An ancient writer advises us to address the following prayer to God on awaking and whenever the clock strikes: "I bless You, O Ancient of Days, as many times as there are minutes in the hour and hours in eternity, and I thank You an infinite number of times, more for what You are than for what I am."
Of course, this prayer is merely a suggestion; but it is well to accustom ourselves to offer to God all our actions throughout the day. We may acquire a certain facility in this practice, but we must be careful to avoid strain or worry during our work.
The Morning Offering of the Apostleship of Prayer is particularly valuable because it unites the soul with the desires of the Heart of Jesus, and the Monthly Intention expressed in the Offering has moreover the approval of the Holy Father.
We ought to become accustomed to recollecting ourselves for a moment at the beginning of each important duty. If we are alone,a moment of recollection on our knees, each time we come back to our room and before we take up our work, helps us to do all for God and likewise affords us an opportunity to sacrifice the natural desire to begin our work at once. We thereby both regain our calm and unite ourselves with God, which is a double benefit.
Once we are at work, WORK. It is not the time to be absorbed in other thoughts; my present duty is of foremost importance. If the work lends itself to occasional or habitual prayer, so much the better. Our work, however, may require such concentrated attention that we cannot think of God, then we need not reproach ourselves on this account. If we are working for God alone, our union with Him is complete. God wants my will more than my memory. When the time comes to think of Him, then I will do it wholeheartedly.
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)
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