Being a portion of an attempt to teach a young invalid to meditate.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Sunday Our Lord
1. Place yourself in the presence of God, kneeling with your hands clasped.
2. Read slowly and devoutly
Apocalypse, chap. i, verses 10-18.
“I was,” &c. down to “of death and of hell.”
3. Bring all you have read before you at once, as if you saw our Lord.
4. Then say to Him whatever comes into your mind to say; for instance:—
“His eyes were as a flame of fire,” and “His countenance shone as the sun shineth in his strength.”
(1) O my God, the day will come when I shall see that countenance and those eyes, when my soul returns to Him to be judged.
(2) Those eyes are so piercing:they see through me; nothing is hid from them. Thou countest every hair of my head; Thou knowest every breath I breathe; Thou seest every morsel of food I take.
(3) Those eyes are so pure. They are so clear that I can look into their depths, as into some transparent well of water, though I cannot see the bottom; for Thou art infinite.
(4) Those eyes are so loving; so gentle, so sweet; they seem to say, “Come to Me.”
5. Conclusion. O Lord, make me love Thee, make me love Thee.
Monday Guardian Angel
1. Place yourself in the presence of God, kneeling with your hands clasped.
2. Read slowly and devoutly
Psalm xc. (as it is found in Compline)
3. Bring all you have read before you, as if you saw the Angels protecting you, especially your Guardian Angel.
4. Then say to God whatever is suggested to you; for instance:—
“He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
(1) O my God, I will go forward in Thy way, for my Guardian goes with me. I am very blind; I know not what is before me. I know not what will happen to me in life. I do not know whether I shall live long, or die young. But this I know, that in health and sickness, in joy and sorrow, in youth and age, Thou wilt be with me.
(2) O my sweet Guardian, how beautiful thou art. I wish I could see thee. And thou art as pure and holy as thou art beautiful, and thy breath inspires chaste thoughts. And as gentle and kind as thou art pure.
5. Conclusion.—Godof Angels, have mercy on me. Queen of Angels, pray for me.
Tuesday St. Joseph
1. Place yourself in the presence of God, kneeling with your hands clasped.
2. Read slowly and devoutly
Psalm xiv.
3. Bring all you have read before you at once, as if you saw our Lord.
4. Then say to Him whatever comes into your mind to say; for instance:—
(1) Joseph was pure and innocent in a way unlike any other man who ever lived, our Lord excepted. His soul was as white as snow. He had nothing whatever within his heart to make him ashamed, and he would have found it most difficult to find matter for confession. O Joseph, make me so blameless and irreproachable that I should not care though friends saw into my heart as perfectly as Jesus and Mary saw into thine. O gain me the grace of holy simplicity and affectionateness, so that I may love thee, Mary, and, above all, Jesus, as thou didst love Jesus and Mary.
(2) Joseph was as humble as he was sinless. He never thought of himself, but always of the Infant Saviour, whom he carried in his arms. O holy Joseph, make me like thee in purity, simplicity, innocence and devotion.
5. Conclusion.—Jesus, mercy! Mary, Joseph, pray for me.
Wednesday All Saints
1. Place yourself in the presence of God, kneeling with hands clasped.
2. Read slowly and devoutly
Apocalypse, chap. vii. verses 9-17.
3. Bring all this before you as in a picture.
4. Then say to Him whatever comes into your mind to say; for instance:—
“They are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His Temple.” “They shall not hunger nor thirst any more;” “The Lamb shall lead them to the fountains of living waters.”
(1) My dear Lord and Saviour, shall I ever see Thee in heaven? This world is very beautiful, very attractive, and there are many things and persons whom I love in it. But Thou art the most beautiful and best of all. Make me acknowledge this with my heart, as well as by faith and in my reason.
(2) My Lord, I know nothing here below lasts; nothing here below satisfies. Pleasures come and go; I quench my thirst and am thirsty again. But the saints in heaven are always gazing on Thee, and drinking in eternal blessedness from Thy dear and gracious and most awful and most glorious countenance.
5. Conclusion.—Maymy lot be with the saints.