Thought for the Day – 15 July – A Life of Fervour

Thought for the Day – 15 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Life of Fervour

“To pray is to love,” wrote St Augustine.
The man who loves God, prays continually and with fervour, whereas the man who has little love for his Creator, prays rarely and apathetically.
Prayer does not consist primarily in verbal expression but in the elevation of the mind to God in adoration, thanksgiving, propitiation and supplication.
Love should be the inspiration of our communication with God, for where there is no love, there can be no prayer.

Jesus tells us that we “must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1).
We may be working, talking, eating or sleeping but, whatever we are doing, the love of God, can transform it into a prayer.
This is so, if we are engaged in our work but have offered it to God in advance.
If we are in trouble, our sufferings will be pleasing to God.
If we are walking about, everything will speak to us of God and cause us to make acts of gratitude and of love.
We shall have dealings with men of the world but they will perceive and appreciate, that we are spiritually united to God.
We shall sleep because sleep is necessary but, what appears to be hours of fruitless inactivity, will be dedicated to our Creator.
Fervour in prayer and in action, should be the constant ideal of the good Christian, because, it makes his entire life pleasing to God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci