My Prayer Book by Fr. Lasance is more than a book of prayers and devotions; the subtitle, Happiness in Goodness, indicates that it is also a book of counsels and reflections on the pursuit of happiness, not only with a view to the eternal life, but also with regard to our present existence “in hac lacrimarum valle.” “All desire peace,” says “The Following of Christ,” “but all care not for those things which appertain to true peace.”
We may say the same thing with regard to happiness. All desire it, but many do not attain to it because they seek it where it can not be found. The one thing necessary to true and lasting happiness is the state of sanctifying grace – the love of God -union with God, in whom alone man’s heart can find rest. “Rejoice in the Lord, always!” Seek happiness in goodness, in virtue; in loving God above all things and in loving all things in God; in loving your neighbor; in doing good to others for the love of Jesus Christ – that is the key-note – the dominant note of this book.
His Holiness (Pope Pius XI) wishes that these volumes, which assuredly will promote the spiritual life, may receive an ever-increasing welcome in all the Christian families of your great country. (From letter to Faher Lasance written at the Pope’s direction, May 10, 1927.)
My Prayer Book: Happiness In Goodness, Reflections, Prayers & Devotions
Table of Contents
Joy in the Lord — Self-Conquest: Self-Control— The Beatitudes
Introduction
Table of Movable Feasts
Holy-Days of Obligation
Church Law of Abstinence and Fast
PART I — Reflections
The Quest of Happiness: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God* with thy whole heart”
Charity. The Greatest Thing in the World
Fraternal Charity
The Spectrum of Charity
Be Indulgent
Be of Good Cheer
Don’t Worry
One Little Secret of a Happy Life
Abandonment
Holy Indifference: Self-immolation
The Saved and Lost
Lord, Are There Few Saved ?
Forgive Us Our Trespasses as We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us
Kindness
Thoughts from Father Faber on Kindness
Seek the Things Above
What Is It That Secures Happiness in a Home?
The Power of a Smile
A New Virtue
Faith and Humor
Peace Is Happiness
Happiness in Suffering
The Practice of Charity
The Highest Pleasures
Don’t Go to Heaven Alone I
Let Us Go About Doing Good
The Love of God
Character
A Young Man and His. Beads
What Flowers Indicate
Pictures in a Home
Be at Peace
Trust in God
Be Affable Always
Enthusiasm
In the Home
Promote Happiness in Your Homes
A Sunshiny Disposition
The Blessing of Pain and Grief
The Path of Sorrow
Job’s Comforters
Peace
Heart and Face
Reading, a Molder of Character
Faults of Those We Love
Little Kindnesses
The Power of Silence
The Title of Our Lady
The Gentle Saint
St. Joseph, the Patron of Those Who Love the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Guardian Angels
Exercise Your Charity in Behalf of the Poor Souls in Purgatory
By Prayer and Almsdeeds
It Is Sure to Come
Keep Your Eye on Heaven.
Use Your Gentlest Voice at Home
Do It Now
Frankness, Prudence, Simplicity
By Trying We Learn
For His Glory
Guard of Chastity
Holy Communion
Christ in the Eucharist
Salute Your Lord in the Blessed Sacrament
What Mass Is
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Visits to Jesus in the Tabernacle
Daily Attendance at Mass
Practical Suggestions for Fostering Devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament
The Sacred Heart
A Good Old Custom of the Servants of God
The Habit of Prayer
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
Mental Prayer
Prayers for Meditation
Vocal Prayer
Ejaculatory Prayers
The Apostleship of Prayer
Continual Prayer
Presence of God
Happiness in Goodness
Success
Why Deny Myself ? — Worth While Now
Sanctify the Day
Sanctify the Week
Sanctify the Month
Gems of the Months
Reflections on the Gems of the Months and Their Significance
Self-Restraint
A Good Scrap-Book
Read the Lives of the Saints
Be Careful in the Choice of Your Books and Magazines
The Imitation of Christ
Advantages of a Rule of Life
A Rule of Life
Death
Heaven
PART II — Prayers and Devotions
Evening Prayer
Aspirations
Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving
Act of Faith
Act of Hope
Act of Love
Act of Supplication
Act of Contrition
Act of Consecration
Offering
Indulgenced Aspirations and Prayers
Morning Offering of the Apostleship of Prayer
Evening Prayer
Aspirations
Act of Adoration
Instructions for Examination of Conscience
Act of Contrition
Act of Love
Indulgenced Aspirations
The Memorare
Indulgenced Ejaculations
The De Profundis
Prayers During the Day
Before and After Meals
Act of Faiths
Act of Hope
Act of Love
The Angelus
The Regina Coeli
The Salve Regina
The Sub Tuum Presidium
The Lord’s Prayer
The Hail Mary.
The Apostles’ Creed
Prayer before Meditation, Study, or Spiritual Reading
Prayer to the Holy Ghost
Prayer after Meditation
The Anima Christi
The Suscipe
St. Thomas Aquinas’ Prayer Before a Crucifix
Indulgences for Reading the Holy Bible
Indulgence for Mental Prayer
St. Teresa’s Book-Mark
Prayer before any Good Work
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Mass the Sacrifice of the New Law
The Four Great Ends of Mass
Important Comment
Prayers at Holy Mass
Mass in Honor of the Passion of Our Lord and the Sorrows of Our Lady
The Ordinary of the Mass, with the Proper Parts from the Mass to Beg the Grace of a Happy Death
The Eucharistic Rosary, Suitable for Holy Mass and the Hour of Adoration
Devotions for Confession
Before Confession
Examination of Conscience
After the Examination
Considerations to Excite True Contrition
Act of Contrition
Thanksgiving after Confession
Devotions for Communion
Holy Mass on Communion Days
Indulgenced Prayer before a Crucifix
Pere Eymard on Holy Communion
Various Exercises for Communion
Short Acts, Prayers, and Reflections Before and After Communion
Litany for Holy Communion
Another Exercise of Devotion for Communion
Third Exercise of Devotion for Communion
Prayers after Communion
Act of Petition
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Prayers at Benediction
O Salutaris Hostia
Tantum Ergo Sacramcntum
At the Blessing
Act of Reparation for Profane Language
Te Deum Laudamus
The Stations of the Cross
Preparatory Prayer .
Prayers before and after Each Station
Stabat Mater (English and Latin)
Litanies
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Litany of the Saints
Litany of the Blessed Sacrament
Litany of the Passion
Litany of St. Joseph
General Devotions
THE HOLY TRINITY: ONE GOD
Prayers at Beginning and End of Year
Canticle of the Seraphim
Prayer for Sunday to the Blessed Trinity
Aspiration
THE HOLY GHOST
Hymn to the Holy Ghost
Sequence of the Holy Ghost
Novena to the Holy Ghost
Prayer to the Holy Spirit for the Church
Short Indulgenced Prayer to the Holy Ghost
Prayer for the Feast of Pentecost
Offering to the Holy Ghost
OUR DIVINE LORD
Act of Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation, and Supplication
Prayer for a Visit to the Blessed’ Sacrament
Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori for a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament
Pious Ejaculations
Act of Faith.
Act of Hope and Confidence in God
Act of Charity
Indulgenced Acts (Adoration and Thanksgiving)
Tantum Ergo
Act of Reparation to the Blessed Sacrament
Morning Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament
Evening Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament
Petition for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Spiritual Communion (St. Alphonsus Liguori)
Another Prayer for Spiritual Communion
Petitions
Prayer to the Eucharistic Jesus
Indulgenced Devotions to Blessed Sacrament
Indulgenced Chaplet of the Sacred Heart
Offering to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Consecration and Reparation to Sacred Heart
