Sunday

**Readings from Fr Paone’s My Daily Bread Catholic devotional written as if Christ were speaking to you…

MY CHILD, when I give you Spiritual consolation, accept it gratefully. Remember always that is a free gift, not due to any merits Of Yours. Dismiss all self-satisfaction and pride from your heart. I am the source Of all that you enjoy- This realization will give you a healthy humility when I grant you some special favor. Beware of vanity. Abandon all foolish ideas of your own value and abilities. Remember, this hour of Consolation Will Pass away, and a time of trial will follow. 2. When consolation is taken from you, do not become sluggish and disinterested in your usual tasks and occupations. Keep up your prayers and good works. Humbly accept my Will and patiently go on with your daily activities. The grace of consolation and enthusiasm will return in due time. 3. These interior changes from consolation to desolation, from joy to sadness, from light to darkness, are not an unusual experience. All of My faithful followers have passed through them. By their steadiness of purpose they proved that they really loved Me more than they loved My gifts

Prayer: 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.

Monday
Keep your eyes on Me, whether you are in joy or sadness, whether matters are moving along smoothly or roughly. Whether your heart is filled with doubts or with joyful confidence in Me, see that you follow My words in your daily occupations. Then will your daily life be a steady progress toward the home of peace and eternal happiness. THINK: God gives every man the chance to know and improve his character. Many a person did not know his limitations and faults until he met successes and failures. That is why each one has his “ups and downs,” moments of satisfaction and moments of trial. The true man of God tries to live a life based on intelligent principles. He does not act on emotion or impulse unless the action makes sense.

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

 

Tuesday
MY CHILD, progress in the spiritual life does not consist in having a great deal of interior joy and consolation. It consists in being humble, patient, and free from self-pity when things go wrong. Faithfully go on with your affairs, and do not become careless in your prayers and good works when you no longer find pleasure in them. Continue doing your best in your daily duties in spite of any disinterest, anxiety, or even disgust. 2. Some people grow impatient and careless in serving Me when things do not go as they desire. It is not always in a man’s power to choose what he wants in his earthly life. In spite of all your plans and precautions, you can not avoid all disappointments. Even the mistakes and sins of others, which make your life harder, are permitted for a good reason. 3. I have a plan for you, by which you may become truly great. I send you what is best for you. If you follow My Will, you will have My peace on earth and My joy in Heaven. If you rebel, you will hurt yourself and probably some of the people in your life. I owe you nothing. You owe Me absolutely everything. Whether you receive much or little, you are always in debt to Me for all things

Prayer:   Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with Thy Glory.

 

Wednesday
Many people judge their closeness to God by their feelings. If they feel devout, they believe they are pleasing Him, and if they feel dejected and gloomy, they think that He has abandoned them. These standards are false and deceitful. I may be proving my best love for God when I least feel like pleasing Him. As long as I fulfill what He expects of me, I do love Him, no matter how I feel. Jesus Himself said- “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” There is the test of true goodness and holiness. As long as I am following His holy Will, I am following God’s wonderful plan for my salvation and the salvation of those with whom I deal. At times feelings may help me to serve God with more enthusiasm, but it is my will that really shows how much I am worth in His eyes. In time of desolation, I should cling to my resolutions and go on with my religious practices as I did when I enjoyed doing these things. That is the way of intelligent love, the way in which God wants to be loved.

Prayer:   O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee.
 

Thursday
MY CHILD, believe in Me. Put your trust in My love and mercy. Many a time, when you think that I am far from you, I am very close to you. When you feel as though everything is going wrong, then it is that you can give the best proof of your faith and your loyalty to Me. 2. You are not a failure just because things turn out differently from what you desired. Do not judge things by your disappointment or dislike. Keep discouragement out of your heart, no matter how hopeless matters may appear. Do your best and accept the results as My Will. 3. I am your Maker and your loving God. Your most hidden thoughts are clearly seen by Me. Your eternal salvation is My main interest. When you feel disinterested and disgusted with your daily activities, remember that I have good reasons for letting you feel so. If I have taken anything away from you, you cannot rightfully complain. You cannot claim anything as your own, not even yourself. All things are Mine. Without Me you are actually nothing. Even when I seem to deal harshly with you, I deserve praise and obedience, because My actions proceed from eternal wisdom, and infinite love.

Prayer:  Soul of Christ, sanctify me, Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me, Water from Christ’s side, wash me, Passion of Christ, strengthen me, O good Jesus, hear me, Within Thy wounds hide me, Suffer me not to be separated from Thee, From the malicious enemy defend me, In the hour of my death call me, And bid me come unto Thee, That I may praise Thee with Thy saints, and with Thy angels, Forever and ever, Amen.

Friday
What I do to you is done because I love you far more than you love yourself or anyone else. When I send you any trouble or affliction, do not complain or become sad. Peace and contentment will come to you as soon as it is for your best interests. THINK: In all things God loves me and thinks of My true happiness. Because I am short-sighted and self-centered, I complain when things go wrong. God could prevent many a disagreeable experience of mine. He doesn’t do so for very good reasons. As I grow older and wiser, I shall see how much I over-estimated the passing successes or comforts of earthly life.

Prayer:    O Come let us worship and fall down before Christ, O Son of God, Who didst rise from the dead, save us who chant unto Thee, Alleluia.

 

Saturday
BAD HABITS are evil inclinations acquired through repeated bad acts. Unless we overcome these habits, they will gradually become our masters. They come between Our Lord and us, and they can cripple our good will. In order to be true followers of Christ, we must refuse to be the slaves of our bad habits. In Him alone will we find true peace and joy. How are we to deal with bad habits? A Kempis tells us: Habit is overcome by habit (Bk. 1, c. 21). By working to form good habits, we will slowly replace bad ones. God’s help will not be wanting. Just how sincere we are when we say that we love Christ, is seen in our daily effort for perfection. God will not judge us by our failures, but rather, by our efforts. He wants us to try, and to keep trying, to become the kind of person He wants us to be. Over-confidence shows our pride and presumption. Discouragement in time of failure, shows selfishness. Only a humble, determined, and persevering effort can prove genuine love for Christ. This part deals only with the outstanding habits which keep men from a full generosity with God. By overcoming these, a person quickly advances along the road to true holiness. Above all, we must remember that God’s help is most effective with those who keep on trying, no matter how often they seem to fail

Prayer:  O come, let us worship God our King.
O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God.
O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God.