Only for today: Pope John XXIII’s daily decalogue

Tomorrow we’ll discover
What our God in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!
— One More Day, Les Miserables

Someone pointed me to this homily of Cardinal Bertone about Pope John XXIII, otherwise known as “The Good Pope.”  Pope John XXIII is best known for Vatican II which resulted in extraordinary changes to the Catholic Church.  He also put forth several thoughts and insights which might be useful in bringing peace and contentment to our personal life.  One day at a time. 

Here is his daily decalogue:

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5. Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Cardinal Bertone concluded with the resolution: “I want to be kind, today and always, to everyone”.

“Every believer in this world must be a spark of light, a core of love, life-giving leaven in the mass: and the more he is so, the more he will live, in his innermost depths, in communion with God”. — Pope John XXIII

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

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