ACCRM’s 40 Days With Christ For Lent: Day Ten

Daily Renewal of Intention

[exerpts from “My Daily Bread” by Anthony J. Paone, S.J. [1954]

CHRIST:

MY CHILD, progress in virtue depends on My grace and your own determination.

1. My grace is always at your disposal. It is your determination that wavers and changes. Your intention would be more firm if you obtained more grace to help you. By prayer and sacrifice, and with an increased use of My sacraments, seek more grace. Then you would find your will stronger to follow your intention throughout the day.

2. It is not always enough to make good intentions in the morning. You must also recall and renew them during the day. Examine how faithfully you are following your intention, and seek to improve yourself in this effort. When you break your resolution, begin again. This is far better than abandoning your good intention altogether. Anyone can make good resolutions, but keeping them and renewing them is the work of a real man.

3. If you are afraid to start again or are discouraged by failure, it is because you do not understand what goes on in your daily life. Without Me you can do nothing. Put your trust in My help, Then confidently do your best to follow your resolutions. If you fail, renew your intention at once and begin again. I will judge you more by your efforts than by your failures. It is your natural pride that makes you afraid to begin, or discourages you when you fail. Pride wants immediate success.

4. Be honest, and you will be humble. Make a sincere effort, but do not be surprised at your weakness and unexpected failures. Beg for My grace, and go on trying. Leave all else in My hands. He who keeps trying to please Me will never be abandoned by Me.

THINK:
Am I brave enough to renew my intentions and good resolutions each day, and to make an honest effort to follow them? God’s help will not fail me. My old faults will slowly disappear as I advance in the practice of the opposite virtues. Thus, if I have a fault of laziness, I can best conquer it by seeking more opportunities to perform good deeds. And so will it be with my other faults.

PRAY:
Lord, let me do whatever is necessary to fight my faults and to advance in the opposite virtues. If I need to avoid some person or place, if I have to take some particular step, let me do so without any foolish delay. It is for Your glory and for my own greater good. Lord, now I begin, and shall keep on beginning again and again because I desire to please You. Amen.