Our Morning Offering – 15 March – The Memorial of St Clement Mary Hofbauer C.Ss.R.(1751-1820)
On the Memorial of St Clement, known as the Second Founder of the Redemptorists, we pray a prayer by St Alphonsus Liguori, (1696-1787), Doctor of the Church, the Founder.
The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
O my God, help me to remember that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world at the hour of death?
To love You, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without You, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin and nothing else in this life,
for to lose You, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember
that I came into this world with nothing,
and shall take nothing from it when I die.
To gain You, I must leave all.
But in loving You,
I already have all good things,
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help,
and the eternal dwelling place Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray:
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for You.
Grant me perseverance in doing Your will
and never let me be separated from You.
My God and my All,
make me a saint.
Amen.