Mental Prayer, First Friday of September-The Great Promise

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God.

Grace I Ask: Heart of Jesus, help me to under­stand how important First Fridays are for me.

The Idea: When He appeared to St. Margaret Mary, our Lord promised "to those who com­municate on the first Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in my disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; my Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

And Holy Mother Church exhorts us also to pray hard for the grace to keep our souls in the state of sanctifying grace up to the very hour of death - for the grace of final perseverance - because it is a very special grace. At the moment of death our eternity is determined: heaven or hell.

My Personal Application: I suppose I haven't thought much about dying. But it's the one thing of which I can be certain. Does the thought of death ever occur to me when I'm tempted to offend God? Why should this promise of the Sacred Heart make the thought of death less unpleasant for me?

I Speak to Christ: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help me to understand what a tremendous pro­tection you have provided for my soul at the hour of death. I place all my hope for eternal salvation in you, O Jesus. Don't let me ever forget your personal love for me which led you to make this promise. Thank you for promising to me such a wonderful blessing.

Thought for Today: "This day you will be with me in Paradise."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)