Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is a book that was edited by Monsignor Joseph Code in 1960. Ann Seton wrote Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton were written by Ann Seton, the first American Saint in the late eighteenth century. Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is quite useful as it contains daily prayers written by the saint herself. As the book contains prayers, it will primarily be of interest to Catholics who pray. But people who value meditation will also like this book. One thing is for sure: Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is readable at less than 200 pages. Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is also small, pocket-sized. Have you visited the shrine of Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland?
Summary of Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton
There is not much to the Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton. The book lists every day of the year and has prayers for that day. The days and Prayers are listed chronologically, beginning with January first. There are an average of four days/payers on a page. The prayers are easy to say and they are not longer than a couple of sentences. Each of the prayers offers a brief meditation on a particular theme or topic, such as faith, hope, love, and gratitude.
Because they are short, the prayers will not take more than a couple of minutes to recite to oneself per day. The key is to have the discipline to pray the prayers. It might be best to couple this regimen with something you do every day, like brushing your teeth and then reducing the prayer routine to practice, though repetition.
Ann Seton’s writings are steeped in Catholic tradition and offer a one-of-a-kind perspective on the challenges and joys of living a life of faith. Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is an excellent resource for anyone seeking daily inspiration and guidance on their spiritual journey. And you can be guided by a saint no less.
A Primer on Prayer
Many people, not just Catholics, find praying useful. The calming effect of prayer is akin to mention. It lowers blood pressure and calms the nervous system. Praying has also been shown to extend life and be associated with good outcomes for illnesses and injuries. The people who are the object of prayer must know that they are being prayed for.
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication directed toward a deity or a deified ancestor. More generally, prayer can also have the purpose of thanksgiving or praise, and in comparative religion is closely associated with more abstract forms of meditation.
One can pray for other people. Prayer can take a variety of forms: it can be part of a set liturgy or ritual, and it can be performed alone or in groups. The prayers in Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton are meant to be prayed alone. Prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal creedal statement, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person.
The act of prayer is attested in sources as early as five thousand years ago. So, prayer has been around a long time. Today, most major religions involve prayer in one way or another; some ritualize the act, requiring a strict sequence of actions or placing a restriction on who is permitted to pray, while others teach that prayer may be practiced spontaneously by anyone at any time. An ideal form of Catholic prayer is written in the Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton.
Conclusion
Daily Thoughts of Mother Seton is a short, simple book that can be used by many to enhance their prayer or meditation life. In this case, readers can learn prayers written by the first American Saint, Ann Seton. Even though this book seems like it will only appeal to Catholics, the appeal will be broader. It will pertain to anyone who wants to enhance their meditation life.
