I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17)
Our morning prayer is vitally important to our
spiritual lives. By it, we offer to God
the first fruits of our day. It sets the tone for our day, and we have the
opportunity to renew our resolve to become saints.
Morning Offering
O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(here kiss the Brown Scapular), I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, joining with it my every thought,
word and action of this day.
O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence
and merit I can, and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate,
that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy Most Sacred Heart.
Precious Blood of Jesus, save us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer. (From Introduction to the
Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales)
BESIDES your systematic meditation and your other
vocal prayers, there are five shorter kinds of prayer, which are as aids and
assistants to the great devotion, and foremost among these is your morning
prayer, as a general preparation for all the day’s work. It should be made in
this wise.
1. Thank God, and adore Him for His Grace which has
kept you safely through the night, and if in anything you have offended against
Him, ask forgiveness.
2. Call to mind that the day now beginning is given
you in order that you may work for Eternity, and make a steadfast resolution to
use this day for that end.
3. Consider beforehand what occupations, duties and
occasions are likely this day to enable you to serve God; what temptations to
offend Him, either by vanity, anger, etc., may arise; and make a fervent
resolution to use all means of serving Him and confirming your own piety; as
also to avoid and resist whatever might hinder your salvation and God’s Glory.
Nor is it enough to make such a resolution — you must also prepare to carry it
into effect. Thus, if you foresee having to meet someone who is hot-tempered
and irritable, you must not merely resolve to guard your own temper, but you
must consider by what gentle words to conciliate him. If you know you will see
some sick person, consider how best to minister comfort to him, and so on.
4. Next, humble yourself before God, confessing that
of yourself you could carry out nothing that you have planned, either in
avoiding evil or seeking good. Then, so to say, take your heart in your hands,
and offer it and all your good intentions to God’s Gracious Majesty, entreating
Him to accept them, and strengthen you in His Service, which you may do in some
such words as these: “Lord, I lay before Thee my weak heart, which Thou dost
fill with good desires. Thou knowest that I am unable to bring the same to good
effect, unless Thou dost bless and prosper them, and therefore, O Loving
Father, I entreat of Thee to help me by the Merits and Passion of Thy Dear Son,
to Whose Honour I would devote this day and my whole life.”
All these acts should be made briefly and heartily,
before you leave your room if possible, so that all the coming work of the day
may be prospered with God’s blessing; but anyhow, my daughter, I entreat you
never to omit them.
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