Robert Morneau is Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, the author of several books, a spiritual director, and a popular speaker. He notes at the outset the important role this prayer from Markings by Dag Hammarskjold (1905 - 1961) has been to him:
Give me a pure heart — that I may see Thee,
a humble heart — that I may hear Thee,
a heart of love — that I may serve Thee,
a heart of faith — that I may abide in Thee.
To purity, humility, love, and faith, Morneau adds seven more qualities which he sees as providing holiness in our lives — courage, joy, praise, gratitude, kindness, hospitality and hope. He divides the eleven chapters into seven-day segments and provides reflections and actions for each quality. The result is a fine mix of personal comments, poetry, and thought-piece quotations. What we liked best is his emphasis on spiritual practices. Here is a sampler of some of them:
• "Light a candle and spend fifteen minutes gazing into its flame. Ask God to enlighten you to understand what it is that you are seeking and why."
• "Ask God to anoint every word and action with the oil of grace. Try to experience everything, every word and deed, in the light of God's presence."
• "Pause for fifteen to thirty seconds before writing a letter, making a phone call, opening a door for an encounter, and ask that what is said or done might take on the quality of pure, transparent honesty."
• "Call someone today or send a note telling that person how beautiful he or she is."
• "Take time to assess the degree of joy you put into this day's tasks."
• "Reflect on your own history. At what times in your life has hope opened your soul to fresh possibilities? Name two people who have been agents of hope to you."
