offer... the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and... call on the... Lord' (Psalm 116:17 ).
Notice: he called on God only after he’d offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Your flesh will always find reasons to be dissatisfied.
Your spirit will always search for reasons to be thankful. So today - be thankful!
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.
I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked God for all things
that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...
Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
Dear God,
In this time of great tragedy, we give thanks for the courage within our leaders to recognize the difference between the anger in their minds, the wisdom of their hearts and the courage to act wisely in their choices.
May each leader have the strength to act for the good of all people, in all nations and our collective future as a global family.
Through this prayer we claim that peace, democracy and human life are stronger and more enduring than the buildings that symbolize them. We breathe life into their existence from the dust of hate that is transformed by our soil.
For these blessings in our lives, we give thanks,
Amen.
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. 
She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.
She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work.
They had seven children and they needed food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store.
Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."
John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir."
"Okay" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head.
Then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it.
She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scale went down and stayed down.
The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales.
The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.
The grocer stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.
It was not a grocery list.
It was instead a prayer which said:
"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store.
The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, "It was worth every penny of it."
It was sometime later that the grocer discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.-
AUTHOR UNKNOWN -
Descubriendo el Siglo 21
Discovering 21century
Fr
Tomás Del Valle-Reyes
P. O. BOX 1170
New
York, NY 10018
(212)
244 4778
