Sunday

+Most readings this week for ‘My Daily Bread’ Catholic devotional

From Christ’s viewpoint: MY CHILD, how can any man abandon himself to the pleasures of this earthly life? Such
people do not appreciate the miserable condition of their souls, nor the rapid passing away
of this brief experience. They do not stop to think and to look beneath the surface of their
daily activities. They laugh when they have many reasons to weep. Happy is he who can
overcome the distractions which hinder him from straight thinking.
2. As for you, strive to develop within yourself a genuine compunction of heart.
Compunction is a deep and lasting sorrow for your sins. It is not a gloomy nor depressing
sorrow, but an intelligent admission of your sins and a sincere determination to do
something about them. Since compunction comes from a realization of how you have failed
so good a God, it brings with it a readiness to accept anything from My Hand.

Prayer:  Having risen from sleep I hasten to Thee, O Lord, Lover of men, and by Thy loving-kindness I strive to do Thy work, and I pray to Thee:  help me at all times, in everything, and deliver me from every evil thing of the world and every attack of the devil, and lead me into Thine eternal Kingdom. For Thou art my Creator, the Giver and Provider of everything good, and all my hope is in Thee, and to Thee I send up glory, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.  Amen.
*Prayer for the next day’s morning

Monday
Compunction opens the way to many blessings and precious graces. When compunction
fills your soul, the world will lose its magic attraction and will become more distasteful to
you. Compunction will help you realize how quickly earthly joys pass away, while eternity
goes on forever. You will see clearly that your sins have off ended Me. One who has
genuine compunction, is honest enough to admit his sins, and is truly sorry for them. His
sorrow is proved by his sincere efforts to be rid of his faults.
THINK:
Compunction is a great grace by which God helps me to face the truth about my sins. It
also helps me to prove my sorrow for my faults. By compunction a man begins to attack his
faults and to practice the opposite virtues. I can be sure of my sincere sorrow only when I
have begun to do something about my faults. Compunction is a lasting sorrow because it is
not an emotion, but rather an intelligent admission of facts. It shows me my faults, God’s
goodness, and my own need to change for the better. Then it helps me

Prayer:  Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will among men.
Tuesday

MY CHILD, unless a man tries hard to acquire a holy sorrow for his sins, he is not worthy
of My heavenly consolation. Are you doing your best to acquire this compunction?
2. This grace will reach you more easily if you will turn your back, for a while, on your
daily distractions. Come aside more often, to be alone with Me. Reflect on My gifts and
your misuse of them. Be honest and face the truth. Reading and reflecting will help you to
realize the wickedness of all sins, even smaller ones. Do not look for new theories and
mere curiosities, but stick to solid everyday truth, truth which will improve your daily life.
3. In solitude and quiet you will discover the hidden treasures of Holy Scripture. As you
become more intimate with Me, your Creator, you will make great progress. You will find
tears to wash and purify your soul. You will also have a deep interior joy as My holy angels and I draw near to you. Learn to pray and labor unseen by the eyes of men.

Prayer:   Blessed by the name of the Lord from henceforth and forever more.

 

Wednesday
Luke 2:

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.

2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.

3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,

5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock.

9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Prayer:    Christ is born…glorify Him!

 

Thursday
Slowly, as the gift of compunction fills your soul, you will be filled with fresh vigor. As
you become more eager to make up for your sins, you will find hard things becoming
easier.
THINK:
Jesus said that certain devils are driven out only by prayer and fasting. This shows that
some of God’s gifts are given only if we do our part to prepare ourselves for them.
Compunction will be lasting and fruitful only if I make a sincere personal effort to receive
it worthily and apply it wisely. Through solitude, prayer, reading, and meditation, I will
understand how I can best receive and use compunction in my daily life.

Prayer:  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Friday
MY CHILD, do not expect to find peace until you have overcome a variety of troubles and
opposition. If you say that you cannot bear much suffering now, how will you be able to
endure the purifying pains of Purgatory hereafter?
2. The patient man finds a cleansing purgatory in this earthly life. When others wrong him,
he is more sorry that evil is done than that he has been wronged. He forgives the evil-doer
from the bottom of his heart. He is not slow to ask pardon when he himself has hurt others.
He is more easily moved to pity than to anger. He frequently disregards his feelings and
tries to live above them, according to his intelligence and My grace.

Prayer:   May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

 

Saturday
THINK:
Either here on earth or hereafter in Purgatory I must make up for each fault I commit.
Nothing tainted will be allowed to enter Heaven. I can purify my soul now by following the
example and words of Christ, my Redeemer. He gained for me the grace to conquer sin and
error. Now I must do my part by living a holy life. If I refuse, and die in venial sin, I’ll have
to make it up in Purgatory. If I die in mortal sin, I shall condemn myself to hell forever.

Prayer:  O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and worthy of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
*Act of Contrition