Part three (2): Obligation and Method to Perform Your Actions Devoutly

Devotional Exercises to be Done Each Day

To Live a Christian and Saintly Life and

To Make Jesus Reign in Your Soul

Sanctification of Your Daily Actions

I. Obligation and Method to Perform Your Actions Devoutly

I have already explained to you, in 'Part Two of this book, the way to begin and end each day well. M y present purpose is to offer you a few practices by which it will be very easy, with the grace of Our Lord, to sanctify every one Of the actions which you are obliged to do not only as a religious but also as a Christian. For I cannot repeat too often that it is most important for everyone to understand that not only religious but all Christians no matter what their state in life, are obliged, as members of Jesus Christ, to live the life of their Head, that is, a thoroughly holy life, and to perform all their actions, whether great or small, in a Christian manner. What do I mean when I say in a Christian manner? I mean in a divine and holy manner, in the manner which characterized Jesus Christ in everything that He ,did. I mean with the spirit of Jesus Christ, with His holy and divine dispositions.

You are obliged by countless reasons to act in this way, and in the first part of this book I presented some of the most compelling of these reasons. But in addition, I beg you to return often to the consideration of the fact that Jesus Christ is our Head and all of us are His members, and that our union with Him is much more perfect and intimate than that of the members of a natural body with their head, because the principle of this union is His grace. Hence you are obliged to do everything in Him and for Him; for Him because the members belong to Him, because everything in the members belongs to the

Head; in Him, that is, in His spirit, dispositions and intentions, because the members must follow and imitate their Head, and must be animated only by His spirit, with no other dispositions and intentions but His.

This is a matter of the highest importance, because the greater part of your life is taken up with a succession of repeated little acts such as drinking, eating, sleeping, reading, writing, conversing with one another and so on. Now by all these little actions, if you would only set your mind on doing them well, you might give great glory to God and make rapid progress along the road of His love. By your neglect of these little things God is deprived of the glory you owe Him, and you lose the graces He would otherwise give you.

For this reason St. Paul exhorts you to do everything, whether you eat or drink or do any other thing, no matter how insignificant or trifling, for the glory of God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (C0L. 3, 17). What does it mean, to do what you do in the name of Jesus Christ? It means t(> do it in the spirit of Jesus Christ, with the dispositions and intentions with which Jesus Christ performed the same actions that you perform, while He was on earth, with which He would yet again perform them, were He i n your place now. Whoever acts in the name of another has to act, as far as possible, in the spirit of the person represented, that is, with his dispositions and intentions, just as he himself would act, if he were present.

You may object: Who is able to know the dispositions and intentions with which Jesus Christ performed His actions? By way of answer, let me tell you two things:

1. The light of faith reveals to us that His dispositions were humility, meekness, patience, charity towards others, recollection - of God and all kinds of virtue: His intentions were to love His Eternal Father, to glorify Him, to give Him pleasure and to carry out His divine will.

2. It is not even necessary to know them; it is sufficient to have the desire and intention of performing your actions in the spirit of Jesus Christ, with His dispositions and intentions. And so it i s really easy, with the help of God's grace, to do all that you do in a Christian and holy manner.

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Make a point, then, of lifting up your heart to Jesus when you begin any action or at least any of your most important acts, and of assuring Him: (i) that you renounce yourself, your self-love and your own mind, that is, all your own personal dispositions and intentions; (2) that you surrender yourself to Him, to His holy love and to His holy spirit, in your desire to perform your various acts with the dispositions and intentions with which He performed His. By this means, you will give Him very much glory in everything that you do, and you will make great progress, in a short time, along the road of His grace.

Now turn to the practice of this holy exercise, as set forth in divers ways in the following prayers. These may be uttered with the lips or with the heart alone, now in one way, now in another. You do not have to follow the exact words given here, but need only to keep to the meaning and substance of the words.

11. Prayers to Sanctify the Performance of All Your Actions

1. 0 Jesus, I renounce myself, my own mind, my self-love and all that pertains to me. I give myself to Thee, to Thy holy spirit and Thy divine love, in order to carry out what I am about to do through Thee, under the guidance of Thy spirit and Thy pure love.

2. 0 Jesus, as far as it is possible to me, I cast at Thy feet my own mind, my own self-love, my own dispositions and intentions, everything that is mine. I give myself entirely to Thee; destroy me Thyself and take up Thy abode in me, so that it may be Thou that speakest and workest in me, according to Thy spirit and Thy dispositions and intentions.

3. 0 Good Jesus, I surrender myself totally to Thy divine power and Thy holy love. Draw me out entirely, if it please Thee, from myself, hide me in Thyself and absorb me into Thyself that I may no longer live or speak or act save in Thee and by Thee and for Thee.

4. 0 Good Jesus, I offer Thee this action in honor of the action Thou didst perform in the world. I desire, if it be pleasing to Thee, to do this in union with the same dispositions and intentions as those with which Thou didst perform all Thy holy actions.

5. 0 my God, since it is true that Thou art always with us, and

that Thou dost operate in all our works, grant, I beseech thee, that I may also be always with Thee, and perform each action with the same intentions as Thou, in union with the same love, perfections, and sanctity with which Thou dost now perform it with me.

6. 0 Good Jesus, let there be nothing for me, nothing for self-love, nothing for the world; but all for Thee, 0 my Saviour, all for Thy glory, and all for Thy pure love.

111. How To SANCTIFY A PROLONGED ACTIVITY, OR ONE REQUIRING THE FULL ATTENTION

Of the Mind

When you have to perform some action which by its long duration or its demands upon your concentration threatens to distract you from God's presence, make a point of turning to your good angel, to the other angels and saints, and to the most Holy Virgin, before you begin and say to them: "Angels of Jesus and His saints, Mother of Jesus;" and say this with the intention of asking them to love and glorify Jesus on your behalf as long as you are engaged in the performance of this action.

Iv. Prayer Before Conversation

0 Jesus, I give myself to Thee. Inspire my lips with things Thou dost wish me to speak and grant that all my words pay homage to Thy holy words.

0 Jesus, may all my conversations be consecrated to the honor of Thy divine converse with men on earth. Grant me, if it please Thee, a share in the humility, meekness, modesty, and charity which marked Thy friendly discourse with persons of every type.

V. Prayer Before Meals

0 my God, there are many people who have nothing to eat, and yet they have not offended Thee as much as I. But by an excess of charity, Thou dost give this meal to me rather than to them. My dearest Lord, I desire to cat it for love of Thee, because it is Thy holy will. I wish to partake of this food in union with the same love with which Thou dost give it to me; and I desire, if it please Thee, that all the motions

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I shall make, taking each bite, may be so many acts of praise and love for Thee.

0 Jesus, I offer Thee this repast in honor of the meals Thou didst take on earth. I renounce all self - love, and I desire to cat now in union with the love which subjected Thee to the need of eating and drinking, and in union with all the holy dispositions and intentions with which Thou didst partake of earthly nourishment.

Vi. Prayer Before Recreation

0 Jesus, I offer Thee this recreation in honor of and in union with the holy recreation and divine rejoicings of Thy mortal life in company with the Eternal Father, the Holy Spirit, Thy Blessed Mother and the angels and saints. Referring to Thyself, Thou didst say: Delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore, ludens in orbe terrarum; et deliciae meae esse cum filiis hominum. "I was delighted every day, playing before him at all times; playing in the world. And my delights were to be with the children of men" (Prov. 8, 30-31). The holy Gospel tells us that Thou didst rejoice in the Holy Spirit, and didst command the apostles to rest after work.

Vii. Prayer for a Journey

0 Jesus, may all my journeys, my travels, my goings and comings, and my every step, give glory to the various journeys, the travels up and down, the goings and comings and every step of Thy blessed feet on earth.

0 Jesus, may every movement of my eyes, lips, feet and of all my exterior and interior senses pay homage to the divine use of Thy deific eyes, Thy sacred lips, Thy blessed hands, Thy holy feet, and all Thy outward and inward senses.

Viii. Prayer to be Said While at Work

0 Jesus, may this work I am doing give honor to Thy holy labors in the world. Please impart Thy blessing to my activity.

Ix. Prayer Before Hearing a Sermon

0 Jesus, I offer this sermon in honor of Thy sublime preaching upon earth. I desire to take part i n this function in honor of and in union with the profound devotion of Thy holy Mother as she listened to Thy divine teachings.

0 Good Jesus, grant that I may share in the love, attention and devotion with which Thou dost hear the pronouncements of the Father. He is ever speaking to Thee, and Thou dost listen most attentively to Him, and dost most faithfully carry out all His counsels and instructions.

X.. Prayer Before Spiritual Reading

There are many holy activities which can help souls to maintain their position and to make progress in divine love, but one of the most excellent is spiritual reading, of which I have already spoken in 'Part One." Hence, with all the earnestness I can muster, I renew my advice and exhortation to you never to let a day go by without reading, for at least half an hour, from some good book. Now in order to do this reading i n the right way, in addition to following suggestions already made, you should also call to mind what is related of the Son of God in the fourth chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, namely that having entered into the synagogue upon the Sabbath day, He took up a book and read (Luke 4, 16). Offer Him your reading in honor of His, as follows:

0 Jesus, I offer Thee this reading in honor of Thy holy reading; I wish to read in union with the same love, and the same dispositions and intentions with which Thou didst read. I give myself to Thee. By means of this reading, work in me all that Thou desirest to operate for Thy glory.

Xi. Prayer Before Writing

You should recall that several Doctors of the Church tell us that Our Lord wrote letters to Abagar, King of Edessa. You should offer Him your action in writing, in honor of His, thus:

0 good Jesus, I offer Thee this action in honor of Thy holy

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writing. I desire to do this in union with the charity and other dispositions and intentions with which Thou didst write. May all the words and letters that I write be so many praises and blessings of Thee.

0 my Dear Jesus, guide my spirit and my pen, that I may write nothing except what is of Thee, by Thee and for Thee. During the time I am writing upon this paper, do Thou please write upon my heart the law of Thy divine love and the virtues of Thy holy life.

Xii. Prayer Before Giving Alms

0 Jesus, it is for Thy pure love, in honor of and in union with Thy charity towards the poor, that I desire to make this donation.

XIII. PRAYER To BE SAID WHEN VISITING THE POOR, THE SICK OR THE AFFLICTED

0 Jesus, I offer Thee this action in honor of and in union with Thy great love as Thou didst come from heaven to earth, to visit the poor and to console the sorrowful. I give myself to Thee to console and assist the afflicted and the poor as much as Thou dost will me to do. Grant that I may share Thy exceeding great charity towards afflicted mankind.

Xiv. Prayer When Fasting, or Doing Penance or Mortification

0 Good Jesus, I offer Thee this act in honor of Thy divine justice and Thy holy Passion. I desire to suffer this privation, this penance and mortification purely for Thy love in union with that same love with which Thou didst bear so many and such extraordinary privations and mortifications on earth, as well as i n satisfaction for my sins, and to accomplish Thy divine design for my soul.

0 Most Humble Jesus, I Offer Thee this act with all similar acts that ever were or ever shall be performed in honor of Thy holy humiliations and those of Thy Blessed Mother. 0 Good Jesus, destroy all pride and vanity in me, and cause Thy divine humility to reign in their stead.

Xvi. Prayer Before Doing a Charitable Act

0 Most Charitable Jesus, I offer Thee this action, with all the others like it that ever were, are now, or ever shall be performed, in honor of and in union with Thy infinite charity. Destroy all self-love and self interest in me, and establish in me the kingdom of Thy divine charity.

Xvii. Prayer Before Doing an Act of Obedience

0 Most Obedient Jesus, I offer Thee this act of obedience to my superior, to my father or mother, o r this act of submission to the rules and obligations of my state in life, in honor of Thy most perfect obedience, and in honor of the subjection which Thou didst will to undergo not only to the rules and laws of Thy Father, but also of men, and even of Thy enemies. Eliminate my own judgment and my own will, and cause me to have no longer any other will but thine and the will Of those who represent Thee in my regard.

Xviii. Prayer for All Other Actions

In all other actions, of every sort, you may follow the method indicated in the foregoing prayers, for there is hardly any act or virtuous practice possible in human and Christian daily life that does not find its counterpart among the actions of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth. And if you wish to sanctify your actions, you should offer them to Him in honor of and in union with His own.

I have suggested these little practices to point out the way you must follow in order to walk ever before God and live in the spirit of Jesus. This spirit will inspire many other methods in your heart if you make a point of giving yourself to our Blessed Lord at the beginning of everything you do. For I beg you to note carefully that the one essential practice, the secret of secrets, the devotion of devotions, is to be attached to no one practice or exercise of devotion in particular, but to take care, in all your exercises and activities, to surrender yourself to the holy spirit of Jesus, with humility, confidence and detachment from all things.

When you are thus free from attachment to your own way of looking at things, or to your own devotions and tastes, He will have complete

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power and freedom to act in you according to His holy will and to arouse in your soul whatever dispositions and devout sentiments He desires, and to lead you by whatever paths He may choose. After you have given yourself to Him, you should progress and be faithful in cultivating the good sentiments and dispositions He will arouse in you, and in following His impulsions, inspirations, and guidance. If He inspires you to make use of the above and the following exercises, and if they prove to be a source of grace and blessings to you, well and good! If He attracts you to other more perfect ways, or methods in which you find more grace and devotion, follow His attractions with simplicity and humility.

XIX. THE PRACTICE OF OFFERING ALL ACTIONS TO JESUS IS THE REAL WAY To REMAIN

Constantly in God's Presence

By means of the practice I have explained, and by frequent lifting of your mind and heart to God, your whole life will belong to Jesus; all your acts will give Him glory, you will walk ever before Him and will be always in His presence. For this is the true secret and the easiest way of keeping always in the presence of God and of living a life that is a single uninterrupted act of love for Him.

Of course I know that if a person is in God's grace, and offers Him in the morning everything that he may do in the course of the day, all his actions (so long as they are not evil in themselves), will give glory to God even if he should not think of God at all for the rest of that day. But Our Lord offered up for you to His Father all the acts He performed on earth, and never allowed a moment to go by in which He did not think of you and love you; consequently it would show very little gratitude and love for Him if you were to think of Him only once or twice a day. Indeed, if you really loved our most amiable Saviour, you should find all your happiness in thinking of Him, and in frequently lifting up your mind and heart to Him. This may be done without the least trouble or mental strain, with great ease and most pleasantly. With His precious grace, which He will never fail to give you, together with the exercise of a little care and fidelity on your part , you can soon develop this holy practice into a habit so strong that it becomes almost second nature to you.

I can prove it by telling you in all truth that I know a certain ecclesiastic (May his name be written in the Book of Life!) who by frequent use of this exercise has reached the point where it is easy for him , even when at table, actually to make nearly as many acts of love for Jesus as he takes mouthfuls of food. He accomplishes this not only without mental strain or any injury or inconvenience to his health, but even with so much ease and so readily that it does not prevent him from conversing, enjoying fitting recreation, and being specially charitable towards other persons. I am not telling you this in order to make you do as much yourself, for some would meet this suggestion with loud complaints that I was asking them something far too difficult. I only mention it to show you how strong a holy habit can become, and how wrong the world is in imagining a thousand difficulties and repellent obstacles where there is really nothing but pleasantness and delight.