spirit, who used to rise
early, to prepare himself, as he said, for the "missionary" life, to
which he aspired.

A material help for boys to prepare for future life, is to serve at
the altar. He who sacrifices his morning sleep, overcoming sloth, to
minister to the priest at Mass, is already, by a privilege, fulfilling
the functions of one of the minor orders, that of the acolyte. The
devout server at Mass shares in its graces next to the celebrant, and
more than the ordinary faithful who assist at it; and many an
altar-boy, as he glided about the sanctuary, mingling with the
invisible angels who hovered around the Victim of sacrifice, has felt
the seeds of vocation sprouting in his soul.

Devotion to the Mother of God should also be a characteristic of
youth. She sympathizes with us, as only a mother can, in all our
difficulties and trials. She fully appreciates what we have to contend
with, she sees our weakness, the strength of our passions, the
temptations we encounter, and she is eager to throw about us the
mantle of her protection, if we will only ask her. Never a day should
pass without our commending ourselves earnestly to her motherly heart,
for she is even more interested in our welfare than we ourselves. She
is powerful to aid us, since all good things come to us through her;
and she will choose for her devout clients the career in which they
may best serve God.

By a strange perversion of mind, we often seek to unravel the
perplexities of life, without recourse to prayer. When involved in
business anxieties, men spend days of worry in wrestling with them,
without perhaps asking the Father of Lights for guidance. And the
young also, who must settle for themselves their future career,
frequently strive to do so, without the help of heaven. They perhaps
consult human advisers, but fail to consult God, the best of
counsellors, Who alone can see behind the veil of the future, and
infallibly tell what is best for us.

In coming to any important decision, light and strength are needed,
light to know the pathway of duty, and strength to follow it. On
account of the obscurities and half-lights of our intellect, we
perceive but dimly, and often fail to discern the true from the false.
The illumination of the white light of Truth is needed to flood the
dark recesses of the mind. And even when the truth stands clearly
revealed, we are often too indolent or enervated to embrace it; we
need the tonic of resolution