QUERY IV: WHAT DO I DO?
This question is really simple to answer although not easy to accomplish. We are to save our souls; this is the only thing we have control over right now.
We end as began with the same quote from St. John Bosco, worth repeating:
"Those instead who, full of themselves, neglect their spiritual life and are concerned only with earthly matters soon lose God's grace and repeatedly fall prey to the infernal monster who, like a roaring lion, endlessly roams about seeking to wrest souls from God.
"Those who are habitually united with God remain unshaken even when subjected to the most harrowing trials because God is their shield. They can count on His help here below while ensuring Heaven for themselves. Humility, then, is the path to Heaven. Humility and greatness go hand in hand, Saint Augustine said, because the humble man is united with God. Humility does not consist in shabbiness of dress, speech or demeanor, but in lying prostrate---mind, heart and soul totally centered on God---with full awareness of one's nothingness, in an endless plea for His mercy.
"Don Bosco constantly fought against all error and sin, but he thought so highly of God's mercy that he openly proclaimed his hope that even Voltaire had obtained God's pardon in his last moments. This indicates how horrible seemed to him, the fate of those who died unreconciled with God." (Vol. X, pp. 63.66) [pp. 169-170]
The Necessities of Sanctification: BAREST MINIMUM
IF NOT ALREADY, DO THIS AS SOON AS YOU CAN
Make the Total Consecration to Mary
Enroll in the Scapular and wear it daily
DAILY
Morning Offering--Include to the intention to do everything for God, with God and through God.
The Three Hail Marys Devotion for the Grace of a Happy Death.
Resolve to remain in the state of grace---add this to the 3 Hail Marys' intention.
Offer thanksgiving and gratitude to God in all things, asking that your will be conformed perfectly to His.
Ask for the grace of gratitude.
Prayer to your Guardian Angel.
Prayer before any undertaking, including driving in your car.
Mortification and or Reparation: if you do a lot of driving, do not listen to the radio, if you are in the habit;
instead, do reparational driving, offer up the silence to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Silence: cultivate some time where you are not obligated to be busy with conversation.
Listen for the voice of God; reduce unnecessary chit chat regardless.
Fidelity to one's duties and obligations.
Acts of Faith, Hope and Love.
Acknowledge the Social Reign of Christ the King;
sign letters with the remembrance of Our Lady or Our Lord.
Never let anyone make you use C.E. [the common era] for A.D. [year of Our Lord]
Aspirations of Adoration or the Fatima Prayer:
MOST HOLY TRINITY, I adore Thee! My God, My God,
I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
At least 5 decades of the Rosary.
Acts of Spiritual Communions.
Grace at Meal times.
Short Aspirations during the day.
Fatima Prayer for offering up Sufferings and Sacrifices:
O JESUS, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners,
and in reparation for the sins committed against
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Fatima Pardon Prayer:
MY GOD, I believe,
I adore, I trust, and I love Thee!
I ask pardon for
for those who do not believe,
do not adore, do
not trust and do not love Thee.
Prayers for the Conversion of Sinners.
Spend a few minutes every day meditating on the Passion of Christ, take one aspect,
such as the Agony in the Garden.
If you want help, find some reading by the Saints and or spiritual writers.
Make this little meditation of 5-10 minutes you very own.
Work on one venial sin to avoid.
Always be kind to others, but firm when need be; firmness can be gentle, too.
Forgive wrongs done to you as soon as they occur. Do not nurse grievances.
Apologize when you need to and always ask forgiveness of others where this applies.
Notice the order of the two steps above.
Strive to avoid occasions of sins where you have control.
If gossip is your problem, for example, try to remove
yourself from neighbors or co-workers or family
that engage in gossip on a regular basis.
When you fall, mortify yourself in some small way. Avoid scrupulosity and fretting.
Immediately ask pardon of God and resolve to do better.
and Indulgences---Most aspirations carry partial indulgences.
15-30 minutes of Spiritual reading if possible; say a short prayer to the Holy Ghost before.
Pray for the Pope.
Examination of Conscience.
Act of Contrition---remember this might be your last one.
Night Prayers.
Remember, if you should fall into mortal sin---always ask Mary's help to avoid this---make as perfect an act of Contrition as you can, immediately, and ask for the grace of Confession as soon as possible. Repeat this until you go to Confession, at least once a day and or night. Be a beggar, this is to the good.
Do not engage in lurid discussions where bad jokes are passed around. Set a good example without being high and mighty. Change the subject, have ideas in mind before hand about what you will do if this happens.
WEEKLY OR SEMI-MONTHLY
Confession
Cultivate devotion to your patron Saint or another Saint, the Holy Angels
the Holy Family. This is up to you. Make a novena and repeat it from time to time.
Do the same with the Seven Dolors devotion.
Make use of chaplets if possible.
Devotion to the Holy Trinity---chaplet or novena.
Charitable alms if possible. A small amount suffices.
A simple act of charity where you went a little out of your way,
this does not cost much but is priceless. Do not tell others of acts of kindness
unless absolutely necessary because of your state in life.
More in depth reading---perhaps one day a week or a month.
Your duties and obligations will determine this as well as your health.
HOLY MASS:
This depends on the Masses available to you. You already know that Sunday Mass and Holy Days are obligatory. Many Catholics are no longer able to find a daily Mass that is nearby or at an hour they can attend because diocesan life has changed.
Eucharistic Adoration and Stations of the Cross in a church if possible. If not do the Stations at home, ask our Lord to accept your devotion even though you are not able to move from station to station.
OTHER
Do not be come alarmed.
Now you tell me, after you have scared me half to death.
On purpose. So that you will find the world easier to become detached from.
You are consecrated to Mary and wear her Brown Scapular. Your morning offering is given to God through her.
The world is in a mess and Churchmen are causing turmoil. You can't do anything about any of this for now.
Give everything to Our Lady and Jesus, place them in charge of your mind, your heart, your body, your soul.
Always remember that Russia will be consecrated to Our Lady's Immaculate Heart. A period of peace will come.
Until this happens nothing will go very right for very long. God has been insulted by this deferring of the Consecration.
Measure all things by Tradition, by Christ as Tradition has taught us.
The end of the world does not matter, your happiness in eternity does. Hell is forever, too. Resolve to never go there.
Save you soul! Make any sacrifice you have to!
Pray to persevere and then trust in Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, Help of Christians, Meditarix of All Graces.
Teach your children all of this, too.
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