Sunday
*Devotions this week from the Catholic devotional ‘My Daily Bread’*

CHRIST: MY CHILD, all human beings are weak. Do not think that you are stronger than
others. Circumstances do not create the weakness of a man. They simply draw it out and
show what he really is. You must be convinced of this fact. Your will is weak, and your
blind human desires are strong.
2. It should not be too hard for you to admit your frailty. See how often you are troubled by
a small matter! At times you resolve to become a better man. Then along comes a small
temptation, and away goes your resolution. just when you think you are safe, when you
least expect it, you find yourself pushed over by a slight temptation. Even when you do not
give full consent to it, your feelings and desires confuse you. Hateful imaginations rush in
on you and refuse to leave.

 

Prayer:  Lord, I have cried to Thee, hearken unto me. Hearken unto me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to Thee, hearken unto me.  Attend to the voice of my prayer, when I cry unto Thee. Hearken unto me, O Lord. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.  Hearken unto me, O Lord.
*Psalm 140 (141)

Monday
Before you can become serious about self-perfection, you must be convinced of its
necessity. See how weak you are! You often tend toward what is wrong. You confess your
sins today, and tomorrow you commit the same faults again. You resolve to be on your
guard, and an hour later you act as though you had never made the resolution. You are so
weak and unsteady. It is only right, then, that you should humble yourself and refuse to
think too highly of yourself.
4. You are more inclined to go backward than forward. You do not remain in the same state
of mind for any length of time. Your moods and attitudes change with the changing hours
of the day. If you would only turn to Me! I can help you rise above these changing moods.
Let your heart turn to Me and find its rest in Me.

Prayer:   Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.

 

Tuesday
THINK:
My human nature is like a spirited horse. It must be controlled at every step. It would like
to run free and uncontrolled. Therefore, I need not be surprised at my changing feelings
and moods. They are not the higher self within me. God will honor me only for what I am
trying to be. I would improve much faster if I begged His help more frequently by prayer
and the sacraments. Too often I fail to put up a fight against my unreasonable feelings and
blind desires. At other times I try to fight them alone. Only with God’s help can I make any
permanent progress. With the knowledge He gives me through His holy Church, and with
the strength He offers me in His sacraments, I can live a holy life in spite of the restless
lower self within me.

Prayer:   Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer.

 

Wednesday
CHRIST: MY CHILD, progress in virtue depends on My grace and your own
determination. My grace is always at your disposal. It is your determination that wavers
and changes. Your intention would be more firm if you obtained more grace to help you.
By prayer and sacrifice, and with an increased use of My sacraments, seek more grace.
Then you would find your will stronger to follow your intention throughout the day.
2. It is not always enough to make good intentions in the morning. You must also recall
and renew them during the day. Examine how faithfully you are following your intention,
and seek to improve yourself in this effort. When you break your resolution, begin again.
This is far better than abandoning your good intention altogether. Anyone can make good
resolutions, but keeping them and renewing them is the work of a real man.

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
3. If you are afraid to start again or are discouraged by failure, it is because you do not
understand what goes on in your daily life. Without Me you can do nothing. Put your trust
in My help, Then confidently do your best to follow your resolutions. If you fail, renew
your intention at once and begin again. I will judge you more by your efforts than by your
failures. It is your natural pride that makes you afraid to begin, or discourages you when
you fail. Pride wants immediate success.
4. Be honest, and you will be humble. Make a sincere effort, but do not be surprised at your
weakness and unexpected failures. Beg for My grace, and go on trying. Leave all else in
My hands. He who keeps trying to please Me will never be abandoned by Me.

Prayer:   Jesus Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have Mercy on me a sinner.

Friday
THINK:
Am I brave enough to renew my intentions and good resolutions each day, and to make an
honest effort to follow them? God’s help will not fail me. My old faults will slowly
disappear as I advance in the practice of the opposite virtues. Thus, if I have a fault of
laziness, I can best conquer it by seeking more opportunities to perform good deeds. And
so will it be with my other faults.

Prayer:    Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my soul and my body. Do thou thyself
bless me, have mercy upon me, and grant me life eternal. Amen.

 

Saturday
THINK:
Many admit that they have faults. When, however, any particular fault of theirs is pointed
out to them, they will immediately justify themselves. They simply refuse to come face to
face with any particular fault of theirs. As a result they live a lifetime with little progress in
virtue. To better my

Prayer:  Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.  Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
*Memorare