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Recently at dinner, Mom asked me a question regarding when a religious holiday was going to take place. I couldn’t recall the exact day. Going into the dining room, Mom came back with the prayer book she carried on her wedding day, complete with matching lace and three black prayer books. Mom had saved the prayer books Jim, Turtle and I carried to church every Sunday.
Paging through, I started chuckling when I came to “My Little Rules,” pg. 76. It read, Each Day, I must: Pray to God. Obey my father and my mother. Smile. Be good. Help Others. In Church, I must: Talk to God. Think of Jesus. Be quiet. Say my prayers. At Play, I must: Be a good winner. Be a good loser. Play fair with other boys and girls. Share my toys.
Each Sunday these bruised and beaten black prayer books would find their way to Our Lady of Perpetual Help where the Rose boys, I suspect, prayed and paid attention, best we could. I started thinking about those very principles on page 76 earlier this week because they are as true today for me at age 41 as they were at age 6. Truth be told, they are the foundations of our Christian lives.
This week, think about “My Little Rules” and how well each of us embodies them in our daily living. I think there is great wisdom within these disciplines; sometimes we’re so crazed and pressed for time, we forget. I know I can. Have a great week!
Love, Fr. Bill
PS: Does your child have a little black prayer book to bring to church? If not, it might make a great gift and bring fond memories later on in life.
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