We Do Well Always and Everywhere to Give You Thanks

I came across to this poem while reading the 4th Edition/2008 of Maria Legionis

(For those doesn't know, Maria Legionis is our legion magazine - Guys, i recommend you to do take a look at this magazine that we received monthly...a LOT of good stuff inside!!)

I would like to read to you a little poem. It is directed to God the Father and is taken from the first sentence of almost every Preface of every Mass that is celebrated. The title of the poem, taken from the first sentence, is.....

"We Do Well Always and Everywhere to Give You Thanks"
(in other words, always and everywhere we should give God thanks)

Teach me Lord to live this prayer,
That I may thank you everyday for everything!
Oh, I do at times give you thanks, for what seems good:
For my health, for my success, for love, and all that benefits me,
ant yet how thoughtless I am, how blind I am,
not to thank You for what is truly good.
For the pain, the unkindness, the criticism, the blame,
For every Legion invitation to become an offices of a Praesidium, or council,
to go house to house, to go on a Columban drive,
In a word, for every hurt, and for every invitation that comes from a person,
place or from my Legion work.
By these keen instruments would You, Divine Physucuan,
Remove from me the harmful growths of self, to give new life
Your own true life - and peace abundantly.

But I am blind and I do now see your loving hand in every invitation
that comes from persion, place or legion work. And so, in saying, "No, I'm too busy, I don't have time"
or "No, let Mary Jones do it, she's better qualified than I".
in resisting, I suffer more and I spoil your work.
Had I accepted all with gratitude, I might long since have been a saint,
and happy - for a grateful heart cannot be otherwise.
Forgive me, then, O my God my blindness and my squandered life,
And give me the grace, this day, to see
Your chastening hand in every legion initation that comes to me,
and in all of my hurts,
And not to blame your instruments.
But give me the grace to take each Legion invitation, each purifying cross,
And then, to give THANKS TO YOU, with all my heart.