Catholic Saints, who have written on the Spiritual Life, suggest that a "remote preparation" is necessary in order to better understand the Word of God.  This includes being a lover of the Truth as well as the practice the Virtues of Humility, Meekness, and Docility to God the Holy Ghost.  "Proximate preparation" includes two prayers:  1) The Act of Contrition; and, 2) The Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

An Act of Contrition

O my God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, because I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and soul.  I detest all of my sins because it was for them and His Love for me that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity, my Lord and my God, suffered, was crucified, and died on the cross.  O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee by my sins, faults, imperfections, negligences and carelessness, Who art all good and deserving of all of my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Thy Grace, to sin no more, to confess my sins, to do penance, to amend my life, to avoid all of the near occasions of sin, and always give to Thee freely, liberally and generously what is of supererogation and perfection, not only in greater things, but especially in lesser things, so that I may gain beforehand Thy efficacious, superabundant, particular and special Graces and Helps so that I will always be victorious in resisting and overcoming all temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil and his followers.  Grant me those Graces and Helps needed so that my every thought, word and action may be done solely out of love for Thee, Who art Love.  Amen.

Saint John Chrysostom

It was the custom of Patriarch Saint John Chrysostom [b. Antioch, c. 347 A.D. - d. at Commana in Pontus on Friday, September 14, 407 A.D.], Patriarch of Constantinople [Thursday, February 26, 398 A.D. - Thursday, June 24, 404 A.D.], exiled from his See the 2nd time on Thursday, June 24, 404 A.D., Father and Doctor of the Catholic Church, to properly prepare himself and his Congregation before preaching. He taught that unless God the Holy Ghost prepares the minds and hearts of the Preacher and of the Congregation, the Preacher preaches in vain and the Congregation listens in vain.

Therefore, so as not to waste your time, please pray the Veni, Sancte Spiritus, remembering how one Holy Saint was of the opinion that a Sermon is a Sacramental.

Veni, Sancte Spiritus

Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful
And kindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created;
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let Us Pray

O God, who didst instruct the hearts of Thy faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to relish what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary; pray for us.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, Patron Saint of Catholic Schools, pray for us.

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you” (GOSPEL, Matthew 6:33).

V  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

On Wednesday, July 6, 1994, Tom Hanks appeared on the silver screen in a role for which he won an Oscar for Best Actor.  Some of you might remember his portrayal of the naive and simple character, Forrest Gump, who seemed to live a charmed life, always being saved at the last moment before some kind of catastrophe struck?

Apparently this is the Hollywood/Paganistic view of the so-called “virtues” of pagan secular humanism? Ironically, the movie script deviates considerably from the 1986 novel by Winston Groom upon which the movie was based.  But Hollywood hype is not real “Virtue” nor can such things assure a Soul of eternal salvation with God in Heaven.

This is why in today’s Gospel Jesus Christ admonishes all of us to FIRST seek “the kingdom of God and His justice”.  But this is based upon three requirements.

The first requisite is twofold - a Faith which leads a Soul to Baptism in the Catholic Church.

Christ teaches:  “He that believeth and is Baptized, shall be saved:  but he that believeth not shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

But only the one, true Catholic Faith of the Catholic Church, which Jesus Christ instituted, has the power to lead a soul to salvation in the eternal joy and happiness of Heaven.  This teaching of Christ is what His Apostles also taught and the Bishops who were the successors of the Apostles and their Episcopal successors after them and so forth down to today. People who, through their own fault, do not have this faith, hope in vain for Heaven.

The second requisite - the observance of the Ten Commandments of God and also those of His Church.

Christ teaches all of us: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).

It is not enough for Catholics to believe well, Catholics must also live well. But, how does a faithful Catholic live well?

By praying to the good God to live a life of real Virtue and to obey the Commandments, or, as God the Holy Ghost puts it through the pen of the Apostle, Saint James the Just, the Patriarch of Jerusalem:

“So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.  But some man will say:  Thou hast faith, and I have works:  shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. Thou believest that there is one God.  Thou dost well:  the devils also believe and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:17-20).

The third requisite  - that we diligently avail ourselves of the means of our eternal salvation.

What are the means of eternal salvation?

1) Prayer;
2) Assistance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass;
3) Reception of the Sacraments, especially the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and of the Holy Eucharist.

These last two are necessary for us, so that, first being freed from our sins, and then sanctified and fortified, we may better persevere in the service of God and make real progress in balanced Virtue.  What is this balanced Virtue?

Shortly after I entered the Novitiate, which used to be required of all Seminarians of Religious Orders and Congregations, which is a year of very intense prayer and study of the Spiritual Life, I learned this axiom of the Spiritual Life: Virtus stat in medio -Virtue stands in the middle.  This means that real Virtue avoids all extremes.

Put another way, real Virtue is balanced between the two extremes of doing too little and doing too much.  Both extremes are Spiritually very dangerous and, just as the Devil tries to tempt Novices to do either too little or too much, the Devil also does the same thing to the members of the Laity.

For example, too much formal prayer is just as dangerous as too little formal prayer.  Do you have some Morning Prayers that you say immediately after you get up for the day?

As busy as most of us are these days, you probably have very little spare time in the Morning?  If you have more time to pray, that is fine, but you should schedule at least three minutes for your Morning Prayers remembering that one who is to busy to pray is too busy!!!

Here are a few suggested prayers if you do not have more than three minutes for your Morning Prayers:

1)  Make the Sign of the Cross, saying:

V In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

2)  Thanks be to God!  (Deo Gratias!)

3)  After you have made your bed, pick up a Crucifix and kiss the feet of Christ on the Crucifix and then lay the Crucifix on your pillow, saying:

I freely and joyfully pick up the Cross which Thou hast given me to carry today, O Merciful God.  Permit me to carry it today for Thy Greater Honor and Glory and the Salvation of Souls, especially my own, so that by this, my Cross, Thy Most Holy Will may be done fully in me and by me.  Let not prosperity lift me up nor adversity cast me down.

4)  Spiritual Communion:

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art really present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  I love Thee above all things and I desire to possess Thee within my soul.  Since I am unable now to receive Thee Sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace Thee as being already there, and I unite myself wholly to Thee; never, never permit me to be separated from Thee.  Amen.

5)  Morning Offering:

O Jesus, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee all of my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of today, in union with every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered throughout the world, in reparation for all of my sins, faults, and imperfections.  I humbly beseech Thee, O Most Holy Trinity, to give me each and every one of those things today which Thou hast willed to give me today, and most especially to give me the grace of final perseverance in the Catholic Church, and also for these special intentions (here mention your special intentions).  Amen.

6) Veni, Sancte Spiritus:

Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V.  Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created;
R.  And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

 Let us pray.

O God, who didst instruct the hearts of Thy faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to relish what is right and ever to rejoice in His consolation.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

7) Three Hail Marys Devotion for Holy Purity:  Say 3 Hail Mary’s in honor of our Blessed Mother for the Virtue of Purity.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

8) To My Guardian Angel:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here; ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and to guide me.  Amen.

9) Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel:

Come, O Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.  Be Our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.  Rebuke him, O God, We humbly beseech Thee; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the Power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all of the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.

10)  Make the Sign of the Cross, saying:

V In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

Most Catholics should be able to say all ten of the above prayers in less than three minutes.  For some, it might only be about 2 minutes to 2 1/2 minutes because most Catholics had to memorize most of the above prayers which are in most Catholic Catechisms.  But you should never race through your prayers either - rather try to always recite them with reverence, respect, attention, and devotion while banishing whatever distractions might pop into your mind.  In this way you give the first fruits of your thoughts, words, and deeds to God every morning and thus show God that your priorities are in harmony with His Holy Will.
 

Do you have some Evening Prayers that you say immediately before you retire for the night?  Although you should be able to spend more than five minutes in prayer before you retire for the night, so many of us have major fatigue and exhaustion from a day of work, of dealing with family members, taking care of the inevitable problems that tend to pop up sometimes, it can be difficult to stay awake long enough to say one's Evening Prayers.  So, IF this sounds like you, here are some suggested breif Evening Prayers.
 

Here are a few suggested prayers if you do not have more than five minutes for your Evening Prayers:

1)  Make the Sign of the Cross, saying:

V In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

2)  Thank you Dear God for all of the ways in which Thou didst help me today!

3)  To My Guardian Angel:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here; ever this night be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and to guide me.  Amen.

4)  Prayer for the Grace of Final Perseverance in the Catholic Church:

O Supreme and Eternal God, I thank Thee for creating me, redeeming me by Jesus Christ, making me a member of the Mystical Body of Christ - the Catholic Church - and having waited for my repentance after so many sins.

O Infinite bounty, I love Thee above all things, and I repent with all of my heart for ever having offended Thee.  I have confidence that Thou hast already pardoned me, but being always in danger of again falling into sin, I beg of Thee, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me the special Grace of Holy Perseverance in the Catholic Church unto death.

Help me, O Lord, for Thou knowest my weaknesses; suffer me never again to be separated from Thee.  May I die a thousand times rather than again have the misfortune of losing Thy Grace by Mortal Sin.  Holy Mary, my Mother, obtain for me the Grace of a Holy and Final Perseverance in the Catholic Church.  Amen.

5)  Prayer to the Queen of Heaven:

August Queen of Heaven!  Sovereign Mistress of the Angels!  Thou who from the beginning hast received from God the power and mission to crush the head of Satan; we humbly beseech thee to send thy Holy Legions that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits; encounter them on every side; resist their bold attacks and drive them hence into the abyss of eternal woe.  Amen.

6)  Prayer for Mercy:

O Jesus, Divine Savior, be merciful to me and to the whole world.  Amen.

Powerful God, Holy God, Immortal God, have compassion on me and on the whole world.  Amen.

Grace and Mercy, my Jesus, during this present danger.  Shield us with Thy Precious Blood.  Amen.

Eternal Father, show us Mercy in the Name of the Precious Blood of Thy only Son, show us Mercy we implore Thee.  Amen.

(This prayer was disclosed to a devout Priest in Rome when he was offering Holy Mass.  It was revealed to him that those who say this prayer daily with devotion and faith would be spared from the great sufferings that are soon to come upon the world.)

7)  Evening Prayer of Saint Augustine:

Watch Thou, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight and give Thine Angels and Saints charge over those who sleep.

Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ.  Rest Thy weary ones.  Bless Thy dying ones.  Soothe Thy suffering ones.  Pity Thy afflicted ones.  Shield Thy joyous ones.  All for Thy Love's sake.  Amen.

8)  Prayer for Daily Neglects:

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus with all of its Love, all of its Sufferings and all of its Merits.

First, To expiate for all of the sins that I have committed today and during all of my life.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Second, To purify all the good I have done poorly today and during all of my life.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Third, To supply for the good that I ought to have done today and that I have neglected today and during all of my life.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

(A Poor Clare Nun, who had just died, appeared to her Abbess who was praying for her and told her:  "I went straight to Heaven, for, by means of this prayer, recited every evening, I paid all of my debts."  Of course this does not and can not replace the Sacrament of Penance, but it is prudent and wise to use it nonetheless.)

9)  Act of Accepting One's Own Death from the Hands of God:

O Most Holy Trinity, with a sincere spirit of love of Thee and with a contrite heart, I accept calmly and gladly from Thy hands whatsoever manner of death it may please Thee to send me, together with all of its pain, anguish and suffering.  Amen.

(Indulgences for the Act of Accepting One's Own Death from the Hands of God:  The Faithful who at any moment of their lives, from a sincere spirit of love of God and with at least a contrite heart, express their intention of accepting calmly and gladly from the hands of God whatsoever manner of death it may please Him to send them, together with all of its pain, anguish and suffering, may gain the following Indulgences:  One Plenary Indulgence for themselves each time they recite it [not to exceed one per day] and 12,000 Plenary Indulgences applicable only to the Poor Souls in Purgatory under the conditions of:  1) being in the State of Grace,  2) reciting this prayer devoutly, and 3) having the intention of gaining these indulgences.  In addition, One Plenary Indulgence for themselves at the hour of death if they have devoutly made this Act at least once during their lifetime under the above three conditions.)

10)  An Act of Contrition:

O my God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, because I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and soul.  I detest all of my sins because it was for them and His Love for me that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity, my Lord and my God, suffered, was crucified and died on the cross.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee by my sins, faults, imperfections, negligences, and carelessness Who art all good and deserving of all of my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Thy Grace, to sin no more, to confess my sins, to do penance, to amend my life, to avoid all of the near occasions of sin, and always to give to Thee freely, liberally and generously what is of supererogation and perfection, not only in greater things, but especially in lesser things, so that I may gain beforehand Thy efficacious, superabundant, particular and special Graces and Helps so that I will always be victorious in resisting and overcoming all temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil and his followers.  Grant me those Graces and Helps needed so that my every thought, word and action may be done solely out of love for Thee, Who art Love.  Amen.

11)  Spiritual Communion:

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art really present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  I love Thee above all things and I desire to possess Thee within my soul.  Since I am unable now to receive Thee Sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace Thee as being already there, and I unite myself wholly to Thee; never, never permit me to be separated from Thee.  Amen.

12)  Make the Sign of the Cross, saying:

V In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

Most Catholics should be able to say all twelve of the above evening prayers in about four to five minutes at the very most.

It is also recommended that you say the following prayer at least once a week - perhaps every Friday.  When it is combined with the above twelve prayers, the total time is only about ten minutes for all thirteen prayers.

Prayer to Obtain the Grace of a Good Death:

O Jesus, Lord, God of goodness and Father of eternal mercies!  I humbly present myself before Thee with a contrite, meek, and humble heart, and I commend to Thee my last hour and what shall await me after it.

When my feet begin to become motionless, thus warning me that my end is near;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my hands begin to lose the sense of touch and, trembling, can no longer hold the Crucifix, letting it fall, to my grief, on my bed of pain;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my eyes, already blinded and making contortions for horror at death so near, fix in Thee their languid and dying looks;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my lips, cold and convulsive, pronounce for the last time Thy Holy and Adorable Name:  JESUS;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my face, pale and livid, causes pity and terror to those around me; and my hair, bathed with the sweat of death, becomes stiff, announcing that my end is near;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my ears, shut forever to the things of this world will hear the final sentence of my eternal destiny;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my imagination, troubled by horrible and frightful visions, becomes submersed in mortal anguish and when my spirit, troubled with the fear of Thy Justice at the remembrance of my iniquities, is struggling against the infernal enemy, the Devil, who will want to deprive me of hoping in Thy mercies and precipitate me in the horrors of despair;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my heart, weak and oppressed by the pains of sickness, shall be overtaken by the fear of death, fatigued and wearied by the efforts it has made against the enemies of my salvation;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When I will shed my last tears, a sign of my approaching death, O Lord! receive them as a sacrifice of expiation so that I may die a victim of penance;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my family, relatives and friends, standing around my bed, become terrified at seeing me in such a state and invoke Thy aid;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When, having lost the use of my senses, and the world is vanishing from my sight, I groan under the anguish of my last agony and the affliction of death;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When the last groans of my heart force my soul to leave my body, accept them, O Lord, as effects of a holy impatience to unite myself to Thee;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
When my departing soul goes forever from this world and leaves my body pale, cold, and lifeless, accept this as an act of homage which I render to Thy Divine Majesty;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.
Finally, when my soul comes before Thee and beholds for the time the splendor of Thy Majesty, do not cast my soul away from Thy presence; but rather deign to receive my soul into the bosom of Thy mercy, that I may eternally sing Thy Praises;	then, Merciful Jesus, have pity on me.

O God, Who has condemned all to die, but has hidden the day and the hour, grant that I, passing all the days of my life in justice and holiness, may be able to merit to leave this world in Thy Holy Love.  Through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ may I live and reign with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

The Gifts of the Holy Ghost, especially the Gift of Wisdom, are a great help to keep one balanced in the practice of real Virtue which is the only way that a Soul makes real progress in the exercise of both the three Theological Virtues and all of the Moral Virtues.

Extremism, and its first cousin, rigorism - condemned by the Apostle Saint James the Just - has no place in the Catholic Church because both are Spiritually toxic and have killed many Souls who were misguided by teachers with tonsured heads who were ignorant of Ascetical and/or Mystical Theology due to grossly defective seminary training, with even some quasi- “seminaries” today euphemistically being called “boys' homes”!

Besides the exercise of balanced Virtue, we must develop our own fervent personal prayer life because prayer, along with frequent little acts of supererogation, help us to overcome all temptations and to persevere in living well.

Our Dear Lord wills that we “seek... first the kingdom of God, and His justice”.

WHY? The reason is evident.  What is earthly cannot be compared with what is heavenly.  Heaven is worth everything because everything of any real value is in Heaven!

This explains why Christ adds: “and all these things shall be added unto you.”

In other words, IF a person properly fulfills the three requirements, they shall have that treasure in Heaven of which Christ says:

“Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in Heaven which faileth not:  where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:33-34).

So this is what is meant by “all these things” that “shall be added unto you”.  God the Holy Ghost, through the pen of Saint Paul, refers to what He had first written through the pen of Isaias the Prophet (Isaias 64:4):

“That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

But even in this life, when Our Lord promises us that if we “seek... first the kingdom of God, and His justice... all these things shall be added unto you”, He is also teaching that all other things necessary for our temporal life shall also be added unto us.

It is like saying that God, as it were, has Heaven for sale, and wills that we buy it. If we make the bargain with God, that is, IF in order to gain Heaven, we serve Him faithfully in this life, God will give us everything we need for our temporal life, because such things are as nothing in His eyes, i.e. to God our temporal needs are no big deal and He can give them to us very easily provided that we have tried to serve God faithfully.

Plus, IF we lead a pious life and seek Heaven, we may be without worry and concern regarding our subsistence in this world.  God will reward you for your zeal in the practice of balanced Virtues, not only in Heaven, but also here on earth, and will give each of us what we need for our support.

Therefore, the service of God is the surest way to prosperity in this life and to eternal happiness in Heaven in the next life.

Resolutions

Resolve to pray to never lose sight of the end for which God created you and to frequently remind yourself that your eternal salvation is your number one most important business for the rest of your life!

Heaven is worth the hard work in this life for an eternity of perfect eternal joy and happiness.  Worldlings work hard to get fleeting temporal joys and goods which can never satisfy their hearts and which vanish like bubbles.  IF they have the misfortune to go to Hell, perhaps they will see over its gates the notice of Dante:

“All hope abandon, ye who enter here!” (Dante Alighieri, “The Divine Comedy”, Inferno, cano I, 1.85).

Under it is the reason why such worldlings chose Hell by their life-style:

“The world was too much with us; getting and spending, we laid- waste our powers; we have given our hearts away” (Cf. William Wordsworth, “The World Is Too Much with us”, 1.1).

So live that you see, not the Gates of Hell, but the Gates of Heaven, opened wide to receive you after your judgement, because, IF you serve God faithfully and walk in the way of His Commandments, you may be quite unconcerned about temporal things and God will give you all that you need for yourself and your families with the same generous hand that will one day welcome you home to Heaven!

In other words, it is a matter of priorities.  Those who put God first in their lives, have their priorities in order, as exampled by the saying of their Morning and Evening Prayers, saying the Prayers before and after meals, hopefully saying the family Rosary, as well as assisting at Mass on all Sundays and Holydays of Obligation, receptions of the Holy Sacraments - especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist - obedience to the 10 Commandments of God and also to the precepts of the Catholic Church, living a life of balanced Virtue, doing meditation and Spiritual Reading, whether from the Bible - especially the New Testament - and/or from the lives of the Saints, books on the Spiritual Life, continuation of one's study of the teachings of the Catholic Church, etc.

This is why Christ teaches all of us to set our priorities straight and thus:

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you” (GOSPEL, Matthew 6:33).

V  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

 

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