Daily Acts of the Christian

On Rising, after having made the Sign of the Cross.

My God! I adore Thee, I love Thee with my whole heart.

I thank Thee for all Thy benefits, especially for having preserved me during the past night.

I offer Thee all my actions and sufferings of this day, in union with the actions of Jesus and Mary; and I make the intention of gaining all the indulgences that I can gain.

I purpose, O Lord! to avoid offending Thee this day, especially. . . .

It is good to make a resolution, particularly about the fault into which we fall the oftenest.

I beg Thee, for the love of Jesus, to grant me the grace of perseverance.

I resolve to conform myself to Thy holy will, and particularly in those things that are contrary to my inclination, saying always, O Lord! Thy will be done. My Jesus, keep Thy hand over me this day! Most Holy Virgin Mary, take me beneath thy mantle. And do Thou, O Eternal Father, help me for the love of Jesus and Mary! O my angel guardian and my holy patron saints, assist me.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Creed; three Hail Marys in honor of the purity of Mary.

At the Beginning of Work or Study.

O Lord! I offer Thee this work.

Before Meals.

O my God! bless this food and me, that I may commit no fault about it, and may all be for Thy glory.

After Meals.

I thank Thee, Lord, for having done good to one who was Thine enemy.

When the Clock strikes.

My Jesus, I love Thee; never permit me to offend Thee again, and let me never be separated from Thee.

In adverse circumstances.

O Lord! since Thou hast so willed it, I will it also.

In Time of Temptation.

Frequent invocation of the holy names of Jesus and Mary.

When conscious or doubtful of having sinned, say at once:

O my God! I repent of having offended Thee. O Infinite goodness! I will do so no more.

And if you should sin grievously, go to confession as soon as possible. Before going to rest in the evening thank God for all the favors you have received; then make an examination of conscience. Afterwards make the Christian acts in the following manner:—

Act of Faith.

O my God, who art infallible truth, because Thou hast revealed it to Thy Church, I believe all that she proposes to my belief! I believe that Thou art my God, the Creator of all things; that Thou dost reward the just with an eternal paradise, and dost punish the wicked in hell for all eternity. I believe that Thou art one in essence, and three in persons, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I believe in the Incarnation and death of Jesus Christ. I believe, in fine, all that the Holy Church believes. I thank Thee for having made me a Christian; and I protest that I will live and die in this holy faith.

Act of Hope.

O my God, confiding in Thy promises, because Thou art powerful, faithful, and merciful, I hope through the merits of Jesus Christ to obtain pardon of my sins, final perseverance, and the glory of paradise.

Act of Love and Contrition.

O my God, because Thou art infinite goodness, worthy of infinite love, I love Thee with all my heart above all things; and for the love of Thee I love my neighbor also. I repent with all my heart, and am sorry above all things for all my sins, because by them I have offended Thy infinite goodness. I resolve, by the help of Thy grace, which I beseech Thee to grant me now and always, rather to die than ever to offend Thee again. I purpose, also, to receive the holy Sacraments during my life, and at the hour of my death.

These three acts have been enriched with indulgences. ²

Other Acts.

I adore Thee, my God, I humble myself in the abyss of my nothingness to the will of Thy infinite majesty.

I firmly believe all that Thou hast deigned to make known to me by means of Thy holy Church; and I am ready to give my life a thousand times for this faith.

I place all my hope in Thee. Whatever good I may have, either in this life or in the next, I hope for from Thee, through the merits of Jesus Christ.

I love Thee, Infinite Goodness, with all the affection of my heart and of my soul, because Thou dost merit all my love. I unite my imperfect love to that which all the saints, most holy Mary, and Jesus Christ bear to Thee. Because Thou art the supreme good, I am sorry and repent of all my sins, detesting them as much as possible above every other evil. I resolve for the future rather to die than to consent to anything that may give Thee the slightest displeasure.

I offer Thee now and forever my body, my soul, and all my senses and faculties. Do with me, Lord, and with all that belongs to me, what Thou pleasest. Give me Thy love and final perseverance, and grant that in all temptations I may always have recourse to Thee.

I resolve to employ myself entirely in those things which are pleasing to Thee, being ready to suffer any pain and labor in order to please Thee.

I desire that all should serve and love Thee. I recommend to Thee all the souls in purgatory, as also all sinners; enlighten and strengthen these unhappy creatures, that they may know and love Thee. I rejoice exceedingly that Thy happiness is infinite, and will never have an end.

I thank Thee for all the benefits that Thou hast bestowed upon mankind, but especially upon me, who have been more ungrateful than others.

My beloved Jesus, I take refuge within Thy sacred wounds: do Thou there defend me from all temptations, till Thou shalt grant me to see Thee and love Thee eternally in paradise.

1. It is known that St. Alphonsus in his ascetical books took care frequently to remind his readers of the most essential practices of Christian life; hence the many admonitions and various formulas, now short, now long, which we distribute among the complete works as well as among the smaller separate works, conformably to the author's design.—Ed. ↩
2. See Rule of Life, vol. i., ch. 2, § 6.