LPC Meditations

Sharing the fruits of contemplation and study for the glory of God

Meditations

  • Meditating on Death to View Temptations as an Opportunity for Growth in Holiness

    God permits our temptations so that through resisting them, we may grow in virtue. If I forget this, I become discouraged and may despair at the many repulsive and shameful temptations I find within myself and see this as a form of defeat. Yet, these are precious opportunities to show God I desire to remain…

  • Meditating on Death to Avoid Despair at the Last Hour

    From Preparation for Death by St. Alphonsus Liguori; Consideration VI: Death of the Sinner–Second Point “S. Bernard says, that that heart which has been so obstinate in sin during life, will use every means to free itself when dying fromthis state of condemnation, but will be unable to do so ; andbeing oppressed with its…

  • Desiring and Praying to Grow in Fear of the Lord

    “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10; USCCB) I need to learn to fear the Lord. The great patriarchs of the Old Testament all trembled in fear at the Lord’s Presence in the form of a cloud and fire. Christ’s apostles threw themselves to the floor when they beheld His true…

  • Meditating on Death to Avoid Stings of a Guilty Conscience

    From Preparation for Death by St. Alphonsus Liguori; Consideration VI: The Death of the Sinner; First Point “…they shall seek peace, but what peace can a soul find which is laden with sin, which bites it like so many vipers?” If I have trouble rejecting a sin and need a good reason to turn away…

  • Meditating on Death to Avoid Passions that Lead to Sin

    From St Alphonsus Liguori’s Preparation for Death; Consideration IV: The Certainty of Death; First Point “Death for me, perhaps, now stands nigh at hand. I should like to prepare myself for that great moment in which my everlasting happiness, or unhappiness depends.” God is under no obligation to continue forgiving me for my sins. If…

  • Purging Hidden and Selfish Desires from Real Duties

    If I am not careful, I make decisions out of a hidden motivation to satisfy my own desires. These secret motives hide so easily because they are mixed in with real duties I have. If my daughter misbehaves or screams, I might scold her out of fear that the neighbors will become upset rather than…

  • Resolutions for Mindfulness in Prayer and Work

    When there are a thousand tasks filling my head, tempting me to anxiety and worry, I will breathe and focus on my current duty. I will abandon them all to God and ask that His Divine Will be done, rather than mine. When I trust in Him and in His Providence, then I can rest…

  • Meditating on Death to Produce Fruit Pleasing to God

    From St. Alphonsus’ Preparation for Death, available on Saints’ Books Consideration 1, Third Point: Description of one who has Departed this Life “My brother, in this description of death, thou seest thyself, and that, which one day thou wilt be, ” Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Reflect, for in a few…

  • Meditating on Death to Avoid Temptation and Vain Thoughts

    From St. Alphonsus’ Preparation for Death, available on Saints’ Books Consideration 1, Second Point: Further descriptions of one who has departed this life “In that corruption many worms are generated, which feed upon the flesh. The rats come to feast upon the body, some on the outside, others entering into the mouth and bowels. The…

  • Meditating on Death Leads to Detachment

    From St. Alphonsus’ Preparation for Death. Consideration 1: Description of one who has Departed this Life. First Point: “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return” (Genesis 3:19) My goal is to be as ready as I can be for judgement at the day of my death, but I cannot do this without first…

  • Meditation on Psalm 119: Recognition of my own ignorance and weakness

    131 I sigh with open mouth, yearning for your commandments. My heart aches with frustration at my inability to properly meditate on God’s word or will. It feels that my mind is blocked and I can’t make sense of any of the thoughts in my mind. All I have is a burning desire to know…

  • Meditation on Psalm 113: Pleading for Help in Overcoming Weakness and Not Sinking

    This meditation is based on the Douay-Rheims Bible translation, accessible on the Classical Liberal Arts Academy‘s website. Note, the numbering system is slightly different than more modern translations like the NABRE. This chapter is split into two: ch. 113 pt.1, which is ch. 114 in the NABRE and ch. 113 pt.2 which is ch. 115 in the…

  • Meditation on Psalm 112: Recognizing and Rejecting Sinful Thoughts

    This meditation is based on the Douay-Rheims Bible translation, accessible on the Classical Liberal Arts Academy‘s website. Note, the numbering system is slightly different than more modern translations like the NABRE. “112: 5 Who is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high: 112:6. and looketh down on the low things in heaven and in earth?…

  • Meditation on Psalm 111: Balancing Justice & Mercy as Parents

    This meditation is based on the Douay-Rheims Bible translation, accessible on the Classical Liberal Arts Academy‘s website. Note, the numbering system is slightly different than more modern translations like the NABRE. “Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth: he shall order his words with judgement.” (Psalm 111:5) There is nothing I desire more than to…

  • Meditation on Psalm 110: Trusting that God Will Provide the Food I Need

    This meditation is based on the Douay-Rheims Bible translation, accessible on the Classical Liberal Arts Academy‘s website. “He hath given food to them that fear Him” (Psalm 110:5) In the Our Father, we pray that God gives us the bread that we need, and we do it daily because we continuously need nourishment for our bodies to…

  • Protecting Prayer to Overcome All Sin

    General Goal: Eradicate all form of sin from my life. Particular Goal: Protect my meditation and prayer times in a manner that is sustainable and reasonable to my state of life. Considerations: Resolutions: My God, please help me to detach from the simple pleasures of this life, especially from those I get from my spouse…

  • The Cross of Parenthood is my Path to Sanctity

    “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (1 Corinthians 11:30) I thought my cross would come from outside the home. I waited for the suffering that seemed would be placed on me in some great and honorable way, like the martyrs and saints we remember. I expected it…

  • Meditation on Balancing Duties to Husband and to God

    General Goal: Order my marriage to the will of God. Particular Goal: Show my husband that I enjoy spending time with him while still remaining detached internally from him and from the pleasures in spending time with him, such as date nights. Understand this balance of duty to husband and duty to God in order…

  • Meditating on Death is Essential

    I want to live like a saint. I want to live for Christ alone and not seek the pleasures of this life–as innocent as they may be–but rather see them as means to get to Christ. I read how the saints prefer to die a thousand deaths and relive thousands of sufferings or even an…

  • Meditation on Psalm 100: Turning Disgust of Sin to Love of the Sinner

    This meditation is based on the Douay-Rheims Bible translation, accessible on the Classical Liberal Arts Academy‘s website. Note, the numbering system is slightly different than more modern translations like the NABRE. 100:5 The man that in private detracted his neighbour, him did I persecute. With him that had a proud eye, and an unsatiable heart, I would…