April 29th
Chapter Three
Desiring to Pray Always
You are not asked to apply your mind continually to the thought of God or to put aside the fulfillment of your work. Nothing else is required than to act toward God, in the midst of your day, as you act toward those who love you and whom you love.
When you awake in the morning, let your first thoughts be of God; offer all your actions of the day to God. Turn to Jesus and ask Him to be with you. Turn to Mary and ask her to be at your side. Acquire the habit of retiring to the 'room of your heart,' there to be united with God alone.
Upon entering or leaving a room, or sitting down to eat a meal, what ever you do, do it for God. Make frequent offerings of yourself to God: Here I am, Lord, do with me what You will. Tell me what to do for You and I will do it.
Know that God is ever beside you -- indeed Your God is within you.
O Spirit of God, grant me the gift of prayer. Come into my heart and give me the strength not to abandon the practice of prayer even though I sometimes grow weary of it. Give me the spirit of persevering in prayer, the grace to pray continually.
Mother of beautiful love, you are my advocate and refuge. Mary, of all creatures you are the most beautiful, the most loving, and the most beloved of God. Your only desire is to see God loved. By the love you bear to Jesus, pray for me and obtain for me the grace to love God always and with my whole heart. This I hope for and ask from you.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
April 28th
Chapter Two
Praise for the Gifts of Creation
God knows that we are won by kindness and so has determined to captivate our hearts by lavishing on us all the gifts of creation....Whenever you see beauty in the fields, flowers, fruits, or when you view the sea, reflect upon God who has given these numerous gifts to you out of love and as a promise of future happiness.... When you hear the singing birds, let your heart sing in praise of God. When you hear a cock crow, recall that you, too, have denied Jesus, and ask forgiveness....Let the sea remind you of the immensity and greatness of God.
God was not satisfied with giving us so many lovely things in creation and associating us with so many beautiful people. God has gone to great lengths to give us the greatest gift: Jesus Christ.
O my beloved God, You are beauty itself, goodness itself, and love itself. How can I love anything but You! How foolish I have been. In my past, I have offered numberless insults to You; and I now promise and desire to repeat every moment of my life that I desire You only, O my God, and nothing more.
O Mary, my mother and my hope, beg of your Son that I may be no longer mine, but that I may belong to Jesus entirely and forever.
Chapter Two
Praise for the Gifts of Creation
God knows that we are won by kindness and so has determined to captivate our hearts by lavishing on us all the gifts of creation....Whenever you see beauty in the fields, flowers, fruits, or when you view the sea, reflect upon God who has given these numerous gifts to you out of love and as a promise of future happiness.... When you hear the singing birds, let your heart sing in praise of God. When you hear a cock crow, recall that you, too, have denied Jesus, and ask forgiveness....Let the sea remind you of the immensity and greatness of God.
God was not satisfied with giving us so many lovely things in creation and associating us with so many beautiful people. God has gone to great lengths to give us the greatest gift: Jesus Christ.
O my beloved God, You are beauty itself, goodness itself, and love itself. How can I love anything but You! How foolish I have been. In my past, I have offered numberless insults to You; and I now promise and desire to repeat every moment of my life that I desire You only, O my God, and nothing more.
O Mary, my mother and my hope, beg of your Son that I may be no longer mine, but that I may belong to Jesus entirely and forever.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
April 27th
Chapter One, continued
Friends in this world spend hours in conversation together, but they also have times of separation. Such is not the case with you and God; for if you desire, there will be no separation at all.
Consider that God loves you more than you can possibly love God in return. God cares for you and tells you: "Cast all of your cares upon me." Remember, too, that god will never turn away from you.
O my God, why have you loved me so much? What good do you find in me? Have you forgotten my sins and offences? Since you have treated me with so much love, and given me graces without number, I will love you from now on, and forever. You alone are and always will be the God of my heart, my only good, my heaven, my hope, my all. Mary, my mother, pray for me.
Friends in this world spend hours in conversation together, but they also have times of separation. Such is not the case with you and God; for if you desire, there will be no separation at all.
Consider that God loves you more than you can possibly love God in return. God cares for you and tells you: "Cast all of your cares upon me." Remember, too, that god will never turn away from you.
O my God, why have you loved me so much? What good do you find in me? Have you forgotten my sins and offences? Since you have treated me with so much love, and given me graces without number, I will love you from now on, and forever. You alone are and always will be the God of my heart, my only good, my heaven, my hope, my all. Mary, my mother, pray for me.
Friday, April 26, 2013
April 26th
Chapter One, continued
Converse with God with the greatest possible confidence. In return, God will speak with you and you will hear audible words in your ears, or words that you will clearly understand in your heart. These may be feelings of peace, hope, interior joy, or sorrow for sin...gentle knockings at the door of your heart.
These movements to a closer relationship in love are readily understood by those who seek nothing but God and the things of God.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
April 25th Praying to God as a Friend, St Alphonsus Liguori
Chapter One
Prayer as Friendship with God
Consider that no one, friend or lover, father or mother, sister or brother, loves you more than your God....so special is God's love that God seems to love no one but you....
Realize that God does not wish to be feared as a terrible tyrant, but wishes to be treated like a most affectionate friend. Therefore, God desires that you speak often with familiarity and with no restrictions.
Chapter One
Prayer as Friendship with God
Consider that no one, friend or lover, father or mother, sister or brother, loves you more than your God....so special is God's love that God seems to love no one but you....
Realize that God does not wish to be feared as a terrible tyrant, but wishes to be treated like a most affectionate friend. Therefore, God desires that you speak often with familiarity and with no restrictions.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
April 24th
Book Four, Chapter 18
That Man Should Not be a Curious Searcher Into This Sacrament, but a Humble Follower of Christ, Submitting His Sense to Holy Faith
You must beware of curious and useless scrutiny into this most profound Sacrament, if you would not sink into the depth of doubt....If you neither understand nor comprehend those things which are beneath you, how may you comprehend such as are above you? Submit yourself to God, and humble your sense to faith, and the light of knowledge will be given you, according as shall be advantageous and necessary for you....Go forward, therefore, with a simple and undoubting faith, and with lowly reverence approach the Sacrament; and whatsoever you are not able to understand, securely commit to God the Omnipotent....If the works of God were such that they could easily be comprehended by human reason, they could neither be called wonderful nor unspeakable.
Book Four, Chapter 18
That Man Should Not be a Curious Searcher Into This Sacrament, but a Humble Follower of Christ, Submitting His Sense to Holy Faith
You must beware of curious and useless scrutiny into this most profound Sacrament, if you would not sink into the depth of doubt....If you neither understand nor comprehend those things which are beneath you, how may you comprehend such as are above you? Submit yourself to God, and humble your sense to faith, and the light of knowledge will be given you, according as shall be advantageous and necessary for you....Go forward, therefore, with a simple and undoubting faith, and with lowly reverence approach the Sacrament; and whatsoever you are not able to understand, securely commit to God the Omnipotent....If the works of God were such that they could easily be comprehended by human reason, they could neither be called wonderful nor unspeakable.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
April 23rd
Book Four, Chapter 17
Of an Ardent Love and Vehement Desire to Receive Christ
With great devotion and ardent love, with all affection and fervor of heart, I desire to receive You, O Lord, as many saints and devout persons, who were most pleasing to You in holiness of life and in the most burning devotion, have desired You when they communicated....
Let all peoples, tribes, and tongues praise You, and magnify Your holy and most sweet Name, with the highest jubilation and ardent devotion. And my all, whoever reverently and devoutly celebrate Your most high Sacrament, and receive it with full faith, at Your hands deserve to find grace and mercy, and humbly to pray for me, a sinner.
Book Four, Chapter 17
Of an Ardent Love and Vehement Desire to Receive Christ
With great devotion and ardent love, with all affection and fervor of heart, I desire to receive You, O Lord, as many saints and devout persons, who were most pleasing to You in holiness of life and in the most burning devotion, have desired You when they communicated....
Let all peoples, tribes, and tongues praise You, and magnify Your holy and most sweet Name, with the highest jubilation and ardent devotion. And my all, whoever reverently and devoutly celebrate Your most high Sacrament, and receive it with full faith, at Your hands deserve to find grace and mercy, and humbly to pray for me, a sinner.
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