A rule for a God-pleasing life
Try always to get up early and at a set time. Without special reason do not sleep more than seven hours. As soon as you wake up, cross yourself with deep reverence and remember the Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified and died for our salvation.
Get out of bed quickly, dress, and do not allow yourself to lie idling in bed. While dressing, remember that you are in the presence of God and your guardian angel. Then read your morning prayers. Pray attentively, with deep reverence and humility. Ask for faith, hope, love and blessing; and also for strength to accept with long-suffering, for the love of Jesus Christ, every difficulty, misfortune, offence, attack, sorrow, illness or any other event that God sends or allows on this day.
Every morning give at least 15 minutes to reflecting on the truths of the faith, especially the incomprehensible mystery of God's becoming man, His dread Second Coming, hell and paradise.
Every morning think that you are only now beginning and want to be a Christian, and that the time gone by has been lost in vain.
After prayer and reflection, if you have time, read some spiritual book, and read until your heart is softened. While reading, reflect and grasp well what the Lord is saying to your heart.
After this, see to your affairs. Let every action of yours be directed to the glory of God. Remember that God sees you everywhere. He sees your every movement, deed, feeling, thought and desire, and He will reward you generously for good deeds. Do not begin any work without prayer.
At dinner, imagine that the heavenly Father is stretching out His hand to feed you. Never leave out the prayers before a meal; share from your table with the poor too. Always remember the Lord God and His holy love for us sinners. Try in everything to do God's will and to please Him alone. Do and endure everything for God. Do not labour to win love and honour among people, but so as to please God and that your conscience may not accuse you of sins.
Keep careful watch over yourself, over your feelings, thoughts, and the movements of the heart and the passions. Count nothing as secondary when your salvation is at stake. Be obedient and humble. Be silent and endure, after the example of Jesus. Do not even think of acquiring the virtues without sorrow and pain of soul. Ask the Lord for grace to keep His holy commandments as well as possible.
Do not remain idle even for a short time, but be always at work and busy.
Flee even petty sins, since small sins are inevitably followed by great and grievous ones. So that evil thoughts may not trouble you, accept humiliation and bodily sorrows with humility — not on one occasion or another, but always, everywhere and in every matter. Drive out of your heart as quickly as possible every thought that takes you away from God, especially a foul carnal thought, as you would a spark that has fallen on your clothes. At such a time pray hard: Lord, help me and have mercy on me; do not forsake me, and deliver me from the evil one. Do not let temptations throw you into confusion. Keep peace of soul and trust in God: if God is with you, who can overcome you? Desire to live and die for the Lord alone and to belong to Him. When you receive some humiliation from people, know that God has sent it to humble you; and with this attitude, even when insulted, you will be in glory, without sorrow or agitation. If you have food and clothing, be content with that. Never argue, and do not defend yourself too much; do not demand apologies. Say nothing against your superiors or your neighbour without need or duty. Be simple and sincere of heart. Accept advice, instruction, admonition and rebuke from others with love, even if you are very clever.
Do not be hateful, envious, or too harsh in word and deed. Do not do to another what you do not want for yourself, and what you want another to do for you, do first for him yourself. Be kind, modest, careful, prudent, and, as circumstances require, deaf and blind. Think that Jesus is present among those you are talking with. Remember that a person will be called to account for every idle word. Say nothing without thinking. Listen more than you speak. In much talking you will not escape sin. Do not be curious about the news — it distracts the soul. If by your word you bring anyone benefit, ascribe it to the grace of God.
Try to do good to everyone, whether or not they appreciate you or are grateful.
At supper remember the last evening of Jesus Christ, and beseech Him to make you worthy of the heavenly supper. Before going to sleep, examine your conscience; ask God to enlighten your mind to know your sins; go over your sins; ask forgiveness for them; decide clearly and precisely by what ways and how you intend to correct yourself.
Then commit yourself to God. As though you were to stand before Him that very night, ask for the protection of the Mother of God, your guardian angel and the saint whose name you bear. Picture your bed as a coffin and your blanket as a shroud; cross yourself. Kiss your cross and fall asleep under God's protection.
If you cannot sleep, or lie awake during the night, recall the words: “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh…”; or remember that last night when Jesus prayed to the Father with bloody sweat; pray at that time for the gravely ill, for those on their deathbed, for the suffering and the departed, and beseech the Lord that eternal darkness may not cover you.
In time of illness, first of all commit yourself to God, and to strengthen your soul recall often and reflect on the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. Be sure to pray whatever you know and as best you can. Ask for the forgiveness of sins and for patience in illness. Try in every way not to grumble or grow irritable, which usually happens in illness. The Lord Jesus Christ endured terrible sufferings and torments for our salvation — and what have we done, or what have we endured, for our salvation?
Go to church for the services as often as possible, and try especially to be at the Liturgy; be sure to dedicate Sundays and feast days to the Lord; when you stand in church, always remember that you are in the presence of God, the angels and the saints; after the Liturgy give the rest of the day to reading soul-profiting books, to almsgiving and to other God-pleasing works. Spend your name day and your birthday too to the glory of God. At the end of every year and month, examine your conscience more strictly; go to confession and receive Communion as often as possible. Receive Holy Communion with a thirsting soul, a contrite heart, deep reverence, humility, faith, hope and love. Remember as often as possible the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, and beseech Him to blot out your sins and receive you into His Kingdom. Always have the name of Jesus on your lips, in your mind and in your heart. Reflect as often as possible on the Lord's great love for you, so that you too may love Him with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.
If you live like this, you will have a peaceful life in this world, and in heaven a blessed life unto the ages of ages.
