With God/A Rule of Life
A Rule of Life
"He that shall persevere to the end, he shall he saved"
1. DAILY Conduct. — Have a fixed hour for rising in the morning; bless yourself with holy water, and as soon as possible recite devoutly your morning prayers. During the day make at least a short meditation or a spiritual reading. It is commendable to read daily from the Lives of the Saints. Hear Mass; make a visit to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. If you can not go to church, make your visit and adoration at home, turning toward the nearest tabernacle and receiving holy communion spiritually. Recite the Angelus; say the beads. In the evening, examine your conscience and recite your evening prayers.
2. Confession and Communion. — Receive the holy sacraments frequently. Go as often as you can to holy communion, with the advice of your confessor; consult him and submit to his direction in all affairs of importance. When you commit any sin, make an act of contrition immediately and resolve to amend; if it is a mortal sin, confess it as soon as possible.
3. Occasions of Sin. — Avoid idleness, bad companions, low theaters and public balls, round dances, immoral books, sensational newspapers, salacious literature, foolish novels and romances, games of chance, and every occasion of sin. In temptations, bless yourself, invoke the most holy names of Jesus and Mary, and think of death. "He that loveth danger shall perish in it."
4. Sundays. — "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day." Be not satisfied with hearing a Low Mass on Sundays. Hear sermons as often as possible, and listen attentively to the word of God. No matter how poor an orator a priest may be, no matter how plain his language or how unattractive his delivery, remember that he is the representative of Christ, and that you can always find in every sermon sufficient matter for reflection and application to your own life and circumstances. Never absent yourself unnecessarily from afternoon or evening services and benediction.
5. Pious Practices. — Keep yourself in the presence of God. Accustom yourself to saying short ejaculatory and indulgenced prayers. Keep a crucifix, holy pictures, and holy water in your room. Carry your beads with you. Wear a scapular, and a medal of the Immaculate Conception. Support your parish priest and your parish church in all good works. Help the poor and the orphans according to your means. Frequently think of death and eternity.
6. Blessed Virgin Mary. — If you love Jesus, you will love and honor His blessed Mother. Be most devout to her and daily perform some acts of piety in her honor. A pious servant of Mary will erect a home altar in honor of the heavenly Queen and Mother of God before which he will recite his prayers. On our Lady's feast-days he will place an offering of fresh flowers on this altar. Hear Mass and receive holy communion on the great feasts of the Blessed Virgin. Daily renew your act of consecration and say the Memorare for a happy death. Cultivate her virtues, especially purity, modesty, meekness, humility, charity, patience, resignation to the will of God, and devotedness to duty.
7. Retreat. — Make a spiritual retreat once a year.
8. Spiritual Communion. — An act of spiritual communion like the following should be made frequently, and especially at Mass: " My Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly present in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar. I adore Thee. I praise Thee and thank Thee for all Thy blessings. I am sorry that I have offended Thee by my sins. By this act I wish to make reparation to Thee for all the insults and injuries committed against Thee in the sacrament of Thy love. I love Thee with my whole heart. Come to my poor soul; unite Thyself to me ... ✠ ... I thank Thee, my good Jesus. Oh! never, never leave me. Allow me not to be separated from Thee by sin."
9. In the Hour of Death. — When you are dying, make acts of contrition and of love. Pronounce the sweet and holy name of "Jesus." In Life and in Death praise and be submissive to the holy will of God.
Strive to become a saint. For " this is the will of God, your sanctification."
Our Holy Father, Pope Pius X, the Vicar of Christ, has told us in the simplest and plainest words, that all the faithful without exception, after their first holy communion, should be encouraged to approach the Holy Table every day, and that the only dispositions absolutely necessary to receive the Bread of Life frequently, even every day, are the state of grace and a right intention. The Pontifical Decree on receiving daily the [Most Holy Eucharist (Dec. 20, 1905) says:
Frequent and daily Communion, as a thing most earnestly desired by Christ Our Lord, and by the Catholic Church, should be open to all the Faithful, of whatever rank and condition of life; so that no one who is in the state of grace, and who approaches the Holy Table with a right and devout intention, can lawfully be hindered therefrom.
A right intention consists in this: that he who approaches the Holy Table should do so, not out of routine, or vain glory, or human respect, but for the purpose of pleasing God, or being more closely united with Him by charity, and of seeking this divine remedy for his weaknesses and defects.
Although it is more expedient that those who communicate frequently or daily should be free from venial sins, especially from such as are fully deliberate, and from any affection thereto, nevertheless it is sufficient that they be free from mortal sin, with the purpose of never sinning mortally in future; and, if they have this sincere purpose, it is impossible but that daily communicants should gradually emancipate themselves from even venial sins, and from all affection thereto.
But whereas the sacraments of the New Law, though they take effect ex opere operato, nevertheless produce a greater effect in proportion as the dispositions of the recipient are better; therefore, care is to be taken that Holy Communion be preceded by serious preparation, and followed by a suitable thanksgiving according to each one's strength, circumstances, and duties.
That the practice of frequent and daily communion may be carried out with greater prudence and more abundant merit, the confessor's advice should be asked. Confessors, however, are to be careful not to dissuade any one {ne quemquam avertant) from frequent and daily Communion, provided that he is in a state of grace and approaches with a right intention.
Let us resolve, then, to come devoutly to the Holy Table and to partake of the Heavenly Banquet frequently, as frequently, indeed, as our circumstances may permit, so that in the strength thereof we may find a remedy for our daily venial faults and the means to constant progress in the way of our sanctification and salvation.