The Start and the End of Our Day

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The first thought we have upon waking should be of God.  The last thought we have before falling asleep should be of God, our loving Father and Creator.

Even before our eyes are opened, our hearts and minds should be thanking God for another day and for watching over us while we slept.  There is so much to thank God for even that early in the morning!  Think about it...a warm bed, a safe home, family...things we should not take for granted considering others are not so fortunate.

Now when I awake, I immediately try to greet Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph as well as my guardian angel.  It is really a good way to start the day.   It makes me feel joy in my heart!  Then as soon as I get out of bed, I kneel for the morning offering.

The Morning Offering is not only a great way to start our day but it is also, according to Father Paul O'Sullivan in the his little book An Easy Way to Become a Saint, our first and most important prayer.  The following is what he wrote regarding our morning and evening prayers:

...Morning and evening prayers are most important factors in human life.  Far from being a matter of minor importance, they are the most urgent of our daily obligations.  If well said, they obtain for us all needful graces and protect us from many evils that may be waiting us in the course of the day.

If badly said or omitted, we expose ourselves to grievous calamities.  Many fall victims to disease or are killed by accidents or meet with premature deaths because they have not prayed...

Some unbelievers may scoff and think this borders on superstition. However, what Father O'Sullivan says has to be true. I have heard and read many stories on those who failed to ask  for God's protection.  If we place ourselves under God's protection, raising our hearts and minds to Him during the day, asking Him to protect us...either directly or through His blessed Mother, angels and saints...do you really think He won't make sure we are safe and sound?  One priest told me how so many car accidents could be avoided if people would only pray before they drive off. 

Our morning offering will also keep the devil at bay.  He wouldn't dare attack someone whose heart, mind and soul is so united to God.  And even if he tries we will be fortified against any temptations he may try to lure us with.

The following is Father Sullivan's words on this demonic attacks:

...There is certainly one peril that we have to face very day of our lives, which comes, as St. Peter and St. Paul warn us, from the fearful malice of the devil, who is ever using his keen angelic intelligence to work our ruin.  We are as defenseless as children in his hands.  Woe to us if we have not God's help in this daily conflict with our implacable enemy!...

Many Catholics seem to have little fear of the devil.  They take no precautions against his attacks.  He is the greatest evil and the most terrible danger that menaces us during all our life and most especially at the hour of death... "

At night we MUST do an examination of conscience.  It will help in seeing where we failed to do God's will and how we offended Him.  Then we can try to correct these failings the next day.  These examinations of conscience will be very helpful not only when we go to Confession but also in growing in sanctity.

The night time prayers should ones to thank God again for all the blessings and graces we received that day.  I also like to pray for each and every member of my family by name, my friends, priests, special intentions, etc.  I also add Archbishop Fulton Sheen's spiritual adoption prayer and end all this with the Memorare.

If you would like to share how you pray in the morning and evening, please feel free.

The following are a few Morning Offering prayers that you can use.
This is the one I pray daily:

THE MORNING OFFERING
  O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary
[here kiss your Scapular as sign of your consecration to Mary,
which carries a partial indulgence], I offer Thee the Precious
Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining
with It the offering of my every thought, word and action of this day.
O my Jesus, I desire to day to gain every indulgence and merit
I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate,
that she may best apply them in the interests of They Most
Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Prayer source

The Morning Offering II

O Jesus, through the
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer Thee my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of Thy
Sacred Heart, in union with
the holy sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world, in
reparation for my sins, for
the intentions of all our
associates, and in particular
for the general intention
recommended this month.

Daily Renewal of Total Consecration (for Militia Immaculata Members)

Immaculata, Queen and Mother of the Church, I renew my consecration to you this day and for always, so that you may use me for the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus in the whole world. To this end I offer you all my prayers, actions, and sacrifices of this day.

Prayer Source

NIGHT PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM OUR LORD

ETERNAL FATHER, I desire to rest in Thy Heart this night. I make the
intention of offering to Thee every beat of my heart, joining to them as many acts
of love and desire. I pray that even while I am asleep, I will bring back to Thee
souls that offend Thee. I ask forgiveness for the whole world, especially for
those who know Thee and yet sin. I offer to Thee my every breath and heartbeat
as a prayer of reparation. Amen.

Prayer Source

For a Nightly Examination of Conscience utilizing Saint Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises click here.

An Easy Way to Become a Saint by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, OP (EDM), Tan Books

The Prayer

Author Unknown

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe on those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that:

We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn children and called it a choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will.
I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Shared by Sue Cifelli

EWTN Family Prayer - Those Who Suffer with Cancer

Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Jesus

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Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Jesus

O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy Flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other Wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.

Padre Pio's Secret: His Shoulder Wound

In the Pieta Prayer book and at this site, where I found the above prayer, I read:

It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked Our Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and Our Lord answered: "I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound, which was more painful than the others and which is not recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through Its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer remember their mortal sins."

This revelation and promise of Our Dear Savior is another proof of His unlimited mercy. You are urged to say these prayers daily and to promulgate this prayer on a continuous basis, so that others may share in this blessing.

Prayer for the Dying

Passing the Oil, Extreme Unction by Nicholas Poussin

May Christ Who was crucified for your sake
free you from excruciating pain.
May Christ Who died for you
free you from the death that never ends.
May Christ the Son of the living God,
set you in the ever green loveliness of His Paradise,
and may He, the true Shepherd
recognize you as one of His own.
May you see your Redeemer face to face
and standing in His presence forever,
may you see with joyful eyes
Truth revealed in all its fullness.

Amen.


+
From the depths of my misery, I adore Thee and I give Thee thanks.
Thy holy Name was invoked over my cradle to be my profession of faith,
my plan of action,
and the only goal of my earthly pilgrimage.
Grant, O most Holy Trinity, that I may ever be inspired by this faith,
and may carry out this plan with perseverance,
so that, when I have reached the end of my journey upon Earth,
I may be able to fix my gaze upon the blessed splendors of Thy glory.
Amen
+

Source

Thanks to Sue

Deliverance Prayer

"Almighty God and Father we beg you through the intercession and help of the archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel for the deliverance of our brothers and sisters who are enslaved by the evil one. All saints of Heaven, come to our aid.

From anxiety, sadness and obsessions, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From hatred, fornication, envy, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From thoughts of jealousy, rage and death, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From every thought of suicide or abortion, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From every form of sinful sexuality, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

From every sort of spell, malefice, witchcraft, and every form of the occult, we implore Thee, deliver us O Lord.

Thou who said "Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you." Grant that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, we may be liberated from every demonic influence and enjoy Thy peace always. In the name of Christ, Our Lord. Amen."

Source

H/T to Sue

Prayer for a Person Disliked

I will try to post prayers that we may need during this season of Lent.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you told us to love our neighbor.
I know that this does not mean that I must like everyone,
but simply that I must wish everyone well
and extend my help to all who need it.
I dislike N.
No matter what I try,
I cannot seem to get along with that person.
The only thing I can do is to ask
that you shower your blessings on him/her.

Let me recall that for our sake
you put up with the infinite weaknesses and imperfections
of the whole world.
Help me then not to be so antagonistic to that person,
but to try to bear with him/her
for your sake.
Amen.

- New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book,
Catholic Book Publishing Company

Act of Contrition

Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins;
the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul,
the sins of my body; my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins;
the sins I know, the sins I do not know; the sins I have concealed
for so long, and which are now hidden from my memory.

I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial,
for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour.

I know my sins have wounded Thy Tender Heart,
O My Savior, let me be freed from the bonds of evil through
the most bitter Passion of My Redeemer. Amen.

O My Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been. Amen.


Source

Shared by Sue

Act Of Hope Before Holy Communion

O Christ Jesus, I am sinful dust and ashes,
but Thou callest to Thee all who labour and are burdened,
that Thou mayest refresh them.
Art not Thou my refuge?
To whom else shall I go?
Thou hast the words of eternal life,
Thou alone canst comfort me in every trouble.

Lord, I am weak and sick,
but Thou art my salvation.

Those who are well need not a physician,
but those who are sick.
Therefore I come to Thee,
my physician and my refuge,
hoping that this Communion may be to me
the increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity;
a firm defence against the snares of my enemies;
a help to the removal of the fault and defect of

(Mention your faults here...),

and to the bringing forth of works well pleasing unto Thee,

especially...,

and a pledge of future glory.
This is the hope and desire which I cherish in my heart,
for Thou art compassionate and of tender mercy,
and in all Thy promises most faithful.

Amen.

Source

Shared by ">Sue

Prayer for the Pope

GOD, THE Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, mercifully look upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen as the chief Shepherd to preside over Thy Church; grant him, we beseech Thee, so to edify, both by word and example, those over whom he hath charge, that he may attain unto everlasting life, together with the flock committed unto him.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

from the Roman Missal

Shared by Sue

Prayer entrusting the USA to the Mother of Mercy

O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care.

Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection.

Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom.

Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God’s law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life.

Trusting in your most powerful intercession, we pray …
Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins our Mother. To thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.

Source

Shared by Sue

Prayer for Aborted Babies

Heavenly Father, Thou hast given us the gift of freedom to love and to follow in Thy ways and commands. Some parents choose to abuse this freedom by destroying the gift of life which Thou hast given to their offspring. Please forgive those who destroy human life by aborting their unborn babies.

Give these unborn children the opportunity to enjoy Thee for all eternity, in accord with Thy ordinance. Assist me in being one in solidarity with Thy little ones by taking to heart the words of Thy Son, "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, you did for Me." (Mt. 25:40)

Therefore, allow me today, Father, to adopt spiritually an unborn child and to offer my prayers, works, joys and sufferings for that little one, so that child will be able to be born and live for Thy greater honor and glory.

Source here

Shared by Half the Kingdom

Prayer for Choosing a State of Life

From all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny. You wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will. Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to embrace it with love of Your holy will, as devotedly as Your Blessed Mother did Your will. I offer myself to You now, trusting in Your wisdom and love to direct me in working out my salvation and in helping others to know and come close to You, so that I may find my reward in union with You for ever and ever. Amen.

Source EWTN's Rural Life Prayer Book

Shared by Half the Kingdom

A Prayer for the New Year

Come, Holy Spirit,Spirit of the Risen Christ,
be with us today and always.
Be our Light, our Guide,
and our Comforter.Be our Strength,
our Courage, and our Sanctifier.

May this new year be a time of deep spiritual growth for us,
A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,
A time for forgiving freely and unconditionally,
A time for growing in virtue and goodness.
Come, Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always.
Amen.

H/T to Leticia

Prayer Against Depression

A Prayer against depression

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

By Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Source

Thanks Sue!

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