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December 15

WITH HIM ALL THE WAY

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."

December 16

THE IDEAL IN MY LIFE

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