Mental Prayer for October 22-Sin Prefers a Creature to God

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: I ask Christ to help me to understand this in my own life.

The Idea: A wealthy father has given his son many presents: a house, a car, a boat. He comes to his son and tells him, "I need money quickly to save the business. Would you borrow the money on your house... for only a short time." But his son replies: "I know you are a good businessman, Dad; I'm sure you can get along without me. And if you can't, why that's a good sign you won't be able to repay me. So, no loan this time."

My Personal Application; What do you think of such a selfish son? He is preferring his father's gifts to his father. Think how hurt his father must be. Yet is this not what we do when we sin? Don't we say to God by our action: "I know that you have given me this creature and every other one too, and that you want me to sacrifice it now. But I won't." What is the "creature" in my life; what do I desire most frequently? anger? ease? popularity? bad com­panions? books? Do I prefer these to the all-­good, the all-genrous God, my loving Father?

I Speak to God: Lord, I don't want to choose creatures instead of you who have given them to me. I will sacrifice them when your Command­ments tell me. But give me strength and light in times of temptation to look through the gift, the creature, to see you, the Giver, the Creator.

Thought for Today: Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)