THE DARK CANDLE

A man had a little daughter--an only and much beloved child. He lived only for her, she was his life. So when she became ill and her illness resisted the efforts of the best obtainable physicians, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.
His best efforts proved fruitless, however, and the child died.
The father was totally irreconcilable. 
He became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends, refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self.
Then one night he had a dream. He was in heaven and witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels. They were marching in an apparently endless line past the Great White Throne.
Every white-robed, angelic tot carried a candle. He noticed, however, that one child's candle was not lit. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl.
Rushing towards her, while the pageant faltered, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and asked, "How that is your candle is the only one not lit?" "Father, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out again," she said. Just then he awoke from from his dream.
The lesson was crystal clear, and it's effects were immediate. From that hour on he was no longer a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates.
No longer would his little darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Discovering 21 Century /Descubriendo el siglo 21

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

212.244-4778

A Little Rain

I asked this question, of my Father above, "Why do bad things happen to the people I love?" 
The answer has long been misunderstood,
Why tragedy occurs to the just and the good.
The Lord whispered softly, in a voice sweet and low, "You'll find the answer in the Book I left you, centuries ago."  
He allows the rain to fall on His sheep, To keep us humble, forgiving, and meek.
A little rain must fall on every life. 
This world is full of sorrow and strife. 
He makes the rain fall on the lost and unjust, In order to gain their repentance and trust.
He hopes to increase our virtues And to get our priorities straight, So, when the death angel comes, to carry us home, He'll be waiting for us at the gate.
Author Unknown

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

THE GIFT

Here is a true story about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town in Tennessee.
His house was in a poor area of the community. 
A church had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The kid came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. 
The bus pastor asked if his parents were home, and the small boy told him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care of his little brother. 
The bus pastor couldn't believe what the kid said and asked him to repeat it. 
The youngster gave the same answer, and the bus pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed.
The bus pastor asked the kid, "Where do you go to church?"  
The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, "I've never been to church in my whole life."
The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the child's house.
"Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again.
"I sure haven't," came his answer. 
Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?", and then proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy. 
The young lad's heart began to be tenderized, and at the end of the bus pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free gift from God. 
The youngster exclaimed, "You bet!" The kid and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. 
They both stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the kid up for church the next morning. "Sure," the nine year old replied.
The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights off. 
He let himself in, snaked his way through the house, and found the little boy asleep in his bed. 
He woke up the little boy and his brother and helped get them dressed. 
They got on the bus and ate a donut for breakfast on their way to church.
Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before.
The church was a real big one. 
The little kid just sat there, clueless of what was going on.
A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates.
One of the men prayed and the kid, with utter fascination, watched them walk up and down the aisles. He still didn't know what was going on. 
All of a sudden, like a bolt of lightning, it hit the kid what was taking place. 
These people must be giving money to Jesus.
He then reflected on the free gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. 
He immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn't find a thing to give Jesus.
By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and, with a broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. 
He finally let go and watched it pass on down the aisle. 
He turned around to see it passed down the aisle behind him.
And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and forth, all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.
Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. 
Then he did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. 
He took the plate, sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it. 
As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I don't have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"-
AUTHOR UNKNOWN -

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

A Spirit of Sharing

Heavenly Father, you have flooded my life with fullness as vast as a field of wheat stretching to the horizon. 
Because life comes at me fast, and sometimes with ferocity, it is easy for me to forget the blessings you give with such liberality. 
Then when I see someone else’s need, I am suddenly aware again of the abundance in my own life. 
When I have such a moment of recognition, O God, help me realize that I may be the blessing you have brought to that person’s life. Give me courage to respond to them with love.
 Amen.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

God's Pharmacy

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human.
He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. 
These are best  more powerful when eaten raw.
We're such slow learners...
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. 
The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
Tomato has four chambers and is red. 
The heart has four chambers and is red. 
All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. 
Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. 
Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. 
We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. 
Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs.  
Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. 
And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. 
There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs a re full o f seeds and hang in twos when they grow. 
Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like t he body's cells. 
Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. 
They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. 
A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Thank you Lord...

Gracious God, in the busyness of my day, I sometimes forget to stop to thank You for all that is good in my life.
My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels.
I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be. 

Things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult. 
When my heart feels stretched and empty and pools of tears form in my weary eyes, still I rejoice that you are as near to me as my next breath and that in the midst of turbulence, I am growing and learning.
In the silence of my soul, I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love.
Amen.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

The Facts of Life:

1: At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2: At least 15 people in this world love you, in some way.
3: The only reason anyone would ever hate you, is because they want to be just like you.
4: A smile from you, can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5: Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6: You mean the world to someone.
7: Without you, someone may not be living.
8: You are special and unique, in your own way.
9: Someone that you don't know even exists, loves you.
10: When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.

11: When you think the world has turned it's back on you, take a
look, you most likely turned your back on the world.

12: When you think you have no chance at getting what you want, you
probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, you
probably sooner or later will get it.
13: Always remember complements you received, forget about the rude remarks.
14: Always tell someone how you feel about them, you will feel much
better when they know.

15: If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that
they are great. Send this letter to people you care about, you'll
brighten up someone's day, and might change their perspective on life,
for the better!
~Author Unknown But To God~

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

DEATH: WHAT A WONDERFULWAY TO EXPLAIN IT ...

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to
Leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die.

Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You, a Christian man,
Do not know what is on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining,
And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room
And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before.
He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough.'
May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly
Where you are meant to be.
I believe that friends are quiet angels
Who lift us to our feet when our wings
Have trouble remembering how to fly.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

GOD'S UNDER THE BED

My brother Tomas thinks God lives under his bed.
At least that's what I heard him say one night.
He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped outside his closed door to listen.  
"Are you there, God?" he said. 
"Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed."
I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room.
Tomas unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. 
But that night something else lingered long after the humor. 
I realized for the first time the very different world Tomas lives in.  
He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. 
Apart from his size (he's 6'2"), there are few ways in which he is an adult. He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7 year old, and he always will.
He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas, and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them. 
I remember wondering if Tomas realizes he is different.
Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?
Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, returning to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.  
The only variation in the entire scheme are laundry days, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.
He does not seem dissatisfied.  
He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05 eager for a day of simple work. He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.  
And Saturdays -- oh, the bliss of Saturdays! 
That's the day my dad takes Tomas to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside.
"That one's goin' to Chi-car-go!"
Tomas shouts as he claps his hands. His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.
I don't think Tomas knows anything exists outside his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips. He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.
His life is simple. 
He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. 
He recognizes no differences in people, treating each person as an equal and a friend. 
His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.
His hands are diligent. Tomas is never so happy as when he is working.  
When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it. 
He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. 
But when his tasks are done, Tomas knows how to relax. 
He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others.
His heart is pure. He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue. Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Tomas is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. 
And he trusts God. Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Tomas seems to know God -- to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an "educated" person to grasp. 
God seems like his closest companion.
In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Tomas has in his simple faith. It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.
It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap -- I am. My obligations, my fears, my pride, my circumstances -- they all become disabilities when I do not submit them to Christ.
Who knows if Tomas comprehends things I can never learn?  
After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of the Lord. 
And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.
Tomas won't be surprised at all.
- AUTHOR UNKNOWN -

Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el siglo 21

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

212.244-4778

Prayer for Forgiveness

Today, Creator, grant me the courage and the will to forgive the people I love the most.  
Help me to forgive every injustice I feel in my mind, and to love other people unconditionally.
I know the only way to heal all the pain in my heart is through forgiveness.
Today, Creator, strengthen my will to forgive anyone who has hurt me, even if I believe the offense is unforgivable. 
I know that forgiveness is an act of self-love. 
Help me to love myself so much that I forgive every offense. 
Let me choose forgiveness because I don’t want to suffer every time I remember the offense.
Today, Creator, help me to heal all the guilt in my heart by accepting the forgiveness of everyone I have hurt in my life. 
Help me to sincerely recognize the mistakes I have made out of ignorance, and give me the wisdom and determination to refrain from making the same mistakes. 
I know that love and forgiveness will transform every relationship in the most positive way.
Thank you, Creator, for giving me the capacity to love and forgive. 
Today I open my heart to love and forgiveness, so that I can share my love without fear. 
Today I will enjoy a reunion with the people I love most. Amen.

Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el siglo 21

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

212.244-4778

You are Perfect, My Lord

We can never match
your perfection, Lord
Try as we might
we stumble and fall
grasping for that
which we feel is
unobtainable
We are nothing
if not consistent
in our falling
from your grace
For you are perfect love
and we most certainly are not
Perfect love casts out fear
and we are fearful
fearful
of the unknown
fearful
of failure
'Son, I never ask
for the impossible
I never set a goal
that cannot be reached,
a mountain that cannot be climbed
even by those of a nervous disposition.
All I ask is that you come to me as you are
at this moment in time
and accept me as I AM.
There is no part of you
that cannot be made clean
renewed, restored.
I will never stumble, I always
hold out your hand instead.
That's not too much to ask
is it?

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

God Jesus and Me

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the Surgeon come out of the operating room. She said:
"How is my little boy? 
Is he going to be O.K.? 
When can I see him?"
 The Surgeon said, "I'm sorry, we did all we could."
Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? 
Doesn't GOD care any more? 
GOD, where were you when my son needed you?"
The Surgeon said, "One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes to let you spend time with your son's remains before it's transported to the university."
Sally asked that the nurse stay with her while she said good-bye to her son.
Sally ran her fingers through his thick red curly hair. 
The nurse said, "Would you like a lock of his hair?" Sally nodded yes. 
The nurse cut a lock of his hair and put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. 
Sally said, "It was Jimmy's idea to give his body to the university for study. 
He said it might help somebody else," and that is what he wanted.
I said no at first, but Jimmy said, "Mom I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy to be able to spend one more day with his mother." Sally said, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold, always thinking of someone else and always wanting to help others if he could."
Sally walked out of the Children's Hospital for the last time now after spending most of the last 6 months there. She sat the bag with Jimmy's things in it on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was hard and it was even harder to go into an empty house.
She took the bag to Jimmy's room and started placing the model cars and things back in his room exactly where he always kept them. She laid down across his bed and cried herself to sleep holding his pillow.
Sally woke up about midnight, and laying beside her on the bed was a letter folded up. She opened the letter and it said:
Dear Mom,
I know your going to miss me, but don't think that I will ever forget you or stop loving you because I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU. I'll think of you every day mom, and I'll love you even more each day. 
Some day we will see each other again.
If you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, he can have my room and my old stuff to play with. 
If you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things as us boys do, so you will have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like.
Don't be sad when you think about me. 
This is really a great place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything here. 
The angels are so friendly and I love to watch them fly.
Jesus doesn't look like any of the pictures I saw of Him, but I knew it was Him as soon as I saw Him. He took me to see GOD! And guess what mom? I got to sit on GOD'S knee and talk to Him like I was somebody important. 
I told GOD that I wanted to write you a letter and tell you good-bye and everything, but I knew that wasn't allowed.
God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter with. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel that is going to drop this letter off to you.
God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him about -- where was He when I needed him? God said, "The same place He was when Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children. "
Oh, by the way Mom, nobody else can see what is written on this paper but you. To everyone else, it looks like a blank piece of paper.
I have to give God His pen back now. He has some more names to write in the Book Of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for Supper. I'm sure the food will be great.
I almost forgot to let you know -- Now I don't hurt anymore and the cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore. And God couldn't stand to see me suffer the pain either, so He sent The Angel of Mercy to get me. The Angel said I was Special Delivery!
Signed with love from:
God, Jesus and Me-
AUTHOR UNKNOWN -

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

I want to Love my friends

Almighty God, whose love has sent his son into the world to be our light of perfect love, please grant me the best of your gifts, the power to win love.
Fill my heart with love for others, that it may draw love unto itself. 
Set me free from selfish cares, that I may have time and thoughts for them. 
Bless me, that I receive love by the loving service that I give.
Grant to me a kindly disposition, and the graces of both mind and body, that win love.
Let me always remember that self-seeking drives love away, and keep me from jealousy that destroys it.
Hear my prayer, my Lord.
Amen.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Lord, grant me Success

Almighty God, whose hands hold all matters of life, give me grace of success in the work that I do.
Help me to give it the careful thought and the strict attention that will lead to success.
Watch over me and govern my actions, that I may not mar its perfection. Show me how to give my best, and let me not despise the toil that is necessary to complete it.

Make my life a successful one, in that every duty you give to me, I do it well.
 Give me the blessing of your help and guidance, and suffer me not to fail.

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

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/