Putting My Present into God’s Hands

What is the first thing you do every morning? Check your alarm clock? Check your phone? Do you eat breakfast first?  What is the first thing we should do every morning?

As practicing Catholics, we should already know the answer. We must pray. We need to give God our day.

We must take great care never to do anything before having said our morning prayers… The Devil once declared that if he could have the first moment of the day, he was sure of all the rest (Saint John Vianney).

Prayer

Every morning it is a challenge because we have these temptations to do other things. We have the distractions of the world and the passions of our hearts. We get caught up in ourselves in doing what we want first, but it is necessary to focus on what is most important. We need to realize that prayer is fundamental in building our Faith and growing in our relationship with God.

This year, I am a college freshman and I am taking hybrid courses. In taking this new step toward my future, I need to make sure that I offer it all to God. Whatever assignments and challenges I may face, I must bring them to God. Some of it may be easy and some may be difficult, but in the end, if I unite my schoolwork to His sufferings and His sacrifice on the cross it will be of heavenly value.

That is what is so amazing about our Faith that whatever you do is not just useful on earth but has a heavenly reward if you bring it to God. For example, you can offer it up for the salvation of souls or you can offer it up to God for the glory of God. Any good done in Jesus’ Name is fruitful beyond what our eyes can see.

With school right around the corner this fall semester, I am excited and nervous. I know God is with me. He is holding my hand on this new journey and I pray for other students this year: elementary school students, middle school students, high school students, and college students. Wherever students may find themselves this year and whatever courses they are taking, they may find the value in learning and are grateful for it.

I pray they do not take for granted this education they are receiving. I pray they learn and apply it to their daily lives. They offer up their whole learning journey to God. Once you go further in your education you are able to do a lot more in your career and schooling and know a lot more things in practical life the more you learn.

It is also crucial to keep our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts open to learning anything new the Holy Spirit may be showing us in our daily lives even if we are not in the classroom. Wherever we may find ourselves in life there is always something to get out of the day. After all, God is and will always be the best teacher.

I ask for prayers from Catholic Stand readers that you may pray for me and for all students that we may grow in our learning, be able to apply it to our daily lives, and we may become the saints God calls us to be.

In addition, I pray in thanksgiving daily to God for my position here at Catholic Stand. I am very thankful for Catholic Stand because I consider it a calling of mine to write for others. I always pray to the Holy Spirit to inspire me. I always ask the Holy Spirit, “What do you want me to write?” so I am not writing for myself. It is a fruitful line of work. I love that I can inspire others as the Holy Spirit inspires my heart, my soul, my mind, and my words.

Furthermore, I offer up my family’s joys, works, sacrifices, tears, and happiness. Anything they are going through, I offer it up for them and their intentions. It is important to always think of your family.

It is also important to think of your friends. Whether they are far or close. To think of them often, pray for them, and offer your day up for them too. Especially, if they live far away you may not even know what they are going through. They might not open up about their struggles or the temptations they are going through. It is critical to keep them in your prayers.

Our Present-Day

Overall, I think we should always give God our whole day, our whole minds, our whole bodies, and our whole hearts. Our present-day should be our present to Him. The very breath we breathe is a gift and we should use that gift to the best of our ability. We should use our breath to say, “I love you,” to God like Saint John Vianney does in this beautiful prayer.

I love You, O my God and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely lovable God and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You. I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask, is to love You eternally My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath. Amen (Saint John Vianney).