Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/121

 fashion do  sinners  act. They reflect  not  upon the mighty  hunter,  Death,  and  refuse  to  think of him;  but  this  does  not  prevent  him  from coming, and  his  cruel  arrow  fails  not  to  reach its mark. How terrible  a  thing  it  is  thus  to trifle  with  death!

Wherefore, raise  your  heart  to  God,  raise it frequently  to  Him,  every  morning  and  evening at  least! Raise your  heart  to  God  in  the morning, by  making  a  firm  resolution  to  avoid this or  that  besetting  sin  and  to  overcome  your predominant passion. Raise it  to  God  in  the evening, by  repenting  of  your  sins,  by  meditating on  death,  judgment,  heaven  and  hell, and by  resolving  to  lead  a  more  holy,  a  more virtuous life. Pray every  night  for  the  grace of perseverance.

Keep yourself  all  through  the  day  in  the presence of  God. St. Basil  says:  "If  you wish  to  find  a  short  and  compendious  method, which  contains  in  itself  all  other  means,  and  is most  efficacious  for  overcoming  every  temptation and  difficulty,  and  for  acquiring  perfection, it  is  the  exercise  of  the  presence  of  God."

St. Bonaventure  declares:  "In  the  midst of  our  employments  we  ought  to  have  God present  to  our  minds,  in  imitation  of  the  holy angels  who,  when  they  are  sent  to  attend  on us,  so  acquit  themselves  of  the  functions  of