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Morning Prayers
We begin by consciously placing ourselves in the presence of the Blessed Trinity. God is present to us; let us be present to Him by our living attention and keen desire to hear Him ...
(Pause...)
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord our God, the morning sky announces a new day. All around us, creation is beginning its song of praise. We now join our hearts and bodies with all people and all creation, as we lift up our hearts to You our God. This day will hold much for us. Let us pray that we may not miss its hidden
message, which is Your word to us; We now enter the interior of our hearts and, there, pray to You in stillness. Quiet of body and peaceful of spirit, we rest in You.
(silent prayer)
Our Lord, You shall speak to us in the events of this new day that is beginning. You have spoken in the past through your holy ones, may this reading be food for us this day.
(click here to go to the appropriate Scripture Reading for the day)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH -Lk. 1 -.67-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them
free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant, David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from
the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of
our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you shall go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their
sins.
In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
(This concludes the Canticle of Zechariah)
(Pause...)
Renewed in the freshness of this morning hour, we go forth with a graceful heart and
peaceful spirit. Mindful of our needs this day, we pray for our personal needs . . . .
(pause)
Our needs also include the happiness and peace of others, so we also lift up to You the needs, this day of those of all the earth as well . . . .
(pause)
O Lord of the Universe, O Divine Spirit of creation, O Jesus, Lord and Holy Pattern for our
lives, forever and ever, we bow to You. Amen
(Pause...)
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord our God, the morning sky announces a new day. All around us, creation is beginning its song of praise. We now join our hearts and bodies with all people and all creation, as we lift up our hearts to You our God. This day will hold much for us. Let us pray that we may not miss its hidden
message, which is Your word to us; We now enter the interior of our hearts and, there, pray to You in stillness. Quiet of body and peaceful of spirit, we rest in You.
(silent prayer)
Our Lord, You shall speak to us in the events of this new day that is beginning. You have spoken in the past through your holy ones, may this reading be food for us this day.
(click here to go to the appropriate Scripture Reading for the day)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH -Lk. 1 -.67-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them
free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant, David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from
the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of
our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you shall go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their
sins.
In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
(This concludes the Canticle of Zechariah)
(Pause...)
Renewed in the freshness of this morning hour, we go forth with a graceful heart and
peaceful spirit. Mindful of our needs this day, we pray for our personal needs . . . .
(pause)
Our needs also include the happiness and peace of others, so we also lift up to You the needs, this day of those of all the earth as well . . . .
(pause)
O Lord of the Universe, O Divine Spirit of creation, O Jesus, Lord and Holy Pattern for our
lives, forever and ever, we bow to You. Amen
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of us Your faithful and kindle in us the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray
O God who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant, that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray
O God who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant, that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer before and after Meditation
Before Meditation
Let us call upon the Holy Spirit to dwell amongst us during this meditation period.
Come Holy Spirit, fill my being with your gifts so that I may know and understand myself better. Make me truly wise and enlighten me to know what is true, seek what is good, and do what is right. Let me be for others an expression of your love so that together we may make this a better world.
I believe, Lord that You are here present. Although my eyes do not see You, my faith senses You. Take any stray thoughts from my mind. Make me understand the truths which You wish to teach me in this meditation. Let me make up my mind to put them into practice. Your servant is listening; speak Lord, to my soul. Amen.
After meditation:
I give You thanks, Lord God almighty, for all the benefits You have given me, You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Mary, Mother blessed, pray that all my intentions and works of this day may be directed solely to the greater glory of God's Divine Majesty. May the grace of God dwell always in me!
Let us call upon the Holy Spirit to dwell amongst us during this meditation period.
Come Holy Spirit, fill my being with your gifts so that I may know and understand myself better. Make me truly wise and enlighten me to know what is true, seek what is good, and do what is right. Let me be for others an expression of your love so that together we may make this a better world.
I believe, Lord that You are here present. Although my eyes do not see You, my faith senses You. Take any stray thoughts from my mind. Make me understand the truths which You wish to teach me in this meditation. Let me make up my mind to put them into practice. Your servant is listening; speak Lord, to my soul. Amen.
After meditation:
I give You thanks, Lord God almighty, for all the benefits You have given me, You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Mary, Mother blessed, pray that all my intentions and works of this day may be directed solely to the greater glory of God's Divine Majesty. May the grace of God dwell always in me!
Prayer after a deeply religious experience
From the center of my being, I praise You, my Lord and God, for the beautiful experience that You have given me. This time has inflamed my heart, renewed my dreams, and enabled me to see with eyes divine. I heard Your Ancient Call within the words and events of this time now ended;
Your call to personal holiness and perfection, the invitation to prayer and spirituality, the challenge of the Kingdom and the Church. As the disciples of Your Son were set afire by Your Divine Spirit on Pentecost, this sacred time has encouraged me to greatness within the scope of my simple life. I may soon forget the words that were spoken and the names of those who were involved, but what has happened has truly shaped my heart.
May the activities of my heart bear witness to the Great Grace of what has happened to me in the day-to-day world to which I return. May this time of spiritual renewal become a part of the fabric of my life; may it be part of a lifelong enrollment in the school of prayer. May I build upon it with daily prayer, and with the discipline of my spiritual life.
Nourished by prayer, reading, thought, and action may the seeds of this renewal time take root and flower forth in a Life-Song to You, my Lord and my God.
(Excerpts from "Prayers for the Domestic Church" by Fr. Ed Hays)
Your call to personal holiness and perfection, the invitation to prayer and spirituality, the challenge of the Kingdom and the Church. As the disciples of Your Son were set afire by Your Divine Spirit on Pentecost, this sacred time has encouraged me to greatness within the scope of my simple life. I may soon forget the words that were spoken and the names of those who were involved, but what has happened has truly shaped my heart.
May the activities of my heart bear witness to the Great Grace of what has happened to me in the day-to-day world to which I return. May this time of spiritual renewal become a part of the fabric of my life; may it be part of a lifelong enrollment in the school of prayer. May I build upon it with daily prayer, and with the discipline of my spiritual life.
Nourished by prayer, reading, thought, and action may the seeds of this renewal time take root and flower forth in a Life-Song to You, my Lord and my God.
(Excerpts from "Prayers for the Domestic Church" by Fr. Ed Hays)
LET US PRAY
In the name of the Father, our Lord, Beloved Source of all that is, we bow before You as we come to the end of our day.
The sun has journeyed across the sky and has disappeared beneath the horizon.The day is now complete, and we greet the darkness of the night with a prayer of gratitude. We thank You for all the sun-touched gifts of this day.
pause for reflection . . .
We ask Your Mercy for the times, this day, when we have forgotten to be kind and compassionate.
We are sorry for the times when we have rushed through the Mystery of Life, blind to the needs of others or to the beauties of creation.
pause for reflection . . .
In communion with all the people of God, may we enter into sacred stillness.
pause for reflection . . .
Our Lord and God, You who are the creator of the universe, we praise and adore You. In Divine Wisdom, You have balanced all of creation, day and night, male and female, summer and winter, light and dark. We embrace that balance and in this day that is closing, we have attempted to balance the needs of body and spirit, the inner person and the public person. Wrapped in gratitude, we place before You our personal needs:
pause to ponder those needs...
Lord of Day and Night, of life and death, we place ourselves into Your Holy Hands.
CANTICLE OF SIMEON -Luke 2:29-32
Now Master, You have kept Your word: Let Your servant go in peace. With my own eyes I have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people: A light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father . . . . Amen.
On Saturdays:
CANTICLE OF MARY -Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant, and from this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me: holy is His name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every
generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty handed. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and His children forever.
Glory be to the Father . . . Amen
(end of the Canticle)
In the peace of the evening we render accounts for this day that You have given us Lord:
Did I fully give myself to God this day? Have I given my whole heart to God to the degree that I love Him above all things and thus keep His commandments? Do I love Him as a son loves his father, or am I too readily caught up with the love of other things?
pause for reflection ...
Did I truly love my neighbor? In the communities that I am a part of (family, neighborhood, social),
am I solely involved in my own affairs? Do I promote honesty, harmony and love? Do I fulfill my civic responsibilities? Could I be more generous, more courageous, more self-sacrificing, more cheerful? In my work environment, am I just, hardworking, honest? Do I work with a spirit of love and care?
pause for reflection ...
Did this day reflect the direction I want my life to take? Did I grow closer to Christ through prayer, meditation, Mass and Holy Communion, visit to the Blessed Sacrament, rosary? Did I try to control my vices, passions and inclinations by mortification and self-denial? Was I self-satisfied or overbearing, disregarding the opinions or feelings of others? Did I deprive others of their freedom or rights by imposing my will on them? How have I used the time, energy and talents which God has given me? Have I lacked time to be His apostle? Or have I been lazy, wasted time?
pause for reflection ...
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Father, we ask that You stay with us this night and keep us from evil. Grant us the rest we need to rise refreshed tomorrow so that we may serve You better.
This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The sun has journeyed across the sky and has disappeared beneath the horizon.The day is now complete, and we greet the darkness of the night with a prayer of gratitude. We thank You for all the sun-touched gifts of this day.
pause for reflection . . .
We ask Your Mercy for the times, this day, when we have forgotten to be kind and compassionate.
We are sorry for the times when we have rushed through the Mystery of Life, blind to the needs of others or to the beauties of creation.
pause for reflection . . .
In communion with all the people of God, may we enter into sacred stillness.
pause for reflection . . .
Our Lord and God, You who are the creator of the universe, we praise and adore You. In Divine Wisdom, You have balanced all of creation, day and night, male and female, summer and winter, light and dark. We embrace that balance and in this day that is closing, we have attempted to balance the needs of body and spirit, the inner person and the public person. Wrapped in gratitude, we place before You our personal needs:
pause to ponder those needs...
Lord of Day and Night, of life and death, we place ourselves into Your Holy Hands.
CANTICLE OF SIMEON -Luke 2:29-32
Now Master, You have kept Your word: Let Your servant go in peace. With my own eyes I have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people: A light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father . . . . Amen.
On Saturdays:
CANTICLE OF MARY -Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant, and from this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me: holy is His name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every
generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty handed. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and His children forever.
Glory be to the Father . . . Amen
(end of the Canticle)
In the peace of the evening we render accounts for this day that You have given us Lord:
Did I fully give myself to God this day? Have I given my whole heart to God to the degree that I love Him above all things and thus keep His commandments? Do I love Him as a son loves his father, or am I too readily caught up with the love of other things?
pause for reflection ...
Did I truly love my neighbor? In the communities that I am a part of (family, neighborhood, social),
am I solely involved in my own affairs? Do I promote honesty, harmony and love? Do I fulfill my civic responsibilities? Could I be more generous, more courageous, more self-sacrificing, more cheerful? In my work environment, am I just, hardworking, honest? Do I work with a spirit of love and care?
pause for reflection ...
Did this day reflect the direction I want my life to take? Did I grow closer to Christ through prayer, meditation, Mass and Holy Communion, visit to the Blessed Sacrament, rosary? Did I try to control my vices, passions and inclinations by mortification and self-denial? Was I self-satisfied or overbearing, disregarding the opinions or feelings of others? Did I deprive others of their freedom or rights by imposing my will on them? How have I used the time, energy and talents which God has given me? Have I lacked time to be His apostle? Or have I been lazy, wasted time?
pause for reflection ...
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Father, we ask that You stay with us this night and keep us from evil. Grant us the rest we need to rise refreshed tomorrow so that we may serve You better.
This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.