Pray Before Every New Task

THINK

At her canonization on July 7, 1946, Pope Pius XII said about St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, "Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond the strength of a woman."

One wonders how she did it. She accomplished so much, worked so hard and so well for God. How did she find the strength? From where did she mine the energy to do all that she did?  St. Frances Cabrini quotes are few. Apparently, she didn’t waste a lot of time talking. She did say this, however, and maybe that’s the answer to question of “How?”:

"We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone."

PRAY

From the Collect:

God our Father, who called Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini from Italy to serve the immigrants of America, by her example, teach us to have concern for the stranger, the sick, and all those in need, and by her prayers help us to see Christ in all the men and women we meet. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ACT

Today, try to remember to pray before every new task. You’ll forget. It’s not a habit. But it could become one, if only we do it again and again, as the Holy Spirit reminds us.

~*~*~

I like to pray when I run in the morning. Often, I listen to Divine Office and pray Morning Prayer or the Office of Readings. Then, I just take up a conversation with God. I'd love to pray for you! Please leave your prayer requests below and we can pray for each other, no matter how we spend our morning prayer time. Meet me back here tomorrow and I'll share the ponderings from my #morningrun.