Adapted and edited for modern audiences

“A Practical Rule of Christian Life for Daily Observance”

in the spiritual classic The School of Jesus Crucified by Fr. Ignatius of the Side of Jesus, Passionist.

With quotes from the saints by Ryan Grant.

25 WAYS TO BECOME A SAINT © 2018 TAN Books All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts used in critical review, no part of this work may be reproduced, transmit-ted, or stored in any form whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This compilation is derived from The School of Jesus Christ Crucified, by Fr. Ignatius of the Side of Christ, Passionist. English transla-tion © 1895 by P. J. Kennedy, New York. Quotes from saints and prayers compiled from public domain sources.

Unless otherwise noted, the editor’s use of the Douay-Rheims Version for biblical quotations has been retained. Typography and changes in this edition are the property of TAN Books and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher.

Cover & interior design by David Ferris, davidferrisdesign.com ISBN: 978-1-50511-343-3

Published in the United States by TAN Books

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Charlotte, NC 28241

www.TANBooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

TAN Books

Charlotte, NC

2018

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B E G I N W I T H G O D

God inspires us with the beginning of a holy will, and with power and opportunity; and what we have begun well He assists us to accomplish.

—St. Prosper of Aquitaine

We can begin nothing well unless it is begun in God, the sole Fountain of all real good; begin, therefore, each day by raising your mind and heart to God.

On awaking in the morning, let your first thoughts be devoted to this great truth: God is here present; and make an act of lively faith in His Divine Presence. Let your first action be the Sign of the Cross, according to the custom of the early Christians; your first words the holy Names of Jesus and Mary; and the first impulse of your heart an offering of yourself to God, by saying with the deepest feelings of respect:

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OFFERING OF YOURSELF TO GOD

I adore You, O my God; I love You with my whole heart; I thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and especially for dying for me on the Cross, shedding all Your blood for the salvation of my soul, and preserving me in life up to the present moment; to You I consecrate my heart and my whole self.

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R I S E E A R L Y

Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams.

Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done well.

—St. Vincent Pallotti

Nothing can be more thoroughly in opposition to a well-regulated Christian life than late rising; for which reason never allow sloth to get the better of you, but rise early, and dress yourself diligently and modestly, remembering the presence of God.

While dressing, devoutly reflect upon the sufferings which Jesus Christ endured in His most sacred Body to save you from the torments of Hell.

Offer your heart to Jesus Crucified, and promise to spend the day granted you by His goodness, in loving and serving Him, and in reflecting, as often as possible, upon His bitter Passion.

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Remember that the day you are now entering upon may be your last, and let your mind be deeply impressed with this truth. Thus, death will never find you unprepared, and you will pass each day in a manner worthy of a Christian.

AN ACT OF PETITION

Behold me, then, my God, prostrate at Your feet, for the purpose of beginning my meditation; O, assist me by Your grace that my soul may benefit from it; enlighten my mind that I may know how much You have loved me, and give an impulse to my will that I may form an efficacious resolution of loving You.

Give me courage to devote myself without delay to the fulfillment of Your Will, whatever it may be, and grace faithfully to correspond with all Your holy inspirations.

Most holy Virgin Mary, my dear Mother, and thou, my blessed Angel Guardian, obtain for me the assistance necessary to make this meditation in a manner profitable to me. Amen.

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K N E E L A N D P R A Y

This is the business of our life. By labor and prayer, to advance in the grace of God, till we come to that height of perfection in which, with clean hearts, we may behold God.

—St. Augustine of Hippo

As soon as you are dressed, kneel down and say your prayers with the greatest possible devotion.

You will be wanting in religious duty if you omit this practice, and such negligence is the fatal source of many misfortunes, and the cause of the loss of innumerable souls. If you defer the payment of this tribute to God, other occupations will intervene, and you will not be able to find time for fulfilling so important a duty.

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PRAYER CONTAINING THE PRINCIPAL

ACTS WHICH A CHRISTIAN OUGHT

TO MAKE

I believe, O Lord; but increase my faith.

All my hopes are in You; secure them. I love You with my whole heart; teach me to love You daily more and more. I am sorry for having offended You; increase my sorrow.

O my God, grant that my will may be ever conformable to Yours, so that I may will whatever You will, because it is Your Will, and in the manner You will. Grant that I may in everything seek to please You, and to promote Your greater glory.

Grant that I may strenuously labor to serve You faithfully, to observe the greatest modesty in my deportment, preserve my purity unsullied, overcome every temptation, avoid all occasions of sin, and perse-vere in Your grace.

To You, O my God, do I offer all my thoughts, that they may ever be wholly Yours; my words, that they may always be conformable to Your Will; my actions, that they may all be in accordance with Your law; and my sufferings, that they may be made acceptable in Your sight.

I offer every breath I draw, every step I take, and all my labors, cares, anxieties, sorrows, weaknesses, and feelings of

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repugnance to suffering, in union with the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, and the Dolors of the most Blessed Virgin Mary. I offer them all to You in honor of the Passion and Death of my Redeemer, in satisfaction for my sins, to obtain the eternal salvation of poor sinners, and by way of suffrage for the holy souls in Purgatory.

O my God, bestow upon me the gift of Your love, a sincere hatred for every kind of sin, love for my neighbor, and a contempt of the world. Make me prudent in my under-takings, constant in good works, patient in affliction, humble in prosperity, and resigned to Your holy Will in whatever may befall me.

Enlighten my understanding, in order that I may know You, O my God, to love You, the vanities of the world to abhor them, the deceits of the devil to avoid them, and the malice of sin to detest it. Impart strength and fervor to my will, so that it may never yield to any of the fatal insinuations of the devil, but may courageously resist all tempta-tions. Purify my body, and sanctify my soul.

Grant that I may spend this day in preparing for a good death, that I may fear Your judgments, endeavor to escape Hell, never fall into sin, and gain Heaven through Your great mercy. Amen.

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B E M O D E S T

Where Christ is, there modesty is found.

—St. Gregory Nazianzen

Undress yourself with modesty and decency, com-mending your soul to God, and begging your Angel Guardian to bestow his assistance upon you, by saying an Our Father in his honor. As you lie down to rest, think of Jesus stretched on the hard bed of the Cross, and fastened down to it by sharp nails.

Say to Him:

Ah, my sweet Jesus, You are nailed to the Cross, and enduring unspeakable tortures, and I am lying on this bed! I compassionate You, and love You with my whole heart.

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P R A Y T H R E E H A I L M A R Y S

Let us then cast ourselves at the feet of this good Mother, and embracing them, let us not depart until she blesses us, and accepts us for her children.

—St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Dedicate yourself to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, to be her servant and child, and thus place yourself under her singular protection. Be very exact in daily offering this little tribute of respect to Mary, your loving Patroness and Mother, and you will not fail to experience the blessed effects of her powerful patronage.

Devoutly recite three Hail Marys before her image or picture, together with the following.

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PRAYER BY WHICH A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN MAY DEDICATE HIMSELF TO THE

BLESSED VIRGIN

Most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, although most unworthy of being your servant yet inspired with confidence in your extreme goodness, and filled with an earnest desire of serving you, I, (name), this day choose you, in the presence of your Son, of my Angel Guardian, and of the whole Court of Heaven, for my singular Advocate, Mother, and Queen, and I firmly purpose, with the assistance of your prayers, to serve you constantly, and to do all that lies in my power to cause thee to be served by all men.

I therefore humbly beseech you, O

most compassionate Mother, through the Precious Blood of your holy Son, to receive me as your devout patron and your servant forever, assist me in all my actions, and obtain grace for me, that I may so regulate all my thoughts, words, and deeds, as never to offend your Son Jesus. Forget me not, and never forsake me, either now or at the hour of my death. Amen.

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M A K E T I M E T O M E D I T A T E

The whole lives of the Saints have been one of meditation and prayer. All the graces by means of which they have become Saints were received by them in answer to their prayers.

—St. Alphonsus Liguori

Daily, as soon as you have finished your prayers, at least fifteen minutes’ meditation, for which you may prepare your mind by the following prepara-tory acts:

AN ACT OF FAITH

I believe, O my God, that You are here present wherever I direct the eyes of my mind, there do I find You. O how wonderful and incomprehensible is the omnipresence of my God! You deign to converse with me during this hour, and to communicate

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Yourself to my poor soul with so much love and condescension. O how great is the goodness of my God!

AN ACT OF ADORATION

O my God, from out of the deep abyss of my nothingness, I humbly adore Your Infinite Majesty and Greatness with my whole heart and soul. I acknowledge You for my First Beginning, and my most blessed Last End, for my great and only Good, and for my All in time and eternity. I would willingly adore You as You deserve, and as my own heart desires to adore You, but since I never could succeed in so doing, I offer You all the acts of adoration which have been, or will be offered to You for eternity by the Saints and Angels in Heaven, and by the Blessed Virgin, as also those made by the most holy Soul of Jesus Christ now and during all eternity. Accept them, O my God, in the place of those which I am unable to offer to Your Sovereign Majesty.

AN ACT OF HUMILITY

Who am I, O my God, that I should dare to present myself before Your infinite Majesty?

I am a most wretched creature, or rather,

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an abyss of nothingness, an abominable sinner immersed in a sink of uncleanness. I am an abyss of sin and misery, deserving of nothing but Hell, where I should long ago have dwelt, had not Your mercy so lovingly delivered me. I acknowledge, O my God, my great unworthiness, and I confess that I deserve to be forever banished from You; nevertheless, in Your infinite condescension You call, invite, and command me to come to You, to address You, and to converse with You. How great must be Your goodness, O my God, who disdains not to admit me to familiar intercourse with You! I most profoundly humble myself before Your Divine Majesty, and from out of the abyss of my sins and nothingness do I raise my voice in suppliant accents to implore Your mercy.

If you truly desire to lead a devout life, you will never omit this meditation. Be not of the number of those who say they have not time to meditate when they can find plenty of time to waste it in useless endeavors. When you seriously desire your salvation, then you will not be at a loss for time to meditate.

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R E S T I N C H R I S T

In all my difficulties, I never found anything so efficacious as the wounds of Christ. In them I sleep secure.

From them, I derive new life.

— St. Augustine of Hippo

Fall asleep in the midst of pious thoughts, such as these, and thus you will sanctify even your sleep.

When you wake in the night, raise your heart to your suffering Jesus, who should be the beloved object of all your thoughts and affections.

Say to Him:

My Jesus, I am Yours, do You save me. My Jesus, dying on the Cross for my salvation, grant that I may ever love You. My beloved Jesus, I thank You for all Your love. I compassionate You in all Your sufferings.

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I M I T A T E J E S U S

Take the holy Crucifix in your hands, kiss its wounds with great love, and ask Him to preach you a sermon. Listen to what the thorns, the nails, and that Divine Blood say to you. Oh! What a sermon.

—St. Paul of the Cross

Your meditation being finished, you should then resolve that in all your actions you will seek to imitate Jesus suffering and dying for your sake. Resolve that during the whole course of the day, you will most lovingly remain in spirit by the side of your Divine, suffering Redeemer, calling to mind as often as possible that portion of His Passion on which you have been meditating in the morning.

Nothing can be more efficacious in bestowing upon us consolation under the trials of this life than the remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus.

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AN ACT OF CONTRITION

Have mercy on me, O my God; I repent of having so often offended You, and I am deeply grieved at having by my sins outraged Your infinite goodness, You who have loved and still loves me to such a degree. Would that my grief were such as might break this heart which has dared to be unfaithful to You. I promise You, with the help of Your grace, never more to return to my hateful sins, and rather to forfeit life itself than Your love.

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T A K E R E F U G E

May You alone be my refuge and my help, my wisdom and my possession, my treasure in whom my heart and my soul may remain fixed immovably, forever. Amen.

—St. Bonaventure

Reflect that you are traveling through a hostile country, where at every step you are liable to meet with dangerous snares; therefore, in order that you may always have some place of security in which to take refuge, select one of the most holy Wounds of Jesus for your abode that day; often retire there to pour forth the feelings of your heart in acts of love and compassion for Jesus who endured those wounds for your salvation, and ask Him to bestow upon you the gift of some virtue, which you may endeavor to practice in a particular manner during the day.

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FOR SUNDAY

The loving Heart of Jesus —Ask Him to bestow upon you the gift of His holy love and of a spirit of detachment from all earthly affections.

FOR MONDAY

The Wound of the Left Foot—Ask for holy perseverance.

FOR TUESDAY

The Wound of the Right Foot—Ask for true contrition for your sins.

FOR WEDNESDAY

The Wound of the Left Hand—Ask for humility.

FOR THURSDAY

The Wound of the Right Hand—Ask for resignation in all things to the Will of God.

FOR FRIDAY

The Sacred Wound of the Side—Ask for grace to maintain a continual remembrance of the Passion and Death of Jesus.

FOR SATURDAY

The suffering heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Ask for sincere devotion and tender love towards her.

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G O T O M A S S

Man should tremble, the world should quake, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.

—St. Francis of Assisi

Never let a day pass without hearing Mass; and that you may more easily do so with devotion and benefit to yourself, go in spirit to Calvary, and remain there by the side of Jesus, who for your sake offers the sacrifice of His life to His Eternal Father, and for your sake renews it on the altar. If you cannot assist at the holy Sacrifice in person, be there at least in desire, and offer this pious desire to Our Lord in this way:

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A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You were already there, I embrace You and unite myself wholly to You; permit not that I should ever be separated from You. Amen.

Unite yourself in spirit with all the faithful who this day hear Mass, and, above all, with the priests who are celebrating, and in union with them offer Jesus Christ, and His Passion, His Blood, and His Death, to the Eternal Father in satisfaction for your sins, for the conversion of poor sinners, and for the salvation of your soul; and beseech Him, through the merits of His adorable, Crucified Son, to give you grace never to fall into mortal sin. Daily attendance at Mass is a source of many graces, both spiritual and temporal; endeavor, therefore, never to deprive yourself of them.

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P R A Y T O S T. J O S E P H

Imitate St. Joseph by beginning your day’s work with God, and ending it for Him.

—St. John Vianney

Begin your daily occupations with the intention of fulfilling the Will of God. Be careful at the com-mencement of each action to offer it to Our Lord in union with all His labors, fatigues and sufferings; and to have a pure intention of pleasing God, of promoting His glory, and of fulfilling His holy Will in all things. You will not suffer thereby more fatigue, but, on the contrary, far less, and your actions will all be meritorious. Ask St. Joseph the Worker to assist you:

PRAYER OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI TO ST. JOSEPH

Most holy patriarch, St. Joseph, I rejoice at the great dignity to which thou hast been raised in being made foster father of the Son

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of God, endowed with authority to command Him Whom Heaven and earth obey.

My holy patron, since Jesus Himself respected and served thee as His father, I, too, wish to enroll myself in thy service. I choose thee, after Mary, for my principal advocate and protector. I promise to honor thee every day with some special devotion, and each day I will place myself under thy protection.

As thou didst enjoy the sweet company of Jesus and Mary during thy life on earth, grant that I may ever live close to them and never be separated from God by losing His grace. And as thou wert assisted by Jesus and Mary at the hour of thy death, so grant me protection at the hour of my death, that, dying in thy presence and that of Jesus and Mary, I may one day go to thank thee in Paradise, and in thy company praise and love God for all eternity. Amen.

St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, protect us. Protect our Holy Father, the Pope, and our Mother, Holy Church.

Great is the fatigue, frequent are the failures, and numerous are the annoyances experienced through the want of such pious intentions.

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D O G O O D W O R K S

Labor without stopping; do all the good works you can while you still have the time.

—St. John of God

Make it a rule to employ all your time in a Christian manner, punctually to fulfill all the obligations of your state of life, and carefully to avoid everything that can offend God and be hurtful to your soul. Ask the Holy Spirit to assist you: PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTINE

TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.

Move in me, Holy Spirit,

that my work, too, may be holy.

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Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me, Holy Spirit,

that I may defend all that is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit,

that I may always be holy.

What bitter grief, agony, and despair is felt at the hour of death by those who have not led a Christian life, and who have made a bad use of that time which was given them solely to gain Heaven!

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R A I S E Y O U R H E A R T

The Christian life is the continuation and com-pletion of the life of Christ in us. We should be so many Christs here on earth, continuing His life and His works, laboring and suffering in a holy and divine manner in the spirit of Jesus.

—St. John Eudes

Amidst your occupations, forget not sometimes to raise your heart to God by pious exclamations. If you are suffering from weariness and fatigue, think of Jesus Crucified, and say to Him with all the affection of your heart:

O my sweet Jesus, how much more did You suffer for my sake! How much pain and sorrow and how many sufferings did You endure for the salvation of my soul!

O my loving Redeemer, how much has my soul cost You! I thank You for dying on a Cross for the love of me.

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Thus, you will labor as becomes a Christian, and the devout remembrance of Jesus Crucified will lighten every burden and relieve you under any fatigue.

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A V O I D I D L E N E S S

Idleness is the enemy of the soul.

—St. Benedict

Avoid idleness as the mother of all evil. Avoid those amusements which pander to the passions. Enter not into any society which may be prejudicial to your innocence. Refresh your mind by some innocent amusements, but remember that the early Christians would have considered it a crime to appear in the theaters, arenas, and vain public specta-cles of Ancient Rome. You are to be a Christian in your recreations as well as in your occupations. Ask for the grace to guard your heart: PRAYER TO DIRECT AND

SANCTIFY THIS DAY

O Lord God, King of Heaven and earth, may it please You this day to order and to sanctify, to rule and to govern our hearts and our bodies, our thoughts, our words

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and our works, according to Your law and in the doing of Your commandments, that we, being helped by You, may worthily be saved here and hereafter, and delivered by You, O Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

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T A K E C O U R A G E

Is there anything that a generous heart would not willingly suffer on contemplating Jesus Crucified?

—Blessed Raphaela Mary

In anxieties, sorrows, and afflictions, have recourse in spirit to Jesus Crucified; make known to Him your sufferings with entire confidence, offer them to Him, and take courage in the thought that if you suffer something for the love of Jesus, you therefore resemble Him, and bear Him company in His sufferings, and are meriting the glory of Heaven.

Remember that Jesus has suffered more than you do, and that He suffered for your sake. Offer your fears and anxieties to Our Lord with: PRAYER TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Be mindful, O Lord, of Your creature, whom You redeemed by Your Precious Blood.

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O Jesus, Who by reason of Your burn-ing love for us has willed to be crucified and to shed Your most Precious Blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us here gathered together in remembrance of Your most sorrowful Passion and Death, fully trusting in Your mercy; cleanse us from sin by Your grace, sanctify our toil, give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our daily bread, sweeten our sufferings, bless our families, and to the nations so sorely afflicted, grant Your peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying Your commandments we may come at last to the glory of heaven.

Amen.

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C A L L O N J E S U S

He who with his whole heart draws near unto God must of necessity be proved by temptation and trial.

—St. Albert the Great

In time of temptation, and when in danger of offending God, instantly call to mind the Wounds of Jesus, invoke His name with perfect confidence, and imagine that you behold Him on the Cross, lovingly saying to you:

“ Son, do not offend Me; do not renew My Passion and Death. Son, I have always loved thee, why wilt thou now grieve My heart by thy hateful sins?”

Prostrate at His feet, renew your determination rather to die than offend so dear a Father, so loving a Redeemer. There can be no thought more efficacious in preventing us from committing sin than that of the sufferings and wounds of Jesus Crucified.

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S U F F E R I N S I L E N C E

God must be loved first, in order that one’s neighbor, too, may be loved in God.

—St. Bernard Of Clairvaux

If your neighbor offends you in word or deed, or if he exhausts you, and opposes you, remember the outrages, contempt, and injuries suffered by Jesus during the course of His Passion, and say to yourself: My soul, see with what humility and meek-ness Jesus the Son of God keeps silence in the midst of all the evil treatment He has to endure; and will you nourish feelings of resentment? Ah, no, my sweetest Jesus, for Your sake I will suffer in silence.

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B E C H A R I T A B L E T O O T H E R S

He is rich in spirit who has riches in his spirit, or his spirit in riches. He is poor in spirit who has neither riches in his spirit, nor his spirit in riches.

—St. Francis de Sales

When you see the poor, the sick, the unfortunate, and the imprisoned, foster charitable feelings of pity for them, and relieve them if it be in your power, remembering that it was for love of you that Jesus Christ became poor, endured so many sufferings, and did not refuse to be ignominiously bound in order to liberate your soul from the chains of sin.

To a lover of Jesus Crucified, there is nothing which may not frequently suggest thoughts of Him, and of His sufferings.

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PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS ASSISI

FOR PEACE

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.

Where there is discord, let me bring union.

Where there is error, let me bring truth.

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.

Where there is despair, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring Your light.

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

O Master, let me not seek as much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love,

for it is in giving that one receives, it is in self-forgetting that one finds, it is in pardoning that one is pardoned, it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

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B L E S S Y O U R M E A L S

Do not forget daily prayer; keep holy the Sundays and Holy days, and receive frequently, being well prepared, the Sacraments. When it is possible, say in common the morning and night prayers, and grace before meals.

—St. John Vianney

When you take your meals, remember that Jesus Crucified had not even a drop of water wherewith to relieve His thirst during the last hours of His bitter agony. Never sit down to your meals without first saying some short prayer, such as the one pre-scribed by the Church:

PRAYER BEFORE MEALS

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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Do not rise from them without lifting up your mind and heart with feelings of sincere gratitude for His goodness, and conclude by making the Sign of the Cross.

PRAYER AFTER MEALS

We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

This has always been the pious custom of all the faithful from the earliest ages of the Church. To do otherwise would show a great want of piety, and would be to imitate the pagans and unbelievers.

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G I V E T H A N K S

In prosperity, give thanks to God with humility and fear lest by pride you abuse God’s benefits and so offend Him.

—St. Louis, King

In time of prosperity, or when everything succeeds according to your desires, and your heart is over-flowing with joy and happiness, do not lose sight of Jesus Crucified, or forget how He endured the most painful sufferings and agonizing dereliction of spirit, without the slightest consolation or relief.

Say to Him:

In You, and in Your wounds, O my suffering Jesus, and not in creatures, will I ever seek consolation. The joys and merriment of the world are nothing but vanity. The service of God and sincere love of Jesus are, on the contrary, an unfailing source of pure happiness to the true Christian.

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P R A C T I C E P A T I E N C E

As in Heaven nothing will be sweeter than to resemble Him in His glory, so here on earth, nothing is more to our advantage than to be like Him in His Passion.

—St. Robert Bellarmine

When you feel sad, sorrowful, or disturbed in mind, think of Jesus agonizing in the garden, and over-whelmed with the deepest sorrow at the sight of your sins, and the prospect of His own most bitter Passion. Unite yourself in spirit to Him, and say with Him:

Beloved Heavenly Father,

Your Will be done!

For want of Christian reflections like these, men often give way to feelings of impatience most unworthy of a follower of Jesus Christ Crucified.

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E X A M I N E Y O U R C O N S C I E N C E

Repentance is the renewal of Baptism and a contract with God for a second life.

—St. John Climacus

Before going to bed, examine your conscience, and make an act of contrition, never daring to fall asleep with your soul defiled by mortal sin, but cancel every stain by sincere repentance, when you have not been able to approach the Sacrament of Penance.

It would be the very height of imprudence to close your eyes quietly in a sleep which may be followed by death, without having discovered and grieve over all your sins at the foot of the Crucifix. Say to Him: We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee, for by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

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Let us pray.

O God, we ask You to mercifully look upon Your household that, by Your great goodness it may be ruled in body, and by Your protection may it be guarded in mind.

Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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A S K F O R G I V E N E S S

If my conscience were burdened with all the sins it is possible to commit, I would still go and throw myself into Our Lord’s arms, my heart all broken up with contrition. I know what tenderness He has for any prodigal child of His that comes back to Him.

—St. Thérèse of Lisieux

When you have had the misfortune to fall into any sin, hasten to cast yourself at the feet of Jesus Crucified, implore His pardon for the offense you have committed, and beseech Him, through His Passion and Death, to forgive you, and to bestow upon you grace never to offend Him more.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most

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of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.

If your sin was a mortal one, endeavor to go to Confession as soon as possible. Beware of living for any length of time with your soul defiled by sin, that enemy of God and crucifier of Jesus Christ. Remember that you might be surprised by death, and hasten headlong into Hell.

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P R A Y W I T H D E V O T I O N

By humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.

—St. Catherine of Siena

Conclude the day by saying your prayers with great devotion. Fail not every evening to spend a short time in reflecting upon some point of the Passion of Christ. Remember, at least, to thank Him most gratefully for the love which induced Him to die for your sake. Say to Him, with lively feelings of gratitude:

My sweet Lord, I thank You for having suffered so much, and having died on the Cross for love of me. Most amiable Redeemer, through the merits of Your Passion, save my soul;

Then say three Our Fathers in memory of His bitter Passion, and three Hail Marys in honor of Our Lady of Dolors, to place yourself under her protection.

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C O N S I D E R Y O U R L A S T H O U R

We must remember that all incapacity and distress is sent to us by God. Life and death, health and sickness, are all ordered by Him; and in whatever form they come, it is always to help us and for our good.

—St. Vincent de Paul

Imagine yourself to have reached the last hour of your life, and to be lying with the holy Crucifix in your hand, and you might ask yourself the following questions:

“ If I were now about to die, what should I wish to have done? Would this Crucifix afford me consolation and comfort, because I always loved Him who was Crucified, or would it be a reproach and terror because I offended Him and abused His love and mercy?”

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No words can express how useful such reflections, if seriously made, would be to induce a Christian to resolve on leading a more holy life.

In this manner you will pass your day in a holy manner, gain a great deal of merit with compar-atively little fatigue, sanctify all your actions, and give satisfaction to the loving Heart of your suffering Jesus.