I’m back in Rome! We just had a meeting about preparations for the beatification of the Founder of the Marians.
I found a very obscure little book in the library called “Visits to the Altar of Mary.” Here is a prayer from the book:
“Mother of Jesus, thou knowest how our poor hearts are prone to love of earth and earthly things; oh, obtain for us the grace to rise above the trifles of time, and to live with eternity constantly in view. In every action, whether little or great, may we make this our first consideration. Thou knowest the true value of an immortal soul; teach us to know it also. Thou knowest how wretched and how unworthy of our thoughts are all the things of time and sense; O Mother, obtain for us the grace to despise them as they deserve! Draw thy children after thee, so that we may long more and more for our blessed and eternal home, and live for eternity alone.” (377-378)
There is perhaps a bit of dualism in the prayer. All the things of time and sense are not to be despised, but seen in the light of eternity. Things are to be used in a way that does not impede us on our journey to God, but help us. We need food and drink to survive and serve God and others. Too little could do injustice to our bodies and not allow us to function properly, but too much is not good either.
Here is my modified version of the prayer:
Mother of Jesus, thou knowest how our poor hearts are prone to love of earth and earthly things; oh, obtain for us the grace to rise above the trifles of time, and to live with eternity constantly in view. In every action, whether little or great, may we make this our first consideration. Thou knowest the true value of an immortal soul; teach us to know it also. Thou knowest how easily our thoughts are overtaken by are all the things of time and sense; O Mother, obtain for us the grace to make use of them in the proper ways and flee from what is improper. Draw thy children after thee, so that we may long more and more for our blessed and eternal home, and live for eternity alone.