Thought for the Day – 19 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
The Practice of Praying Constantly
Excerpt from Chapter Five:2
“Perform your more important Acts of Devotion with great care, such as going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion, reciting the Divine Office and other similar duties.
Whenever you are going to begin some external occupation, like study or work, or the duty of your state in life, do not forget to offer it to God, praying His assistance to enable you to perform it well.
Afterwards, follow the example of St Catharine of Siena and retire often to the cell of your heart, in order to unite yourself to God.
In a word, whatever you do, do it with God and for Him. When you leave your room, or go out of the house and when you return – say a Hail Mary and thus recommend yourself to the Blessed Virgin.
At your meals, whether you find them pleasant to your taste, or not to your liking, offer all to God. On rising from table, say, as grace, some little prayer like this: ‘Lord, how good Thou art to one who has offended Thee!’
During the day give some time to spiritual reading and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and to Our Lady.
In the evening, say the Rosary, examine your conscience, make Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition; promise to serve God more fervently and to receive the holy Sacraments during life and at death and form the intention of gaining all the Indulgences within your power.
When you go to bed, reflect that you have deserved to lie in the fire of hell – then, with a Crucifix in your arms, compose yourself to sleep, saying: ‘In peace, in the self-same I will sleep and I will rest‘ (Ps 4:9).”
AnaStpaul 