Prayer - it's SO important!

"It is not surprising that the devil does everything in his power to get us to lessen the time of our personal dialogue with the Lord or to do it poorly."  ---  St. Jean Vianney, The Cure d'Ars, Homilies on Prayer

Prayer is the foundation of faithful perseverance in the Lords' service.  "A person who does not stop going forward will eventually arrive... There is no greater cause of straying from the path of faithful perseverance than letting up in prayer."  ---  St. Teresa of Avila, Life

We must prepare for prayer carefully beforehand, realizing we are in the presence of the living and glorious Christ!  "Look at that senseless set of reasons the enemy gives you for abandoning prayer.  'I have no time' - when you are constantly wasting it.  'This is not for me.' 'My heart is dry...'  Prayer is not a question of what you say or feel, but of love.  And you love when you try hard to say something to the Lord, even though you might not actually say anything."  --- St. Josemaria Escriva, Furrow

Let us make a resolution never to slacken in our devotion to prayer.  May we always dedicate the best possible time and place to it, in front of the tabernacle as often as we possibly can, trying to not give in to voluntary distractions.  We pray so that we may encounter the living Christ, who is awaiting us, who is our Best Friend.  Many of our difficulties will disappear when we pause to consider that we are in the presence of God.  Prepare by saying something like, "My Lord and My God, I firmly believe that You are here (within the tabernacle and within my soul), that You see me, You hear me, smile upon me and send Your graces upon me.  I adore You with profound reverence.  Help me make my time of prayer with You fruitful!  Mother Mary, St. Joseph, Guardian Angel, pray for me!  Holy Spirit, guide me to know and do God's will with a cheerful heart!"

May God bless you with a terrific day! No matter what happens, try offering it back to Him and thanking Him for it whether or not you enjoy it! ;)

Joy

"Joy is an abiding God-given reality; a fruit of the Holy Spirit characterized by  a profound serenity and inner peace which flows from allowing oneself to be embraced by God's love and is capable of withstanding all the trials and tribulations of life."  ~Pope Benedict XVI

Jesus
Others
Youself

Silence

In our world of almost eternal distraction we need this esteem for silence, this admirable and indispensable condition for our spirit, assaulted as it is by such a deafening clamour…   O blesses silence of Nazareth!  Teach us recollection; teach us interior life; teach us to be docile to good inspirations and trustworthy spiritual guides.  Teach us the value of study, of meditation, of interior life, of the secret prayer that is only heard by God.    ---  In Conversation with God, italicized part by Paul VI, Address in Nazareth, 5 January 1964

To Bear Fruit...

Many people...sincerely resolve to pursue the good.  Yet when adversity and suffering come, they soon abandon good works.  --- Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels
How many good resolutions have come to naught when the spiritual life has come to a struggle!  These souls were seeking themselves rather than God.  ---  Fr. Fernandez, In Conversation with God
Some act for one reason.  Others act for another.  The fact is that few look for Jesus for the sake of Jesus.  --- St. Augustine, Commentary on St. John's Gospel
We can accomplish this daily only if we are faithful to our daily prayer, whether it comes to us easily or is more of a sacrifice.  Prayer and mortification prepare the soul to receive the divine seed and then give fruit.  All roads that lead to God have to pass through prayer and sacrifice.  Let us resolve never to become separated from the Lord. We have to go to His merciful heart many times during the day.  ---  Fr. Fernandez

Be careful what you wish for...

Don’t wish to be like a gilded weather-cock on top of a great building. However much it shines and however high it stands, it adds nothing to the solidity of the building. Rather be like an old stone block hidden in the foundation underground where nobody can see you. Because of you the building will not fail.

St. Josemaria Escriva

Materialism

"Lord Jesus, you have captured our hearts and opened to us the treasures of heaven. May you always be my treasure and delight and may nothing else keep me from giving you my all."

Lost Sheep... Found by Jesus!

Have you ever meditated on the lost sheep?  Jesus leaves 99 sheep to go search for the ONE that is lost.  He doesn't just let it go because He has 99% of the flock left; He searches until He finds that one, poor, lonely, lost little soul.  The image of Him reaching down to rescue the lamb from a cliff and of Him with the little sheep carried over Jesus' shoulders to his home safe and sound is a great thing to ponder.  He loves each one of us with the ultimate love, the consummate price of laying down His very own life for each one of us because we were made in His image and likeness.  YOU are a beloved son or daughter of God!  He always loves you, cares for you, watches over you and seeks you.  He desires only your complete trust in His will for you.  It seems trite, but if you just sit with it, this is tear-jerking and heart-wrenching:  GOD LOVES YOU!  Meditate on these images and thoughts to see if you aren't just astounded by the love He has just for you!