The Armor of God
Reflections and Prayers for Wartime
CHAPTER XII
Occasional Prayers
A PRAYER
THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST
Son, I came down from heaven for thy salvation; I took upon me thy miseries, not of necessity, but moved thereto by charity, that thou might learn patience, and might bear, without repining, the miseries of this life.
For, from the hour of my birth till my expiring on the cross, I was never withouts uffering.
Lord, because thou wast patient in thy lifetime, in thus chiefly fulfilling the commandment of thy Father, it is fitting that I a wretched sinner, should, according to thy will, take all with patience; and, as long as thou please, support the burden of this corruptible life, in order to my salvation.
Oh! how great thanks am I obliged to return to thee, for having vouchsafed to show me and all the faithful a right and good way to an everlasting kingdom.
If thou hadst not gone before and instructed us, who would have cared to have followed?
Behold, we are still tepid, notwithstanding all the miracles and instructions we have heard: what, then, would it be, if we had not this great light whereby to follow thee?
-Imitation of Christ, Book III.
[Continued tomorrow]
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From:
The Armor of God
Reflections and Prayers for Wartime
by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen
(C) 1943, P.J. Kenedy & Sons
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