Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To form an intelligent, Christlike attitude toward drink.
The Idea: No reasonable Catholic would say that alcohol in any beverage form is evil in itself. It is a creature of God and, therefore, good in itself.
But it can be evil when wrongly used. A man or woman who always drinks to the point of intoxication certainly uses alcohol wrongly. One who always drinks moderately certainly uses it correctly.
For instance, a man who knows that even one bottle of beer makes him lose some self-control and therefore avoids even that one beer uses alcohol correctly. Likewise, a man who knows that he can safely drink two highballs or cocktails and stops there uses it correctly also.
My Personal Application: A good, sound idea, worked out by experienced persons, is that young people should avoid alcohol until they are at an age when they can safely and wisely determine how to use this creature. The emotional upsets of the teen years make it impossible for an individual to face this creature in the right way. Too much group pressure, being one of the "crowd," the advertising of today - these, are just a few of the other obstacles that young people have to overcome in arriving at a correct choice about alcohol.
I Speak to God: Facing this question calmly helps me drive away any fears I may have had about drink. Grant me grace to understand the best use of this creature of yours, Lord. I will use it or bypass it according as I see its usefulness in my life.
Thought for Today: Drink is a creature; use it if it helps, avoid it if it hinders.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
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