A Daily Schedule for Living a Christ-Centered Life

I received this excellent email yesterday and wanted to post it here. Even if we incorporate just one more of these suggestions in our lives, we will become much holier. This schedule is one where Jesus Christ is the foundation of daily life. Is your schedule founded on Christ? If not, then please read through this. I'm hoping to add some of these into my life.

A Rule of Life For Those Who, Living in the World, Aspire after Perfection

By Father Michael Muller, C.Ss.R.

In the Morning

1. Rise at affixed hour, for example, six o'clock; do not remain longer in bed without a reasonable motive.
2. As soon as you awake, offer your heart to God, make the sign of the Cross, and dress yourself quickly and modestly. Then, on your knees, say three "Hail Marys," in honor of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to obtain a great purity of body and soul.
3. Say your morning prayers, and make a meditation during half, or at least a quarter of an hour. It is better to say short prayers - "Our Father" and "Hail Mary," - or to say your prayers going to or at your work, than to say no prayers at all.
4. Hear Mass, if it is possible.

During the Course of the Day

5. Read a spiritual book for at least a quarter of an hour.
6. Say your beads, if possible, with the rest of the household.
7. Pay a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the church if you can do so. N.B. - For these three last exercises you can choose whatever time will
least interfere with your daily occupations.
8. Frequently make short ejaculatory prayers, above all at the beginning and end of your actions. Employ chiefly acts of the love of God, such as these: My dear Jesus, I love Thee ... I wish very much to love Thee ... make me love Thee more and more, etc.
9. Practice the mortification of the eyes, of the ears, and of the tongue, by sometimes refraining from looking, hearing, or saying things, which, though not dangerous, are useless, in order to be able more easily to abstain from what is dangerous, or even bad.
10. Seize carefully every opportunity of suffering any little pain, contradiction, or humiliation, for the love of God. In every such occasion submit yourself to the will of God, saying: O my God, this is Thy Will; may Thy holy Will be done!
11. At your meals deprive yourself in part or entirely of some little thing you are fond of; and never completely satisfy your appetite.
12. Do not eat between meals without necessity.
13. Fly idleness, bad company, and every occasion of sin, especially those in which chastity is in danger.
14. In temptations, especially those of impurity, make the sign of the Cross, if you are alone; and say in your heart, Jesus and Mary, help me. If the temptation still continues, do not be troubled, but pray with greater earnestness, saying, My dear Jesus, I would rather die than offend Thee.
15. If you have the misfortune to commit a sin, so not give way to trouble, even though the sin be grievous, but make immediately a good act of contrition, with a firm purpose not to fall again, and to confess it as soon as possible.

In the Evening

16. At a fixed hour, for example, nine o'clock, say your night prayers, and make your examination of conscience; recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, and then read over the subject of the next morning's meditation.
17. Having said, on your knees, the three "Hail Marys," as in the morning, undress yourself with all modesty, and be careful to remain always decently covered in bed, and to preserve a modest posture.
18. Until you fall asleep, occupy your mind with the subject of the tomorrow's meditation, or with the remembrance of death, or some other pious thought.
19. Choose a good [Traditional] Confessor, in whom you have confidence; open your heart to him without reserve, and be guided by his advice; do not quit him without strong reason.
20. Go to confession once a week, and receive the Holy Communion as often as your director judges proper. (Note: This was before Pope St. Pius X's decree encouraging frequent and daily communion.)
21. Attend sermons and instructions as often as you can, endeavoring always to apply them to yourself, and to draw some practical resolution from them; enter some pious confraternity, with the sole view of attending to the interest of your soul.
22. If your health will permit, fast on every Saturday, and on the eves of the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. At least perform in Her honor some little act of mortification on those days, according to your state of health and your occupations. Nourish in your heart a tender devotion towards the Blessed Virgin, and address to Her from time to time this fervent prayer: My
good Mother Mary, help me to love your divine Son Jesus with all my heart. Wear the scapular, and at least the miraculous medal.

Observation

As this rule of life does not of itself impose any obligation under pain of sin, no one must be alarmed if he cannot follow it in every thing. Let each one take that which is in accordance with the duties of his state of life, which ought always to be attended to in preference to any exercises of piety which are not of obligation. Thus let each one do what he can, but cheerfully, and for the love of God.

A Short Practical Method of Meditation

In the preparation, say: 1. My god, I believe that Thou art really present, and I adore Thee with all my heart. 2. O Lord, I ought to be at this moment in hell; I am sorry for having offended thee: grant me pardon. 3. O Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus and Mary, enlighten me. Then
recommend yourself to the most holy Virgin, to St. Joseph, to your Angel Guardian, and to your Patron Saint; for this purpose say a "Hail Mary," and then pass on to the meditation.
Read the meditation, and pause wherever you find food for reflection. After this, be careful to make affections of humility, gratitude, and, above all, of sorrow and love, resigning yourself in ever thing to the divine will, and make an offering of yourself, saying: O Lord, do with me whatever Thou pleasest, and tell me what Thou wilt have me to do, for I wish to do
Thy will in all things. Be also very careful to ask for particular blessings and graces, as for
example, begging God the grace of holy perseverance, His divine Love, and the light and strength to do always the divine Will, and always to pray. Before concluding your meditation, make a special resolution to avoid some defect, into which you fall most frequently; and then finish with an "Our Father" and "Hail Mary"; and remember always to recommend to God the
souls in Purgatory, and poor sinner. Live Jesus our Love, and Mary our Hope!

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Taken from A Familiar Explanation of Christian Doctrine, 1875 (out-of-print), by Father Michael Muller, C.Ss.R. The above is a reprint from "Catholic Family News"


Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain, From the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)

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Prayer to St. John Bosco

O glorious St. John Bosco, who in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to mold them in the light of faith and Christian morality didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst set up a proper religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from Our Lord a holy love for young people who are exposed to so many seductions in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen.

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St. John Bosco

Memorial (1969 Calendar): January 31
Double (1954 Calendar): January 31

Today the Church remembers and celebrates the sainthood of St. John Bosco (1815 - 1888). St. John Bosco was a man of God, he received visions of Mary and numerous dreams. One of these is a famous dream of a Pope dying with another pope rising up to steer the Church to safety. This famous dream, pictured above, is called the Two Pillars. See more in the book: The Forty Dreams of Saint John Bosco

St. John Bosco worked countless miracles. He had the gift of multiplication of the loaves, and St. John even raised a boy from the dead to give him the chance of a good confession. The boy confessed his sins and died, but this time he went straight to Heaven.

St. John Bosco was ordained as a priest in 1841, and he worked tirelessly with young boys in his neighborhood. His goal was to make saints out of them and at least one of his boys became a saint, St. Dominic Savio. St. John founded the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales and was the chaplain there. He opened up workshops there for tailoring and shoe-making to help the boys not only grow spiritually but also have enough money to live. He worked for many years in Turin, Italy.

St. John lived daily for Jesus Christ. He would rise early, hear Confessions, and write letters to those in need for hours into the night. He wrote over 130 works defending the faith, and for that, he was hated by anti-Catholics. There were numerous plots to kill him though none succeeded.

In 1854, St. John Bosco formally banded together under the patronage of St. Francis de Sales. With Pope Pius IX's encouragement, St. John Bosco founded the Salesians in 1859, whose charism focuses on missionary and educational work.

He was beatified on June 2, 1929, by Pope Pius XI, who later canonized him on Easter Sunday (April 1) 1934. He was given the title "Father and Teacher of Youth." And his feastday was assigned to January 31st, moving St. Peter Nolasco from that date up to January 28th.

Please say a prayer for St. John Bosco's intercession today.

Prayer:

O God, Who didst raise up Saint John Thy Confessor to be father and teacher of youth, and by him, with the help of the Virgin Mary, dist promote new families in Thy Church: grant, we beseech Thee, that inflamed by the same fire of love, we may win souls and serve Thee alone. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Catholic Schools Week

Darren over at My Catholic Reflections has an excellent post up today on Catholic Schools Week. And with St. Thomas Aquinas' - the patron saint of Catholic schools - feastday being last Saturday according to the Novus Ordo Calendar, it is a great time to focus on Catholic Schools.

St. Thomas Aquinas' Prayer for Students:

O Mary, Mother of enchanting love, of fear, of knowledge, of holy hope, through Whose pious intercession many make admirable progress in studies and piety despite crudeness of understanding, I choose Thee as protectress and patroness of my studies. Humbly I implore Thee that, from the heart of Thy maternal pity, and principally from the Eternal Wisdom that deigned to take on our flesh in Thee, and that exalted Thee in heavenly light above all the saints, Thou obtain grace from the Holy Ghost for me so that I might be able to penetrate with my understanding, retain in my memory, express by my life and words, and teach to others all that brings honor to Thee and Thy divine Son, likewise to the advantage of my eternal joy and that of all men. Amen.

Students Prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas:

O Blessed Thomas, Patron of Schools, Obtain for us from God an Invincible Faith, A Burning Charity, A Chaste Life, And True Knowledge Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain

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St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti

Today the Holy Church remembers the life of St. Hyacintha of Mariscotti.

She was born in 1585 in Italy and died of natural causes there in 1640. St. Hyacintha was raised in a Franciscan covenant, although she used personal funds for comfortable longing. She lived affluently for several years until she was plagued with a serious illness. Her confessor brought her Communion and was dismayed over the luxuries of her room. He urged her to live more humbly.

And that was when she changed. St. Hyancintha became both modest in her food and dress and even replaced her bed with a few boards to lay upon. She worked for the rest of her life with the aged poor, those less fortunate, and the novices of her convent. St. Hyancintha soon became an inspiration for everyone.

She founded the Oblates of Mary. St. Hyancintha was canonized May 24, 1807, by Pope Pius VII.  Her feast is celebrated annually on January 30th.

Note, St. Hyacintha is not to be confused with Hyacinth of Poland whose feast is August 17th.

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Some Saintly Advice for Today

Blessed Mother Teresa - "We need to be able to pray.We need prayer just like we need air.Without prayer, we can do nothing."

St. Padre Pio - "I have no desire except to die or to love God; either death or love, since life without this love is worse than death and for me it would be more unbearable than it is at present. "

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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What's Your Favorite Liturgical Song?

Ed at Through Jesus Through Mary has a good poll in his sidebar asking readers to vote for their favorite liturgical song. I'm finding it hard with so many good choices. Please go on over through the link and vote.

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A Prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas

Devoutly I Adore Thee (Adoro te devote)

O Godhead hid, devoutly I adore Thee, Who truly art within the forms before me; To Thee my heart I bow with bended knee, As failing quite in contemplating Thee.

Sight, touch, and taste in Thee are each deceived; The ear alone most safely is believed:I believe all the Son of God has spoken, Than Truth's own word there is no truer token.

God only on the Cross lay hid from view; But here lies hid at once the Manhood too; And I, in both professing my belief, Make the same prayer as the repentant thief.

Thy wounds, as Thomas saw, I do not see; Yet Thee confess my Lord and God to be:Make me believe Thee ever more and more; In Thee my hope, in Thee my love to store.

O thou Memorial of our Lord's own dying! O Bread that living art and vivifying!Make ever Thou my soul on Thee to live; Ever a taste of Heavenly sweetness give.

O loving Pelican! O Jesus, Lord!Unclean I am, but cleanse me in Thy Blood; Of which a single drop, for sinners spilt, Is ransom for a world's entire guilt.

Jesus! Whom for the present veil'd I see, What I so thirst for, O vouchsafe to me:That I may see Thy countenance unfolding, And may be blest Thy glory in beholding. Amen.

Prayer by Saint Thomas Aquinas, translated by E. Caswall

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Saint for the Year Devotion Continues

I cannot thank some of you enough. The Saint for the Year Devotion has spread greater than my highest hopes. Well over 300 requests have been made! I've just posted a few more results.

If you would like a special patron saint for this year, or if you know someone that would, please just see my original post and reply.

God Bless and Thank you

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St. Thomas Aquinas

Memorial (1969 Calendar): January 28
Double (1954 Calendar): March 7

Today the Church remembers my confirmation saint and certainly one of the deepest intellectual saints in the Church's history, St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and Doctor of the Church. He is especially dear to me since I chose him as my confirmation saint.

One of the greatest glories of the Dominican Order is St. Thomas Aquinas, who is known as The Angelic Doctor.

St. Thomas Aquinas was born to noble parts in Aquino, near Naples, Italy in the year of our Lord 1225. In his childhood the young saint was the provider for the poor of the neighborhood during a famine; his father, meeting him in a corridor with the food he had succeeded in taking from the kitchen, asked him what he had under his cloak; he opened it and fresh roses fell on the ground. The nobleman embraced his son and amid his tears, gave him permission to follow thereafter all inspirations of his charity.

At the young age of 19, he received the Dominican habit in Naples Italy, only a short time after the Dominican Order was established. But his family was opposed to the choice. His brothers captured him while he was on his way to Paris and locked him in the castle of Rocca Secca for two years. During this time the threats would not deter him from following his religious vocation. St. Thomas managed by his holy example to win over his older sister who decided to renounce a high-class marriage that was going-to-be and instead embrace the life of a nun. She would become the Abbess in Capua.

In order to stop Thomas from joining the Dominicans, St. Thomas's father sent him impure women to seduce him to the pleasures of this world. St. Thomas responded by chasing the women away with a flaming torch. As a reward, St. Thomas was privileged to receive a vision of an angel who girded him with a cincture of purity, and from that day he was free from all bodily temptations. St. Thomas Aquinas is often depicted in one famous image as receiving the belt of chastity after this temptation. He later accepted and joined the Dominicans.

He was taught in Paris and Cologne under St. Albert the Great. As a young student he was recognized by his professors as a genius, but it was Saint Albert the Great who later said of his disciple whom some called “the mute ox,” that “someday the lowing of this ox will resound throughout the entire world.” This prophecy has indeed come true and with it, the Dominican Order would see its greatest saint.

St. Thomas Aquinas' writings exhibit some of the greatest harmony ever conceived on paper. His works including Summa Theologica (which he did not finish before his death) and his 5 proofs for God's existence are still regarded as theologically brilliant.  Few though also own and read his fantastic Commentary on the Gospels, the four-volume set Catena Aurea. St. Thomas Aquinas' thoughts led to the formation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the 1800s.

Near the end of his life, St. Thomas received an extraordinary grace when a crucifix in Naples actually came alive and the Lord spoke to Thomas: “Well hast thou written concerning Me, Thomas. What shall I give thee as a reward?” St. Thomas replied, “No other reward except Thyself, O Lord.” And it is to this end that St. Thomas said that all of his works were but straw before the magnificence of Almighty God.

St. Thomas became a counselor to the papacy, and Pope Gregory X personally invited him to participate in the General Council of Lyons in 1274, but the Dominican saint died on his way there at Fossa Nuova near Terracina, Italy on March 7, 1274.

He was only 49 years old when he was called home to Heaven and exactly 49 years later he was canonized by Pope John XXII in 1323. Thomas was officially declared a "Doctor of the Church" in 1567 by Pope Saint Pius V and his feast day has traditionally been celebrated on March 7th up until the Second Vatican Council. It still is in the Traditional Roman Calendar. The Dominican Rite Calendar keeps his feast on March 7th and keeps a second feastday in his honor on January 28th in honor of the translation of his relics.

Thomistic Philosophy has been the cornerstone of seminary formation since the formation of seminaries themselves after the Protestant Revolt in the 1500s. A Catholic would be hard-pressed to study any area of Theology where the writings and teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas are not integral to the doctrine at hand. St. Thomas Aquinas is truly the glory of the Dominican Order and one of the most intelligent saints that God has blessed His Church with.

The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, is one of the greatest sources of intellectual inspiration in the history of the world. It is especially ironic that St. Thomas, who was dubbed the "dumb ox" by some, would become recognized as the most brilliant scholar in the history of the Church. Having written more than just the Summa, we sing hymns written by him each time at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament when we sign the "O Salutaris Hostia" and "Tantum Ergo."

Studiorum Ducem:

In a recent apostolic letter confirming the statutes of Canon Law, We declared that the guide to be followed in the higher studies by young men training for the priesthood was Thomas Aquinas. The approaching anniversary of the day when he was duly enrolled, six hundred years ago, in the calendar of the Saints, offers Us an admirable opportunity of inculcating this more and more firmly in the minds of Our students and explaining to them what advantage they may most usefully derive from the teaching of so illustrious a Doctor. For science truly deserving of the name and piety, the companion of all the virtues, are related in a marvelous bond of affinity, and, as God is very Truth and very Goodness, it would assuredly not be sufficient to procure the glory of God by the salvation of souls-the chief task and peculiar mission of the Church-if ministers of religion were well disciplined in knowledge and not also abundantly provided at the same time with the appropriate virtues.

Encyclical of Pope Pius XI promulgated on June 29, 1923

Litany of St. Thomas Aquinas:

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Glorious Mother of the King of kings, Pray for us.

Saint Thomas of Aquinas, Pray for us.
Worthy child of the Queen of virgins, Pray for us.
St. Thomas most chaste, Pray for us.
St. Thomas most patient, Pray for us.
Prodigy of science, Pray for us.
Silently eloquent, Pray for us.
Reproach of the ambitious, Pray for us.
Lover of that life which is hidden with Christ, Pray for us.
Fragrant flower in the garden of Saint Dominic, Pray for us.
Glory of the Friars Preachers, Pray for us.
Illumined from on high , Pray for us.
Angel of the Schools, Pray for us.
Oracle of the Church, Pray for us.
Incomparable scribe of the Man-God, Pray for us.
Satiated with the odor of His perfumes, Pray for us.
Perfect in the school of His Cross, Pray for us.
Intoxicated with the strong wine of His charity, Pray for us.
Glittering gem in the cabinet of the Lord, Pray for us.
Model of perfect obedience, Pray for us.
Endowed with the true spirit of holy poverty, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Oh, how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory, For the memory thereof is immortal.

Because it is known with God and man,
And it triumpheth crowned forever.

V. What have I in Heaven, or what do I desire on earth!
R. Thou art the God of my heart, and my portion forever.
Let Us Pray. O God, Who hast ordained that blessed Thomas should enlighten Thy Church, grant that through his prayers we may practice what he taught, through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

Prayer:

O God, through Whom Thy Church is glorified by the wonderful learning of Thy blessed Confessor Thomas and profiteth still from his holy labors: grant, we pray, that we may grasp his teaching with our minds and show it, as he did, in our lives. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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