1.
PRAYER! Say this simple prayer but
with great fervor of heart: JESUS I LOVE YOU!
St. John of the Cross says that one act of perfect love for God is worth
more than all of the apostolic works in the world at large. God takes great
pleasure in a heart overflowing with love!
2.
COMPLIMENT! Why not compliment somebody—if possible, a
family member! A simple, kind word in the form of a compliment can pull that
person out a pit of desolation into the splendor of God’s sunshine! Apply the
Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would
like them to do to you.”
3.
HOLY COMMUNION! The greatest single action that the human
person could ever do in his whole life is to receive Jesus in Holy Communion
with a burning heart of love! Jesus said: “I
have come to cast fire on earth and I am not at peace until that fire be
enkindled.” The disciples on the
road of Emmaus commented that after meeting the stranger, talking to Him and “breaking Bread” with Him their hearts
were on fire!
4.
SMILE! This simple gesture does not cost anything,
but it is highly contagious. Sad looks are contagious, but a loving and winning
smile is even more contagious. Why not start today? One of the clearest and most evident signs of
a true follower of Jesus is a warm, kind and joyful countenance from which
exudes the smile!
5.
OFFER IT UP! Do you have an ache, a pain, some form of
suffering? Do not waste your suffering, but OFFER IT UP! Our sufferings can make us either better or bitter! If we learn to offer them up to the Lord, they
will definitely make us better and more holy disciples of the Lord Jesus who
offered His life for us on the cross on that First Friday that we call “Good”.
6.
THANKSGIVING! Never let a day of your
life pass without rendering a heartfelt thanksgiving to your Lord and God. We
should all cultivate “An attitude of
gratitude”. With the Psalmist let us
say: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is
good for His love endures forever.”
Jesus is our example par excellence.
He took bread and gave thanks…..
The word “Eucharist” actually means “Thanksgiving”. God loves a cheerful
and a grateful heart. May that be yours!
7.
COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME AND RENEW THE
FACE OF THE EARTH… Why not right now invite the Holy Spirit to enter and to
take possession of the totality of your being—your body, memory, understanding,
will, actions and even your intentions.
He is the Sanctifier, the Interior Master, and the Sweet Guest of your
soul… As the spirit rushed upon David
at the moment of his anointing by Samuel, may the same spirit rush upon us all
the days of our lives!
8.
GIVE! Have your spiritual antennae open to an
awareness of somebody in need of a helping hand and then give. Give freely,
kindly, unreservedly, and constantly. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta teaches
us with these words: “Give until it
hurts.” St. Paul reiterates the same
truth: “There is more joy in giving than
in receiving.” Of course Jesus is our best example. He gave every drop of
His Precious Blood for our eternal salvation!
9.
GET UP AND TRY AGAIN! Despite our
noble and the best of efforts we fall. The Bible teaches us, “The just man falls seven times a day.” The Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin
Mary, Venerable Father Bruno Pio Lanteri reminded his spiritual sons (as well
as us here and now) “Nunc coepi”—words
in Latin that mean: “Now I begin!” Even if we
were to fall a thousand times a day, as soon as we repent and turn our hearts
to the Lord He is slow to anger and rich in kindness and always ready to
forgive us! You fall? Get up and bounce higher!
10. MARY: “Maria
cogita, Maria invoca.” These words
in Latin mean: “Think about Mary and call
out to Mary!” As we pray in the
famous Marian prayer the Memorare: “Never
was it known that anyone who called upon Mary and fled to her protection was
left unaided.” Our Lady indeed is our
life, our sweetness and our hope.
