Mental Prayer for December 15, With Him All the Way

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To hear and follow Christ's call.

The Idea: Christ spoke the truth, fearlessly, at all times. By His words and good works, He earned a lot of hatred from evil men. And so, by doing God's work, He moved surely and rapidly toward the cross, until after years of unselfish labor, He was cast out by the very people He tried to help. Abandoned by His followers, He was stripped of His last few possessions and executed as a criminal. Thus the most perfect life ever lived, the life that has been the admiration of all succeeding ages, ended in imprisonment, suffering, failure, and death.

My Personal Application: And that's Christ's secret: the most perfect way to go about this soul-saving business is unselfish labor for others, expecting no reward in this life. Christ lived this way to its fullness. All Christians get some taste of the same thing. And the more closely I try to follow Christ, the more likely I am to get the same. And the more willing I am to take this
suffering patiently for His sake, the more souls I will be able to serve.

Suffering is a mystery, of course, but it is also at the very heart of Christianity. There is no necessity of my following this way which is the way of Christ and the best way. But He calls me to willingly follow Him in His labor and sufferings if I so wish. Let me think it over, and if I find the courage, consecrate myself as follows:

I Speak to Christ: Dear Lord, I make this offering with your help, in the presence of your Mother and all the saints: I firmly and deliberately resolve to follow you in the way of poverty, labor, and humiliation in this world for the good of souls, in order to share with you one day in the glory of the Father. If only you wish to send these things to me, I will receive them gladly for the spreading of your kingdom, for the salvation of the world. I am only one small person, but all I have and am is at your disposal. Take me, and use me as you wish. I am with you all the way.

Thought for Today: "If you want to come with me, you must work along with me; as you share in the labors, so will you share in the victory."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)