Photo Prayer:
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Every sin that man can commit is contrary to the dictates of true natural and supernatural prudence; but some sins are formally opposed to prudence, not merely as disobeying it, but as destroying it. There are offences against prudence by way of deficiency, viz., by the absence of some quality or action that is essential to perfect prudence. Such for instance would be, acting without due consideration, rashness and haste in execution, neglecting precautions, taking an important step while uncertain as to its lawfulness, anticipating the guidance of God by committing oneself blindly to a definite course, in order to escape somehow from the embarrassment of doubt and the weariness of waiting for enlightenment. Such also are carelessness and forgetfulness, indulging baseless prejudices without examining their foundations, remaining in a state of ignorance through fear of fuller knowledge or to avoid the trouble of investigation. Also indocility in following the suggestions of God as conveyed through one's own conscience or the advice of others; fickleness of mind is reconsidering a thing which has been decisively settled, and changing one's mind for trivial reasons. Consider how you habitually act in these different respects. See if you are prone to any of these forms of deficiency in prudence. Resolve to correct yourself, and solicit from God the infusion of this important virtue.