Sunday
**This week excerpts from Catholic Bishop Challoner’s meditations

CONSIDER, first, that mortal sin is infinitely odious to God,
and infinitely pernicious to our souls. It makes them like
very devils in his eyes: it deprives us of grace, the true life of
the soul, and of all our good: it is a poison which brings present
death, and condemns us to a second and eternal death.
It leaves behind it a dreadful stain, which endless ages and the
flames of hell will never be able to efface. Ah, my poor soul!
if thou couldst see thyself as thou art in the state of mortal sin,
the sight alone would strike thee dead!
Consider, secondly, that wilful sinners are slaves of the
devil; they are possessed by him. They have made God their
enemy, who holds the thread of their life in his hand: if he
breaks it, in that moment they drop into hell. Death is always
advancing apace; and a sudden, or at least an unprovided
death, is generally the reward of their presumption. Thousands
of them daily go down into the bottomless pit, “where
the worm never dies, and the fire is never extinguished,”
(Mark ix. 43.) Ah! who can bear everlasting fire! Detest
then all mortal sin, which can and will, without repentance,
condemn you to hell.
Consider, thirdly, that sin makes a dreadful separation between
the soul and God; which is begun here but extends to all
eternity. “You are not my people,” says he, (Osee i. 9.)
“and I will not be your God.” How much then doesjthat evil
deserve our detestation, which robs us of an infinite good, for
eternity; and in exchange gives us nothing but endless and unspeakable
evils.
Prayer:  O my God I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. (Act of Faith)

Monday
CONSIDER, first, that God is our first beginning and our last
end: he has given us our being out of pure love; he has thought
of us from all eternity, and has made us for himself, in the enjoyment
of a happy eternity. In the mean time, he is always
showering upon us his benefits: he watches over us by his providence;
preserves us from numberless evils; has appointed
his angels to wait upon us; and has sent his only Son from
heaven to redeem us. He has mercifully cleansed us from sin
in baptism, made us children and heirs to his kingdom; has
given us an early knowledge of himself and of his heavenly
truths; favored us with abundant graces beyond thousands of
others; admitted us to his sacraments; borne with our repeated
crimes for so many years; and, notwithstanding our ingratitude,
has been still our constant benefactor. Alas ! how
many are now burning in the flames of hell for fewer sins than,
we have committed! Ah! let us then detest our sinful life,
and henceforward, at least, be dutiful children to so tender a
father.
Consider, secondly, what dreadful torments our Redeemer
endured for you in his passion and death! Call over in your
mind the particulars of his sufferings, from his agony and sweat
of blood, even to his expiring upon the cross; and learn from
the multitude and variety of his torments, an ardent love of
him and hatred of your sins, for the expiation of which he
freely died.

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

Tuesday
CONSIDER, first, how precious a thing time is, which we are
80 apt to squander away. It is all given us to be employed in
the service of God; and there is not one moment of it, in
which we may not labor for an eternity of bliss. Our everlasting
salvation or damnation will depend upon the good or bad
use of this talent, which God has put into our hands to improve
by our good management. Alas! how little do we think
of this!
Consider, secondly, how short is the term of this mortal life;
a mere nothing compared with eternity : and how quickly does
it pass away! When once gone, it cannot be recalled, nor
leaves the smallest trace behind it. The present time is all we
can call our own : and God alone knows how long it will be
so. Our hours, one after another, post away with precipitate
haste into the vast gulf of eternity, and appear no more. The
very moment in which we read this line, is just passing, never
to return. Employ then the present time to the best advantage:
its loss can never be repaired.

Prayer:  Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
*Salve Regina

Wednesday
Consider, thirdly, that all temporal enjoyments of honors,
riches and pleasures, are of the like condition ; all pass away
with time. Only eternity and the goods or evils which it comprizes,
are truly great; without end, without change, without
alloy. A few short years are more than any one can promise
himself; arid after that, poor sinner, what will become of thee?
Alas! the worms will prey upon thy body, and merciless devils
on thy unrepenting soul! Thy worldly friends will all forget
thee : the very stones on which thou hast thy name engraved,
will not long outlive thee. Oh! “vanity of vanities, and all
is vanity, but to love God, and to serve him alone!”
Conclude, so to use this present time and all temporary
things, as to make them useful to your soul on her journey towards
eternity.

Prayer:  Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray : O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Regina Coeli

Thursday
CONSIDER, first, that all the kingdoms of the earth would
not be sufficient to purchase for the dying sinner one hour of
time, in his greatest need. Then we shall clearly comprehend
its value, and the infinite importance of spending it well.
“What would not the damned willingly give for one of these
hours? How would they employ it if it could be granted? But
alas! they would network while they had the day before them:
and now the dismal and eternal night has overtaken them, in
which there is no time to work. Ah! Christians, let us learn
wisdom at their expense.
Consider, secondly, the strict obligation Incumbent on us all,
of employing our time to the best advantage, by sin we had
forfeited our life, and of course, our time; and whatever time
God has allowed us since our sin, has been purchased for us
with the blood of Christ, in order to OUT repentance. It has
cost him an infinite price : it therefore strictly belongs to him;
and we cannot misuse it without the crime of injustice.
Prayer:  The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.   And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.

Friday
Consider, thirdly, that there is not one moment of our time
in which we may not merit a new degree of eternal bliss; and
every new degree of eternal bliss is something far more valuable,
than all the kingdoms of the earth. What a loss then, to
throw away so many hours, and days, and years of this precious
time. A loss so great, that if the happy state of the
blessed in heaven could admit of grief, they would certainly
regret to all eternity, every moment which they had not employed
to the best advantage.
Conclude to dedicate all your time to the doing of the will
of God. Thus you will secure your own eternal interest.

Prayer:   Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Saturday
CONSIDER, first, that the remembrance of death, the view
of the grave, and of the speedy corruption of this body of ours;
and the serious reflection that we must quickly part with^our
dearest friends and possessions, must needs humble us, and
check our sensual and carnal inclinations. But when we look
beyond the grave, and consider that a severe judge will there
await us, whose all-seeing eye is ever upon our thoughts, words
and actions; that these are all to be Aveighed in the scales
of his divine justice, which cannot endure iniquity; and that
the issue will, be life or death eternal : how is it possible we
should dare to sin?
Consider, secondly, that the transitory things of this world;
its goods and evils, as we call them, make a great impression
on our souls, shut up as they are, in this earthly prison. We
are fond of honor, riches and pleasures, and dread contempt,
poverty and pain, as something real. But the meditating on
eternity undeceives us, and shows that all is nothing, which
passes with time; that nothing is truly great but what is eternal;
that those things deserve not the name of goods, which
contribute nothing to make us either good here, or happy hereafter;
and that those are no evils, which help to bring us to an
infinine good.
Consider,

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