(To contemplate and to pass on the fruits of contemplation)
Composed by: Br. Simon Ballachi
 
In a Homily on first Corinthians chapter thirteen, “love is patient, love is kind…,” my priest made the suggestion that we should read it again when we got home and replace the word love with the personal pronoun I,a simple spiritual exercise.  Knowing this priest to be particularly blessed with wisdom, I suspected that it would be time well spent.  I was not disappointed. 

As I sat with my bible and began to meditate on the passage as instructed, “I am patient, I am kind…,” I asked myself at each turn, what does it look like?  Who, what, where, when, why and how?  A prayerful consideration of each made finding the answers easy,they were sitting in my lap. 

In finding these answers I wasfilled with joy, needing nothing other than to share the love and the blessing the Holy Spirit gave to me.  To that end I offer the following prayer:
 
 
LOVE, the Grace of Continual Renewal and Virtue
(A personal prayer)
 
Love is patient
I will be patient.  I will appreciate what I have today.  I will accept my Lord’s mercy and forgiveness with tears of gratitude.  I will not give into the evil one and anxiety, forsaking my many blessings in fear and foreboding.  I pray God will grant me the Wisdom to appreciate this gift of today, as it is, so that tomorrow, I will not regret having been blind. “Blessed are they who hunger.”
 
Love is kind
I will be kind.  I will give and treat all with all respect, all compassion and friendship.  My God has given me much more than I need, so much so that my only need is to share the same love He has given me.  I pray for a pure heart that I may love my neighbor as God’s servant, in righteousness, in Fear of the Lord and without reservation.  “Blessed are the peace makers.”

​Love is not jealous
I will not be jealous.  I will not want for my brother to be wanting.  I pray that I will recognize God’s many blessings in others and rejoice with HIM in all HIS works, all that is good.  I pray for Piety.  “Blessed are the clean of heart.”
 
Love is not pompous
I will not be pompous.  I will be merciful that I may receive mercy.  I pray for a life grounded in humility, with reverence and faithfulness to God. “Blessed are the merciful.”
  
Love is not inflated
I will not be inflated.  I will not be like a rudderless ship, without direction, a slave to whims.  I pray for a life grafted to His truth.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” 
 
Love is not rude
I will not be rude.  I will look beyond myself and seek to encourage.  I pray for Prudence.  “Blessed are the peace makers.”
 
Love does not seek its own interests
I will not seek self-gratification.  THY will be done Lord, in THY way, in THY time.  I pray for the Grace of obedience and help to resist temptation.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” 
 
Love is not quick tempered
I will persevere in hope.  I will suffer long in faith.  I pray for Temperance.  “Blessed are the meek.”
 
Love does not brood over injury
I will not damn myself in vanity.  I will forgive that I may receive forgiveness.  I pray that by Grace I may carry my cross, and follow Him.  “Blessed are they who mourn.”
 
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth
I will not let sin go unacknowledged, I will confess my sins.  I will not call what is bad, "good."  My yes will mean yes and my no will mean no.  I pray for probity, communion with my Savior, Living Justice.  “Blessed are the clean of heart.”
 
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
I will trust in HIM.  Faith sustains hope, through all tribulations.  I believe in God’s mercy.  I pray for fortitude and mercy.  “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you because of me.”
 
Love does not fail
LOVE is the source and sustainer of all that is.  God’s Holy will is Love.  I pray for the virtue of love that He may conquer me and that I may be a child of God.
 
“Rejoice and be glad, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”
GOD is Love.   1 John 4:8
 
 

​These posts are to help you kick-start the week and find inspiration through the lives of the saints. There is a depth of value in which we can learn from their insight and reflections. We hope to share them with you so that we all live for God at work, with friends and with family. 
 
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!