Father Patrick Gearon pointed out that God’s gift of time to us is not given to us all at once. “Time comes to us moment by moment. And so it is with the opportunities of doing things for God. God’s graces come one by one. And if these opportunities are not seized, they are gone and gone forever.”

There is a saying that “procrastination is the thief of time.” Procrastination is also the thief of souls for those who put off their conversion. Father Patrick said, “What folly on the part of those who are always intending to do something but never get any further than the intention!”

Many of us must have heard the following aphorisms: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” and “Hell is full of good meanings, but heaven is full of good works.”

Spiritual writers insist on the importance of Devotion to the Present Moment, which consists in seizing opportunities as they come our way and using them for God.

Father Patrick wrote: “Almighty God does not seem at all interested in the so-called big events spoken of in the newspapers. So-called big things can be dangerous. Almighty God wants quality and not quantity.”

We can find Our Lord in the midst of our little duties of the day, in mastering the little things of life, and in doing little acts of kindness. Father Patrick explained: “How attractive are those who are ever intent on doing little acts of kindness at home or abroad; those who are not only careful not to cause the least inconvenience but who are ever in search of doing a small service, of saying an extra cheery word, who are ever striving to bring sunshine into the lives of others!”

One way of seizing opportunities is to utilize sufferings which come our way. When we make a sacrifice or accept a suffering, let us say this beautiful prayer taught by Our Lady of Fatima: “O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of poor sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Father Patrick taught: “There is another aspect of Devotion to the Present Moment. We should do our work, no matter what it might be, thoroughly; in a word, we should pay attention to detail.” 

Devotion to the Present Moment also means taking one day at a time. Our Lord said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Mt 6:34) 

Father Patrick explained: “When people resolve to do something, e.g., to rise punctually at a certain early hour, to practise each day some little act of mortification – in all such cases, it were wise to think of each day as it comes and not to dwell on the thought that e.g., this act of mortification must be performed 365 times in a year.”

The confessor of St. Faustina urged the saint to reflect upon spiritual childhood. He said, “In practice, this spiritual childhood should manifest itself in this way: a child does not worry about the past or the future, but makes use of the present moment. I want to emphasize that spiritual childlikeness in you, Sister, and I place great stress upon it.”

Two weeks later, the Infant Jesus appeared before St. Faustina and told her how much God is pleased with simplicity in a soul. Our Lord said, “Although My greatness is beyond understanding, I commune only with those who are little. I demand of you a childlike spirit.”

St. Faustina wrote: “I waste no time in dreaming. I take every moment singly as it comes, for this is within my power. The past does not belong to me; the future is not mine; with all my soul I try to make use of the present moment.”

 

忠於現今這一刻

Patrick Gearon神父指出天主給我們時間的禮物不是全部都在一次賞給我們的。『時間是一段跟一段地到我們來。所以這就是為天主做事的機會。天主的寵佑一個跟一個.的到來。如果沒有掙取到這些機會，它們走了便永不回來。』

有說『拖延是時間的竊賊』。為那些推遲皈依的，拖延也是靈魂的竊賊。Patrick神父說：『對這些人，這方面是何等的愚蠢，他們經常打算做一些事但除了是打算外，永遠做不了什麼！』很多的我們都聽過以下的格言：『到地獄的路是舖滿好的意向』和『地獄是充滿善意但天堂卻充滿善工。』

靈修的作者堅持忠於現今這一刻的重要性。主旨是當機會到來的時候緊緊抓著它，利用它作天主之用。

Patrick神父寫道：『全能的天主看不似是對那些聲稱報章宣講的大事有所興趣。聲稱的大事可能是危險的。全能的天主要的是質量不是數量。』

我們可以在我們每天的小職責中找到我們的主，這都在克服生命中的小事，和在小小的愛心工作。Patrick神父解釋：『那些人在家，在外都經常着意去作小小愛心工作的人；那些不但小心奕奕以防為他人帶來些微不便，而且經常尋找小小為人服務的人，說句附加的令人愉快的說話，經常為他人生命送上陽光的人；他們是具吸引力！』

忠於現今這一刻的一個方法，是盡用迎我們而來的苦難。當我們作一犧牲或接納一個苦難，就讓我們頌念花地瑪聖母教我們的一個禱文：『吁耶穌，這是為愛祢，為罪人的悔改，並為賠補冒犯瑪利亞無玷聖心的罪過。』

Patrick 神父教道：『還有另一個忠於現今這一刻的方法。我們要妥善地做好我們的工作，無論是什麼的工作；就是說留心每一細節。』

忠於現今這一刻的另一層面是面對每一天。我主說：『所以你們不要為明天憂慮，因為明天有明天的憂慮：一天的苦足夠一天受的了。』（瑪竇6:34）Patrick神父解釋：『當人決定去做某事，例如每天準時清早起床，每天實行一小克己…所有的情况下，最理智的是著意每天要做而不是圍繞著一個思想—–克己是一年365次。』

為聖傅天娜聽告解的神父催促這位聖人反思孩提的靈修。他說：『實際上，孩提的靈修，在這方面能應自行展示：一個小孩不會憂累過去或未來，只會利用現今的時刻。我要強調，那在你內孩提的靈修，修女，我會大為著若重。』

兩星期後，嬰孩耶穌顯現給聖傅天娜並告訴她天主是怎樣的喜悅於簡潔的靈魂。我主說：『雖然我的偉大是遠超於所能明白的，我只跟那些微小的交流。我要求你一份像孩子般的心景。』

聖傅天娜寫道：『我沒有浪費時間去做夢，每一個時刻來臨，我都個別地利用，因為它在我的掌握之中，過去不屬於我，未來也不為我所擁有；我全心全意，善用當下此刻。』