My God, I promise You, kneeling before the image of Your Sacred Heart, that I will do my best to lead a martyr’s life by constantly denying my will and doing all that I think will please You, if You in return will grant me the grace of martyrdom.

A life of martyrdom is to be the price of a martyr’s crown.

COMMENT: In this way Fr Doyle brought an end to his notes on the Third Week of the Spiritual Exercises.

We are not obliged to desire martyrdom, not should we seek it carelessly or indiscriminately. But we should attempt to live with a spirit of martyrdom – a spirit of detachment – in everyday life. We can most readily do this in our everyday tasks by being faithful to them, especially when we don’t want to be.

Today is the feast of all of the Saints of the Dominican Order, many of whom were martyrs. Let us pray to them for the grace to live a life of faithfulness to our duties.