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Preparation.
- Place yourself in the Presence of God.
- Ask Him to inspire your heart.
Considerations.
- Consider the material gifts God has given you--your body,
and the means for its preservation; your health, and all that
maintains it; your friends and many helps. Consider too how many
persons more deserving than you are without these gifts; some
suffering in health or limb, others exposed to injury, contempt
and trouble, or sunk in poverty, while God has willed you to be
better off.
- Consider the mental gifts He has given you. Why are you not
stupid, idiotic, insane like many you wot of? Again, God has
favoured you with a decent and suitable education, while many
have grown up in utter ignorance.
- Further, consider His spiritual gifts. You are a child of
His Church, God has taught you to know Himself from your youth.
How often has He given you His Sacraments? what inspirations and
interior light, what reproofs, He has given to lead you aright;
how often He has forgiven you, how often delivered you from
occasions of falling; what opportunities He has granted for your
soul's progress! Dwell somewhat on the detail, see how Loving
and Gracious God has been to you.
Affections and Resolutions.
- Marvel at God's Goodness. How good He has been to me, how
abundant in mercy and plenteous in loving-kindness! O my soul,
be thou ever telling of the great things the Lord has done for
thee!
- Marvel at your own ingratitude. What am I, Lord, that Thou
rememberest me? How unworthy am I! I have trodden Thy Mercies
under root, I have abused Thy Grace, turning it against Thy very
Self; I have set the depth of my ingratitude against the deep of
Thy Grace and Favour.
- Kindle your gratitude. O my soul, be no more so faithless
and disloyal to thy mighty Benefactor! How should not my whole
soul serve the Lord, Who has done such great things in me and
for me?
- Go on, my daughter, to refrain from this or that material
indulgence; let your body be wholly the servant of God, Who has
done so much for it: set your soul to seek Him by this or that
devout practice suitable thereto. Make diligent use of the means
provided by the Church to help you to love God and save your
soul. Resolve to be constant in prayer and seeking the
Sacraments, in hearing God's Word, and in obeying His
inspirations and counsels.
Conclusion.
- Thank God for the clearer knowledge He has given you of His
benefits and your own duty.
- Offer your heart and all its resolutions to Him.
- Ask Him to strengthen you to fulfil them faithfully by the
Merits of the Death of His Son. OUR FATHER, etc. Gather the
little spiritual bouquet.
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