Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/98

 If thou  wouldst  make  spiritual  progress,  let  three devotions be  especially  dear  to  thee:  devotion  to  the Passion of  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament, and  to  the  ever-blessed  Virgin. In mental prayer, make  again  and  again  acts  of  contrition, of love  to  God,  and  oblation  of  yourself. The Venerable Father  Charles  Caraffa,  founder  of  the Pious Oratories,  said  that  one  fervent  act  of  the love of  God  made  thus  in  the  morning  was  sufficient to maintain  the  soul  in  fervor  throughout  the  whole day.

Then, besides  the  more  specific  acts  of  devotion, such as  confession,  communion,  recitation  of  the divine office,  etc.,  whenever  thou  art  engaged  in  external occupations,  as  in  study,  in  labor,  or  in  any other employment  that  may  be  proper  to  thy  condition, never  forget,  when  setting  about  it,  to  make  an offering  of  it  to  God,  praying  for  His  assistance  to enable  thee  to  perform  it  in  a  perfect  manner;  and do not  omit  to  retire  frequently  into  the  cell  of  thy heart, in  order  to  unite  thyself  with  God,  according to the  practice  of  St. Catherine of  Siena. In short, whatever thou  doest,  do  it  with  and  for  God. In going out  of  thy  room  or  house,  and  on  returning again, always  commend  thyself  to  the  Divine Mother, by  saying  a  Hail  Mary. When sitting  down to meals,  make  an  offering  to  God  of  the  disgusts  or gratifications  thou  mayest  find  in  what  thou  eatest and drinkest;  and,  on  rising  from  table,  return thanks to  Him,  and  say:  Lord,  how  great  is  Thy goodness to  one  who  has  offended  Thee  so  much! In the  course  of  the  day  be  careful  to  make  thy  spiritual reading,  to  visit  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament  and the most  holy  Mary;  and  in  the  evening  to  say  the Rosary, and  to  make  an  examination  of  conscience, together with  the  Christian  acts  of  faith,  hope,  charity, contrition,  resolutions  of  amendment,  and  of  receiving the  holy  sacraments  during  life  and  at  the