Morning Prayers

Throughout the day, we should be mindful that God wishes to continually hear from us. But how can we possibly speak to God every minute when we are obviously busy?

First and foremost, we are comforted by the fact that someone, somewhere in the world is praying. When we do take time to pray, we can unite ourselves to others and in turn, they unite themselves to us so that every minute, He does hear from us through others.

Second, we understand that even our works can be a form of prayer when we intentionally perform them as acts of love. As the Catechism assures us, “He ‘prays without ceasing’ who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this way can we consider as realizable the principle of praying with ceasing” (CCC, 2745).

Whether we are doing laundry or preparing for a board meeting, caring for children or operating on a patient, attending school or teaching school, we need God with us at all times. May we begin by joining ourselves with all women around the world as we unite prayer to our works and our good works to prayer.

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Morning Prayers

The mood with which we begin the day tends to color the entire day. What Francis de Sales understood is that starting the day with God in mind leads to keeping God in mind throughout the day.
—Fr. Thomas F. Dailey, OSFS

The moment we awaken, we can choose the tone of our day. We can decide to be tired and negative about the day ahead or we can choose to be the strong, positive women God made us to be. As our feet touch the floor, it’s the perfect time to “think positive.”

Place yourself in the Lord’s presence in the first moments of each day. You will discover the whole day improves with that small offering. Talk to him. He waits for you in the stillness, in the silence of your heart. Speak. 

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Good Morning, Lord
We greet the Lord as we rise so that we may offer our first thought, our fresh words to the One who can carry us through our busy day. Before our feet hit the floor or our children rise or our minds are filled with the busy events of the day, we take a moment to talk to our gracious God.

Good morning, Lord!
I offer to you my day,
All of my joys and my sufferings, my cares and my concerns,
My accomplishments and my failures.
All that I have, all that I do, is yours.
Keep me in your care. Guard me in my actions.
Teach me to love, and help me to turn to you throughout the day.
The world is filled with temptations. As I move through my day,
keep me close.
May those I encounter feel your loving presence.
Lord, be the work of my hands and my heart.
Amen.

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I Give Myself to You
We had to learn to look at our daily lives, at everything that crossed our path each day, with the eyes of God.
—Walter J. Ciszek, SJ

Lord, open my mind that I may be aware of your presence in my
daily life.
Open my heart that I may offer you all my thoughts.
Open my mouth that I may speak to you throughout my day.
I am grateful that you wish to hear my voice. To you I give my all.
Help me to do your will, every hour of every day. 

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Give Me Strength, Lord
Many people rely on us each day: our spouses, our children, our employers, our parents, our friends. We are pulled in many directions, yet find ourselves pressing forward, even when we are too tired. Acknowledge to God that you, too, have limits. As you ask him for the strength for all you need to do today, remember to discern what is today’s work, and what is for another day. The same work will be here tomorrow after we have found rest for body and mind.

Lord, I am tired. I need a break from this hectic day.
Help me to listen to my body.
Give me the wisdom to know my limitations,
knowing I cannot give my best effort when I am tired.
Help me to let go with humility, to release myself from the need
to prove myself out of pride or stubbornness or self-righteousness.
Instead of pushing and pressing on,
creating anxiety, conflict, and distress in those I love most,
help me to acknowledge the need for rest.
Guide me in my decisions and choices,
and give me strength to persevere…just enough
for what you want me to accomplish today.

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Lord, Teach Me to Love
And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13

Lord, teach me to love as you love…unconditionally.
I find it simple to love those who love me.
I find it simple to love those who do all I ask.
I find it simple to love those who perform well.
But if love were simple, I believe the world would be heaven on earth.
Teach me to love those who hate.
Teach me to love those who disobey, who work against me.
Teach me to love those who fail.
Lord, teach me to love. Help me to love like you.

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For Trust in God
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
—Proverbs 3:5–6

How often do we question ourselves when we are trying to do the right thing? How often do we find ourselves fearful of the consequences of our actions despite our best efforts? In the words of Saint John Paul II, “Do not be afraid!” The God who loves us enough to die for us, can be trusted to care for our every need. All he asks in return is acknowledgment. Offer this little prayer of St. Faustina Kowalska’s. 

Jesus, I trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you. Jesus, I trust in you. 

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Give Me Grace
Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God’s sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God.
—Thomas à Kempis

Lord, give me the grace for today.
Before me, the day looms with great possibilities and even greater challenges.
I put it all in your hands.
Order my day and order my life.
Help me to embrace every challenge,
to be open to all you have to give and to see all as opportunity.
One moment at a time. One person at a time. One gift at a time.
Help me to breathe in your Spirit and to exhale
any fear that may cause me to question and to worry.
The world causes stress. You offer peace.
I choose you!

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The Angelus
The Angelus prayer commemorates the Incarnation, when the Divine Son of God, Jesus Christ, was conceived in the womb of Mary and became man. As a daily noontime offering, the Angelus is a beautiful reflection on Mary’s fiat.

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary…
Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary…
And the Word was made Flesh:
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary…
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into
our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, thy Son,
was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion
and cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection, through the
same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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Short Prayers to Keep You Close to God
One-line prayers can be a simple way to bring us back into focus on Christ throughout the busy day.

Anger—Let me breathe in your Spirit, and breathe out my anger.
Decision-Making—Holy Spirit, be my guide.
Fear—Lord, help me to see your face.
Grace—I need your saving grace.
Grief—Console me, Lord.
Happiness—Fill my heart to overflowing.
Listen—Speak, Lord.
Love—Love me, Lord. Love me.
Mercy—Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Patience—In God’s time. God’s time.
Sickness—Heal me, Lord.
Stress—Calm me, Lord, body, mind, and soul.
Trust—Jesus, I trust in you. I trust in you.
Work—Lord, use me to make a difference.
Worry—Jesus, save me.

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Gratitude
Accept the gifts of God and be deeply grateful. If he has given you great wealth, make use of it, try to share it with others, with those who don’t have anything. Always share with others.
—Mother Teresa

Lord, you have blessed me with this day.
You have blessed me with this life,
and you have given me the free will to choose how to live.
I am grateful.
Rich with the gift of faith, I ask you to help me to share it.
Rich with the gift of love, I ask you to help me to spread it to others.
Rich with gifts of friends and family, I ask you to help me embrace their kindness.
Help me very day to be more generous. As you give to me, may I in return share with others—in gratitude.

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Prayer to Love
We cannot give what we do not have. To grow in love is to open ourselves to God, the all-consuming Ocean of Love, and to allow him to heal us and bring us into relationship with him through the sacraments, through the teachings of the Church, and through prayer. Each of us has been given unique gifts and abilities that God wants us to share with others and yet we are loved not for what we do, but for who we are in Christ. We are all beloved daughters of God!

Lord, teach me to love myself.
You gave me this life. You blessed me with this temperament.
You formed me, and I am loved by you unconditionally.
In my eyes, I have many faults.
I am constantly beating myself up about something.
I question my conversation from the day before.
I question the purchase I made, the work I’ve chosen, or the clothes
I wear.
Lord, help me to rise about my self-doubt.
In reality, your love is all that matters, and you love me as I am.
Bless me with the gift of loving myself as you love me…as I am.

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