DON'T READ THIS THREAD!!!

MENTAL PRAYER -- Challenge to the Lay Apostle (The Queen's Work) | 1958 | Theologians Sodality Academy (St. Marys, KS)

[Askel5]

[T]he real work in this part of your mental prayer is always going to be up to you and you alone.

Nobody in the world can really apply personally any truth to your life except you yourself.

Nobody knows you from the inside out the way you know yourself.

But the man who is brave enough to try to look honestly at himself and strong enough to try to do something about really changing himself -- that man can change the world

Nota Bene:
From what I can tell, this book of meditations was designed for (Young) Men.
I would like to respect that intent on this thread
(though Men and Women of all ages certainly are invited to follow along.
I know it's been a great help to a "Vatican II" Catholic like myself).

Toward that end, I trust all will seek to observe a Rule of Silence
in order that this thread may serve as a quiet spot
for Men, especially,
to take a few minutes' daily prayer sans pings or chat or pictures and such.

In the Comments section below, I am including a Table of Contents,
to include titles of all meditations omitted "to date."
If anyone wishes to have one of these omitted meditations at any time,
FReepmail me -- I'll be happy to oblige on the thread or by mail, as you wish.

MENTAL PRAYER -- Challenge to the Lay Apostle

Preface

This book is designed to help Sodalists spend their 15 minutes of daily mental prayer in as easy and as profitable a way as possible. Prayer is, of course, always an intimate and personal experience. No one would dream of suggesting that one book could actually meet all the prayer needs of thousands of different people. But one book can be a great help for many people and can be for all at least more helpful than nothing.

In no sense is this book an attempt to force Sodalists or anyone else to pray to a pattern. We presuppose that the directors of the individual souls who will use this book will know from their own experience and their own reading in ascetica1 literature the dangers of any such attempt. Nevertheless, if all his Sodalists are working from the same book, the director will find it easier to give common explanations of prayer, and the Sodalists will find it easier to explain their difficulties and successes to the director.

The meditations in this book are arranged in an ordered series. It is recommended, therefore, that the Sodalist, at least his first time through the book, should follow this order. This does not imply that he ought to spend exactly one and only one day on each meditation. It is to be encouraged that he spend as many days on each meditation as he finds profit in the thoughts and affections it suggests to him, and that he be carefully taught the fundamental rule of prayer: "Stay where you seem to be finding food for your soul; and when you find it, enjoy it, without any worry about moving on to further points or meditations."

We urge the director above all to take the responsibility for constantly reminding and encouraging his Sodalists to keep trying. Faithfulness to mental prayer is the first, and in many ways the most important, of all means to success in prayer. If the Sodalist remains faithful, no matter what the difficulty, much of the rest can be safely be left in the hands of God. But if he does not, through prayer, continue to put himself daily into the hands of God, much of what God planned for him will never be accomplished.

Finally, the director will find it profitable to familiarize himself with outstanding works on prayer. Besides those listed in the closing notes of the book itself, two others especially helpful for his purposes will certainly be Tanquerey's The Spiritual Life and The Ways of Mental Prayer by Dom Lehodey.

† † †

Three Methods of Prayer of Saint Ignatius

First Method of Prayer:

In this first method of prayer, we consider and think over the First Commandment, asking ourselves how we have observed it and in what manner we have failed. We will use as a measure of this consideration the space of time it takes to recite three times the OUR FATHER and the HAIL MARY. If during this time we should find faults we have committed, we will ask forgiveness and say an OUR FATHER. The same method will be followed with each of the Ten Commandments.

Second Method of Prayer:

We may kneel or sit, or use any position suited to our disposition and conducive to devotion. We then say, "Father," and continue meditating on this word as long as we find various meanings, comparisons, relish, and consolation in the consideration of it. The same method should be followed with each word of the OUR FATHER, or of any other prayer which we wish to use for this method.

Third Method of Prayer:

With each breath or respiration, we should pray mentally while saying a single word of the OUR FATHER, or other prayer that is being recited, in such a way that from one breath to another a single word is said. For this same space of time, the attention is chiefly directed to the meaning of the word, to the person who is addressed, to our own lowliness, or the difference between the greatness of the person and our own littleness. In this way, observing the same measure of time, we should go through the other words of the OUR FATHER. We can use this same method with any prayer.

† † †

Don't Read This [Thread]!

How to Begin:

Don't read this [thread]! It's not meant to be read! This book is to help you pray in a special way, to make mental prayer-which is quite a different thing from reading. If you read this [thread], you may hurt your prayer. Don't read it.

First Steps:

Remember that prayer is talking to God. Mental prayer is talking to Him in your own words about things that are important to Him and to you. Sometimes this is very easy. Sometimes it is quite 'hard. But it is always very important.

If you want to spend 15 minutes with God every day, as the Sodality way of life challenges you to do, you will often need help. Each meditation in this book contains several built-in prayer-helps. These built-in helps are designed to make it easier for you to make mental prayer, easier to stay close to God and come to know and love Him better in the 15 minutes you have set aside daily just for Him.

1. Take no more than one day's meditation at a time.
   
   
2. Make up your mind to stick to it, once you have begun, for the full time you promised God, however long that was. Follow the advice of your director.
   
   
3. Use the built-in prayer-helps, as you need them.

The Built-In Prayer-Helps:

1.
Presence of God.

Every meditation in this book opens by reminding you of the presence of God. It is very important, and you must never skip it. Follow the directions and prayer on page 14, thinking over what each word means.

2.
Grace I Ask.

This suggests something worthwhile for you to aim at and try for in your . mental prayer each day. Ask God in your own words to give you this grace and favor. Ask Him sincerely, no matter how you feel at the moment. All the later parts of each meditation are planned to help you get from God that definite grace you ask here at the beginning.

3.
The Idea.

Here are suggested thoughts for you to think about and especially for you to talk about with God. It is always easier to talk when you have something definite to discuss. This Idea part of each meditation tries to remind you of something you might want or might find profitable to talk over with God.

Many meditations have a MENTAL PICTURE instead of the Idea. In these you simply follow the description slowly and try to build up in your mind the picture described. Both Idea and Picture meditations will help you to discover many things about God and yourself, important things, and will help you see more clearly and more deeply into things you know already.

4.
My Personal Application.

The facts considered in each day's mental prayer can change your life. They should change it. That is one of the reasons mental prayer is so important. But in order that these facts and ideas can help your life, you have to take them and see for yourself what they should mean to you, here and now.

This built-in help, Personal Application, tries to help you get started seeing these real connections between the truths and you. But the real work in this part of your mental prayer is always going to be up to you and you alone. Nobody in the world can really apply personally any truth to your life except you yourself. Nobody knows you from the inside out the way you know yourself. But the man who is brave enough to try to look honestly at himself and strong enough to try to do something about really changing himself--that man can change the world.

5.
I Speak to God.

This is not the fifth thing you do in mental prayer. This is something you do in mental prayer. This is something you do all the way through all your prayer-first, fifth, and last too. But this help number 5 tries to suggest some special things you might want to say to God in connection with the definite ideas in this one day's meditation. Of course, these are only suggestions. And your own words, your own thoughts, your own feelings will always be better. It's just good to have these to use when you're stuck.

6.
Thought for Today.

Twenty-four hours can be a long time. To help stretch the good effects of a 15-minute mental prayer out over 24 hours, it's good to have one idea packed into one short sentence to carry with you through the day: something you can remember easily, something that will bring back to your mind and heart the things you said to God and God said to you in your last mental prayer. The Thought for Today tries to give you one short idea like this. It's just a suggestion; if you have a more striking one, use it.

† † †


Presence of God

When it is time for my mental prayer, I will:

STOP	Whatever else I have been doing … find a place where I will not be disturbed or distracted… stand still for a moment and
THINK	what a serious and important act I am now going to do… to speak to God… Think who I am… and who He is… Think slowly, seriously, of the fact that He is present… here… now… in me… and all around me… And I kneel down, bow my head and
PRAY	My God, all great, all good – I adore you. Be merciful to me, a sinner. You know me… You made me… You want me here. Help me to pray. Let everything I do, now and forever, be done for YOU…

THE CENTURION'S PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me,
a sinner.

breathe in Christ, hold onto His mercy, exhale your sin
Pray without ceasing ...

[Askel5]

December 10th

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MY OWN BEST INTERESTS

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
The grace to think clearly and calculate well about the most important thing in life.

The Idea and My Personal Application:
Let's be cold-bloodedly businesslike about this challenge of Christ's. He won't mind. Christ asks me to dedicate my life and all my actions to helping bring the world to Him-no matter what my age, talents, or state in life.

Objections

1. Now, first of all, I don't have to do that much to save my soul.
   
   
2. People don't take religion that seriously nowadays.
   
   
3. Why mind other people's business?
   
   
4. This work for Christ might be very unpleasant. The Gospels speak of persecution, of being rejected by the world. I know that the more sincerely people try to follow Christ, the more those statements come true in their lives.
   
   
5. It means hard work for the good of others, not for myself. That is a kind of a contradiction of everything people ordinarily believe and practice.

But on the other hand:

Advantages

1. This is a most noble way to live, working toward a great goal instead of plodding along aimlessly.
   
   
2. This is a job I can't fail at in the long run. Christ's cause will conquer.
   
   
3. Best of all our Leader has gone before us in our labor. His life has been a marvel to all succeeding ages. Those who have followed His example have been the world's greatest men and women.
   

Well, what is my personal application, my personal response?

I Speak to God:Open my eyes to see my own real, best interests. Help me to think straight and choose well.

Thought for Today:
"What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?"

---

[Askel5]

December 11th

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THE BIGGER THE PRIZE

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Presence of God


Grace I Ask:
Not to be deaf to Christ's challenge, but ready and eager to do His holy will.

The Idea:
Doctors, in public and private, seem to be always warning businessmen to watch out for their health, not to overwork or strain. Yet how many articles have I ever read or seen warning anyone not to work himself to death in spreading Christ's cause, in doing good to others, in teaching Christ's truth?

Why not? Isn't it strange that so many men should literally kill themselves with work in order to make money? They have to leave it behind when they die anyway. And so few make any noticeable effort at all to win a reward they will never lose.

My Personal Application:
In my ordinary affairs, the bigger the prize, the greater the effort I make to win. That's only common sense. Yet do I really follow through on that common-sense principle when it comes to working for Christ, helping my own soul and the souls of others? I am playing for the biggest stakes imaginable – eternal life. Do I act like it?

Others think nothing of devoting their whole days, all their free time, giving up food and sleep to make their business a success, to win an election, to pass an important examination. Well and good, but what of myself and the effort I make for the success of the one completely important job in the world – spreading the kingdom of Christ?

I Speak to God:
My God, I do not like to think of myself as a coward or slacker. Yet there must be something wrong. Maybe I just haven't thought seriously enough about the way things really are until today. Pour light into my mind that I may see more and more what is really important in this life and what part I should have in it.

Thought for Today:
"Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven."

---

[Askel5]

December 12

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TOTAL SURRENDER

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To make real consecration of myself to the cause of Christ; strength to live up to it forever.

The Idea:
My life, starting today, can have the same importance as the life of any great statesman, general, doctor, or writer. I can playa really significant role in the world from today on. How'? By deciding now to use my life and all my powers to follow Christ.

My Personal Application:
Others have made this complete self-offering even younger than I. Many of the saints started out at my age or earlier. They saw their chance, and they took it. And all the "clever" people who lived with them and used to warn them to make money for themselves, have more fun, work to be famous and rich-all those people are forgotten now.

But the saints who worked only for God are still remembered by millions; their feast days are celebrated; their lives ate read and studied and loved. And the saints themselves are alive today with God. Who were really more "clever"?

Of course it will be hard for a time--perhaps for a lifetime. The world will not love me and thank me for trying to save it. The world will kill me, if it can, as it killed Christ, my Leader, before me. But in the long run, I can't lose. Will I consecrate myself to Christ under these conditions? If I will, let me say:

I Speak to Christ:
0 Christ, you are my Lord and King because you created me from nothing. But I want freely to make you my King and Leader in a special way, by consecrating myself to you today. Here; before all the angels and saints of heaven I tell the world that I want to serve you every moment of my life, and help in your work of saving souls, spreading the truth, teaching men to love you and love one another for your sake. I want to do this in spite of every possible difficulty; because this is the most worthwhile cause on earth; this cause will conquer in the end, and I hope to reign with you in heaven forever. Help me. Amen.

Thought for Today:
"Lord, I will follow you wherever you go."

---

[Askel5]

DAILY SODALITY

December 13

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THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To come to know Christ better.

The Idea:
Let us take a look at the Leader who calls us to His service. There is another aspect to following Him that we have not thought much about before. This is the fact that as our leader, Christ shows us in His life the way the battle must be fought, the way the world can be won. For that is what He came on earth to do, and He chose the best way to do it. Men who want to become great in any line of work study the lives and techniques of other who have been great in that line.

My Personal Application:
I want, if possible, to help save the world. Christ is the Savior – He has done the job perfectly as my leader and calls me now to take my part in it, share the task after and with Him. He shows me in His life the best way to do the job. As my life is more like His, so it will be more a successful life for this great work. And to make my life like His, I must study His life carefully and try to understand it.

Have I ever read a book on the life of our Lord? Do I own a New Testament? Read it? Suppose a non-Catholic challenged me today: “You try to tell me about Christ! Have you ever read the four Gospels all the way through?” What’s my answer?

I Speak to Christ
Dear Lord, I will study your life again carefully; read it slowly, thoughtfully in the Gospels. Your life is the most important life ever lived. I will read what other people have written about you. And I want it to be a model of mine. Open my eyes to it.

Thought for Today:
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Learn of me.”

---

[No_Outcome_But_Victory]

BTTT

[Askel5]

December 14

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THE COMPLETE PATTERN OF HIS LIFE

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
Not to be deaf to His challenge, but ready and eager to do his holy will.

The Idea:
Now, more specifically, what was the life of Christ like? What was His special way of saving the souls of men? We know the answer: above all, Christ saved men by freely and generously suffering on the cross, making Himself a sacrifice for others.

But His whole life followed that same pattern. The cross was only its climax. Christ devoted His entire life to giving Himself unselfishly for the good of others; He tramped unceasingly from one village to another, teaching men, comforting them in their troubles, curing their sicknesses, strengthening them to live good lives. He worked at these self-imposed and difficult tasks unsparingly and to the point of exhaustion again and again. Christ did all of this without aiming at any reward in this life for Himself, without any hope of reward, just because it was a good thing to do.

My Personal Application:
No wonder men have always admired the life of Christ – even atheists and unbelievers have been forced to admit that He left all of us an admirable example, the most outstanding ever seen in all human history. This is the life after which I should be patterning my own. And the key to that life is unsparing devotion to the good of others, even to the point of death if necessary, an unselfish labor for the love of God. Do other people mean that much to me? Can I hope to improve my attitude? Have I been giving that great life o Christ's the study it deserves?

I Speak to Christ:
Dear Jesus, if I could ever become one-thousandth the person you were, I would be happy and would make others happy all my life long. I would like to follow the examples of my favorite saints, of the finest people I know here and now, unselfish, generous people I really like, and try to be more like you.

Thought for Today:
"The Son of God came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many."

---

[Askel5]

December 15

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WITH HIM ALL THE WAY

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To hear and follow Christ's call.

The Idea:
Christ spoke the truth, fearlessly, at all times. By His words and good works, He earned a lot of hatred from evil men. And so, by doing God's work, He moved surely and rapidly toward the cross, until after years of unselfish labor, He was cast out by the very people He tried to help. Abandoned by His followers, HE was stripped of his last possessions and executed as a criminal. Thus the most perfect life ever lived, the life that has been the admiration of all succeeding ages, ended in imprisonment, suffering, failure and death.

My Personal Application:
And that's Christ's secret: the most perfect way to go about this soul-saving business is unselfish labor for others, expecting no reward in this life. Christ lived this way to its fulness. All Christians get some taste of the same thing. And the more closely I try to follow Christ, the more likely I am to get the same. And the more willing I am to take this suffering patiently for His sake, the more souls I will be able to save.

Suffering is a mystery, of course, but it is also at the very heart of Christianity. There is no necessity of my following this way which is the way of Christ and the best way. But He calls me to volunteer to follow Him in His labor and sufferings if I so wish. Let me think it over, and if I find the courage, consecrate myself as follows.

I Speak to Christ:
Dear Lord, I make this offering with your help, in the presence of your Mother and all the saints: I firmly and deliberately resolve to follow you in the way of poverty, labor and humiliation in this world for the good of souls, in order to share with you one day in the glory of the Father. If only you wish to send these things to me, I will receive them gladly for the spreading of your kingdom, for the salvation of the world. I am only one small person, but all I have and am is at your disposal.

Take me and use me as you wish. I am yours all the way.

Thought for Today:
"If you want to come with me, you must work along with me; as you share in the labors, so will you share in the victory."

---

[Askel5]

December 16

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THE IDEAL IN MY LIFE

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To understand how important it is for me to have a clear ideal and grace to follow it.

The Idea:
Everybody has an ideal … something to aim at. Living is progress – I'm going somewhere – I'm becoming somebody – and whether I realize it or not, I'm becoming somebody like my ideal. Maybe my ideal is very clear – my mother, my father, a lawyer, a nurse, a movie star, a ball player. Maybe my ideal is vague – the "man of distinction," the "perfect wife." In any case, I have an ideal. Without one, I just stop – just stop becoming anything. I must have something to live for, somebody to die for. My ideal draws me on to my goal, on to what I want to be. The closer I follow the pattern, the ideal, the closer I come to my goal.

My Personal Application:
Is my ideal just the goal of part of my life? If it is, then it is not the right, the full ideal. Who should be my ideal? Something to live for – what grater cause could there be than that of saving souls! Somebody to die for – what man or woman could be more worthy to give my life for than Christ, my King! Could there, is there, will there be anyone great than He?

I Speak to Christ:
My King, it is so hard for me to understand this – to really realize this. I want to become what I said I would in my consecration. I know I can't do it without help from you. Please help me to carry out my dedication.

Thought for Today:
"Something to live for – somebody to die for."

---

---

We originated from apes, so let us all love each other. --- Vladimir Soloviev

[Askel5]

December 17

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WHAT THE SODALITY MOVEMENT IS

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To understand and to fulfill my part in this tremendous work.

The Idea:
The sodality if a fighting, working world-wide movement to restore the world to Christ! Praised again and again by the popes as a force for spreading and defending Catholic doctrine, the Sodality strives in every way it can to bring men to Christ and to bring Christ into every walk of life. The Sodality is under the direction of the Bishops, and the Pope has instructed Sodalists to undertake enthusiastically any apostolic work assigned by their Bishop. The Sodality is to train leaders and is to work hand-in-hand with other Catholic Action groups in remaking the world for Christ. The Pope wants us to seek out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that are open to us. Ours is to be the life and work of Christ!

My Personal Application:
Have I caught the fighting, fiery spirit of this tremendous movement? Am I doing all I can to prepare myself to take a more active part in the fight for Christ's kingdom? Am I working hard at building up my own spiritual and intellectual life so that I will have something solid to bring to others?

I Speak to Mart:
I have enrolled under your banner, Mary. You are my patroness and protectress. You know how much is at stake; help me to fulfill my part in the great Sodality movement! I depend on your constant help.

Thought for Today:
I'm to help remake the world for Christ.

---

[Askel5]

December 18

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LOYALTY TO MY IDEAL

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To understand what is meant by loyalty and how necessary it is to my life of following Christ.

The Idea:
What is it a soldier has that sends him into the middle of the battlefield? What is it that keeps a mother at her work no matter what? What is it that will keep me true to my King even when it is difficult? Loyalty – not emotion – not a feeling – nothing sentimental nor romantic – but a type of loyalty that means dedication. This is a real personal "attachment" to Christ. To be "all taken up" with Him, Christ my leader, my model. My loyalty to Him makes me follow Him – makes me keep the rules He has set up for me. The opposite of loyalty is treachery, because if I am not loyal to a person I should be loyal to, I am a traitor. It is this kind of loyalty that keep s my eyes on Christ. This is a personal dedication to Christ my King.

My Personal Application:
How is my loyalty? How is my dedication to my King? Is it active in me – actually forcing me to form my life after the pattern of Christ? Do I think in these terms? Do I desire to model my life after Christ's? That is the test of my loyalty.: do I really want to follow Christ?

I Speak to Christ:
My King, I know that without this loyalty, this personal attachment to you, I cannot for very long continue to imitate you. But I want to live the dedication I promised you. Help me with your graces.

Thought for Today:
Loyalty to Christ means a life like His.

---

[Askel5]

December 19

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KNOWING MY IDEAL

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
To know Christ better so that I can be loyal to Him and pattern my life after His.

The Idea:
"I can't be loyal to Christ! I don't know Him well enough. I can't be loyal to a holy card – to to a vague picture of Him in my mind."

So, what do I do? He must become real, alive, a person. So, I want to know Christ. What kind of knowledge of Him do I want? Is it mere book knowledge in the way in which I study English grammar? Can I say I know Christ if know all about Him? Or must I know Him on the inside? -- the way I know my best friend really and personally. When Christ begins to come alive for me, when He begins to be a real person for me, then I am learning to know Him.

My Personal Application:
What is the picture of Christ I have in my mind? How can I clear it up? Is He real to me just as my family and friends are? Is He a person? Or an idea … or something or other? How can I make him a real, live person for me? By studying His life – by watching Him live. Much of my life can be spent clearing up the picture I have of Him and making Him live.

I Speak to Christ:
My King, I know I can't get this knowledge of you without your help. Is it your grace that will make you live for me. I want to know you. I want to know you as a friend. Help me with your grace and inspiration.

Thought for Today:
To know Christ is to love Him.

---

[Askel5]

December 20, 2004

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MARY’S PART

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Presence of God

Grace I Ask:
O Holy Spirit, help me to see the important part that Mary plays in my prayer.

The Idea:
To pattern my life closely on Christ’s life I must know Christ intimately, personally. From whom will I, a Sodalist, better learn this interior knowledge than from her who knew Him best? Mary, the Mother of my King, has that special knowledge of Christ that I want. She knows him the way I want to know Him. She first showed Him to us at Bethlehem; she will keep on showing Him to anyone who is interested and willing to learn.

My Personal Application:
Do I see how Mary can help me? Am I willing to let her teach me? Learning to know Christ is the most important part of my life; am I convinced of this? Convinced enough to ask Mary’s help? Then this Christmas I will ask her in a very special to lead me to her son. She will help Him be born in me.

I Speak to Christ:
My Mother Mary, I want you to teach me … you who raised my great King … you who taught Him his prayers, watched him grow … you who “pondered these things in your heart.” You know what goes on inside Him: his thoughts, his feelings, his attitudes. That is the kind of knowledge that I want. Help me to know Him as you do.

Thought for Today:
To Jesus through Mary.

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December 21, 2004

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LOOKING AND LISTENING

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Presence of God

Grace I Ask:
To understand and begin to learn how to pray by looking on Christ.

The Idea:
Merely thinking about Christ isn’t enough. I want to know Him deep down inside. What are His ideas – how does He feel – who are His friends – His enemies – what does He say – how does He talk – what does He do? The best way to find out is to follow Him, to live with him as he goes through His own life.

How? By looking and listening. I will take Christ’s life, scene by scene, spend some time getting a good picture of the scene in my mind, put myself in the picture – for instance, as one of the women who were with Mary – or as an apostle – see who was with Christ, how does He look? Is He tired? Is He smiling? What is He saying? Can I do anything to help? What are the people around Him doing? How does He act toward them? Answering these questions will help me make him live for me.

My Personal Application:
This is an easy way to pray. All I have to do is open the eyes and ears of my imagination. Do I want him as a very close friend? I will begin this Christmas season to follow His life from its beginning. Watching him grow, live, teach, and work – watching, listening and learning while He suffers and dies, rises from the dead – watching and loving because He does it all for me.

I Speak to Christ:
My King, I want to know you. But you know how much I need your grace for this. Please give me the grace I need, help me to know you in these mental prayers and to act with your spirit in my life.

Thought for Today:
To know Christ, I must live with Him.

---

[Askel5]

December 22

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THE INCARNATION

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
Help me to understand the tremendous fact of God becoming man.

Mental Picture:
(cf. Lk 1:28-38): The sun breaks the eastern horizon with radiant gold and warms the hills of Nazareth …. a quiet country village. In a little stone house … a young girl quietly thinking over a passage from the Scriptures. The Court of Heaven, brilliant with the power of the Almighty… God, all Holy… Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father speaks: "Gabriel" – Archangel, one of the seven who stand before the face of God – "Gabriel, go; now is the time to ask the maiden!"

As swift as thought he speeds, the messenger of our salvation. "Hail Mary, full of grace." Thelittle maid turns in wonder at the words. "Fear not… thou shalt conceive and He that is born of thee shall be called Jesus, the Son of the Most High." At the moment when all creation is waiting for her answer, she quietly bows her head and says: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word." And the Holy Spirit overshadows her. It is the moment of the Incarnation … the Son of God is made man.

My Personal Application:
What should I be… what could I hope for… to what could I look forward… if God had not – but God did. God did become man to open heaven for me.

I Speak to Christ:
My God, I fall on my knees in wonder. You have become man, you have come to suffer, to die – for me. Teach me to wonder – teach me to thank you – teach me to love you.

Thought for Today:
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."

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[Askel5]

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CHRIST COMES TO US

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Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, became man to redeem us and to show us the way to heaven.

see, The Incarnation (Dec. 22)

December 23

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LEAVING NAZARETH

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
Help me to see and understand the obedience of Mary and Joseph.

Mental Picture:
(cf Luke 2:4) A rooster crows … I roll out of bed and peer out the window… the half light just before dawn… two little donkeys, their long ears flapping… Joseph loading one of them. I dress and hurry out to see if I can help. Mary gets the pots and pans and food ready. I carry them out to Joseph. We are leaving Nazareth for Bethlehem. Caesar has spoken. We must make the long journey to register for the census. Who knows how long we'll be gone? AT last Mary puts out the light…checks the fire… stops to remember if she forgot anything… goes out and closes the door behind her. Joseph lifts her onto the little donkey… picks up the lead strap… looks back at me – "All set?" "Ready." I take the strap of the pack donkey and we start for the hills. The dew on the grass slaps cold on my sandaled feet.

My Personal Application:

Here is the quiet obedience – calm, trustful obedience. This is the way God wants it, so this is the way to do it. How do I obey my parents, my teachers, my boss? Is my obedience quiet – without a lot of complaining? Is it trustful, knowing that this is the way God wants it?

I Speak to Christ:
Jesus, my King, I have a lot to learn. Here you and your parents teach me how to obey. Help me to understand – I don't want to miss the lesson. Help me to take on your attitude in obedience: This is God's will and His will brings me peace and calm.

Thought for Today:
When Christ became man, He said, "Behold I come to do thy will."

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[No_Outcome_But_Victory]

Merry Christmas Bump!

[Askel5]

December 24

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BETHLEHEM

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
Grace to see what it is that makes my heart too crowded for my King.

Mental Picture:
(cf. Luke 2:6-7): Our shadows are getting longer and it is getting cool. I can see that Mary is tired . Joseph limps a little as he pulls the tired little donkey. "Just a few more steps." Over the hill there .. below us… the little town of Bethlehem. We must hurry… already many people are there. At the inn no room. We follow Joseph as he goes… house to house… "no, sorry, no room… all filled… sorry… no… no… no room."

Two shepherds comes up… their stable up the hills is open… just a little way distant. Joseph looks at Mary… for her, the best he can do. She nods gratefully. He turns in the direction the shepherds pointed… up a little hill.. along a sheep path… around a corner out of the wind… at last.

My Personal Application:
I have watched the people in the houses that were "too crowded." Is there room in my heart for Mary and her Son? Or do the many "things" that crowd my heart laugh them away -- lock the door -- turn away with "I'd like to, but …" Maybe I need a good housecleaning. If Christ can't come in, something is wrong.

I Speak to God:
There's room in my heart for you. Maybe it's not much yet, but I'll clear our what you can't use. Don't go away - -help me clean my heart -- help me to keep it free for you.

Thought for Today:
"…there was no room for them."

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[Askel5]

December 25

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THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

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Presence of God.

Grace I Ask:
O Holy Spirit, give me the grace to appreciate this wonderful gift of God to me.

Mental Picture:
(cf. Luke 2:6-7): The dark cold of the night… we stumble along looking for the cave. Mary says nothing, but we know she is very tired. I run ahead… here it is! Joseph brings the wornout donkeys. I quickly make a place for Mary… Joseph lifts her down… he builds the fire. I look for a warm corner and clean straw to make a better place for Mary. After the donkeys are fed, and the fire is up, we eat a quick supper and get set for the night. In such a cave ,a stable for sheep… in strange hills, away from home… on a straw bed, with donkeys and Mary and Joseph and myself to welcome him… He is born! A little baby, crying and squirming in Mary's arms. Jesus Christ, the Son of God… God himself!

My Personal Application:
This is God's Christmas gift to me. He gives me His own Son to live a human life, and to redeem me. This little baby in the cradle of His mother's arms is born tonight for me. What return gift can I give for God Himself?

I Speak to God:
O Father, thank you for this great gift. It's hard for me to understand how great is your love for me. I want to understand more and more. Help me, you who gave your Son for me, help me to see the deep meaning of your gift.

Thought for Today:
"This day is born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

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