Every morning during my prayer time I ask Lucia's question. "What do you want of me today, Lord?" I'd love to be able to say that I hear a voice outlining my activities with a clear agenda for each hour specifically. I don't. But I do know what the Lord wants from me during that early morning prayer time: adoration, thanksgiving, contrition, and petition.
The Lord has a plan for each of us. There are souls who are important characters in our life's story even if they touch us briefly: the person you see in the store who seems to be upset. What can a prayer for them or a cheerful smile do? The lonely young adult at college who gets a letter or care package? The colleague at work who's troubled and just needs a friendly, prudent ear.
Our lives resemble a story, the hero's journey. We may not be called on to save the Shire like Frodo, but we can all do our daily tasks with cheerfulness, honesty, and integrity. We can be approachable and ready to listen. We will only know the impact of our little acts of charity when stand before the judgment seat of God.
What do you want of me today, Lord? Open my eyes and ears. Give me the grace to see the path that leads to you and to recognize you in the faces of those I meet, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, my guardian angel, and my patron saints. All for the honor and glory of God.
St. Louis Marie de Montfort stresses the two functions of Our Blessed Mother, the positive one of making Our Lord known, and the negative one of making war upon His enemies.
ReplyDeleteMary must be manifested more than ever by her mercy, her power and her grace in these latter times; by her mercy, bringing back and loving welcoming the poor strayed sinners who will be converted and will return to the Catholic Church; by her power against the enemies of God, idolaters, schismatics, Mohammedans, Jews, and men hardened in impiety......she must also be made manifest by her grace animating and sustaining the valiant soldiers and faithful servants of Jesus Christ, who shall battle for His interests.
And lastly, Mary must be terrible to the devil and his ministers, as an army in battle array, principally in these latter times, because the devil knowing that he has but little time, and now less than ever, to damn souls, will everyday redouble his efforts and his combats......he will before long raise up cruel persecutions and will lay terrible snares for the faithful servants and true children of Mary whom he finds more difficult to conquer than the others.......
Arm yourselves for the battle!