THE FIRST WORD UPON AWAKENING

178th Meditation

When I awake in the morning, You, Father, are already there, and all night You have watched over me. Then You expect me to turn to You and my first word to be consecrated to You, gladly and joyously! But sometimes I forget and let myself be carried away by moods. What a pity!

How important is this first word: the greeting to You! It places me in the truth of being, for who in the order of the redeemed Creation would not greet You?

All the angels and saints, burning in love for You, sing praises to You. The souls of the departed hope in Your mercy, to behold You soon from face to face. And the irrational creatures? They too, by their very existence, proclaim Your praise, for from You they have received life.

The book of Wisdom tells us:

“Whoever gets up early to seek her [the Wisdom], will have no trouble but will find her sitting at the door. Wisdom is brilliant, she never fades. By those who love her, she is readily seen, by those who seek her, she is readily found”. (Wis 6:14,12)

You, Father, are the source of all wisdom. To meditate on You and on Your love is the “perfection of wisdom” (Wis 6:15).

Now I have a new day ahead of me; a day created by You, also for me. Let me live it in such a way that, before nightfall, I can say: “Thank You, Father! This day was a good step to bring me closer to You on the way to eternity. Your wisdom was with me, and helped me and toiled with me” (cf. Wis 9:10).