1. PRAYER! Say this simple prayer but with great fervor of heart: JESUS I LOVE YOU! St. John of the Cross says that one act of perfect love for God is worth’ more than all of the apostolic works in the world at large. God takes great pleasure in a heart overflowing with love!
2. COMPLIMENT! Why not compliment somebody—if possible, a family member! A simple, kind word in the form of a compliment can pull that person out a pit of desolation into the splendor of God’s sunshine! Apply the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would like them to do to you.”
3. HOLY COMMUNION! The greatest single action that the human person could ever do in his whole life is to receive Jesus in Holy Communion with a burning heart of love! Jesus said: “I have come to cast fire on earth and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” The disciples on the road of Emmaus commented that after meeting the stranger, talking to Him and “breaking Bread” with Him their hearts were on fire!
4. SMILE! This simple gesture does not cost anything, but it is highly contagious. Sad looks are contagious, but a loving and winning smile is even more contagious. Why not start today? One of the clearest and most evident signs of a true follower of Jesus is a warm, kind and joyful countenance from which exudes the smile!
5. OFFER IT UP! Do you have an ache, a pain, some form of suffering? Do not waste your suffering, but OFFER IT UP! Our sufferings can make us either better or bitter! If we learn to offer them up to the Lord, they will definitely make us better and more holy disciples of the Lord Jesus who offered His life for us on the cross on that First Friday that we call “Good”.
6. THANKSGIVING! Never let a day of your life pass without rendering a heartfelt thanksgiving to your Lord and God. We should all cultivate “An attitude of gratitude”. With the Psalmist let us say: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good for His love endures forever.” Jesus is our example par excellence. He took bread and gave thanks….. The word “Eucharist” actually means “Thanksgiving”. God loves a cheerful and a grateful heart. May that be yours!
7. COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME AND RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH… Why not right now invite the Holy Spirit to enter and to take possession of the totality of your being—your body, memory, understanding, will, actions and even your intentions. He is the Sanctifier, the Interior Master, and the Sweet Guest of your soul… As the spirit rushed upon David at the moment of his anointing by Samuel, may the same spirit rush upon us all the days of our lives!
8. GIVE! Have your spiritual antennae open to an awareness of somebody in need of a helping hand and then give. Give freely, kindly, unreservedly, and constantly. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta teaches us with these words: “Give until it hurts.” St. Paul reiterates the same truth: “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.” Of course Jesus is our best example. He gave every drop of His Precious Blood for our eternal salvation!
9. GET UP AND TRY AGAIN! Despite our noble and the best of efforts we fall. The Bible teaches us, “The just man falls seven times a day.” The Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Father Bruno Pio Lanteri reminded his spiritual sons (as well as us here and now) “Nunc coepi”—words in Latin that mean: “Now I begin!” Even if we were to fall a thousand times a day, as soon as we repent and turn our hearts to the Lord He is slow to anger and rich in kindness and always ready to forgive us! You fall? Get up and bounce higher!
10. MARY: “Maria cogita, Maria invoca.” These words in Latin mean: “Think about Mary and call out to Mary!” As we pray in the famous Marian prayer the Memorare: “Never as it known that anyone who called upon Mary and fled to her protection was left unaided.” Our Lady indeed is our life, our sweetness and our hope.
Praise the Lord!