Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: O my God, cleanse my soul of the dangerous attitude that "I can read anything."
The Idea: As a friend of mine looked in the drugstore window, he noticed me studying the magazine display. As I glanced up, his eye met mine and I blushed. Before me were spread out cover pictures of violence, horror, lust. Article titles emblazoned every sin and crime, pleasure and secret, that could be enticing to a strong, young imagination.
Freedom of the press can't give anyone a right to read everything in print. In fact, if I selected one of those magazines knowing full well that it has resulted in sinful thoughts or desires just about every time I have looked at it or read the short stories in it, I could be sinning even before I read it. Why? Because I would be deliberately choosing what I know is a proximate occasion of sin for me.
My Personal Application: Isn't the application obvious? Have I read things which I wouldn't dare read to Christ or His Mother if they were with me? Let me convince myself that when I read trash, I degrade my soul and become like what I read. Do I make any effort to read good literature? Catholic literature?
I Speak to God: Almighty God, help me to realize that I cannot read a steady diet of sensual romance, of the glories of wealth, of the cult of the beautiful body without beginning to think about and want what I read about. Give me the courage and common sense to read only what can ennoble my soul and be profitable.
Thought for Today: "Lead me not into temptation," Lord and don't let me lead myself into it.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
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