Catholic Morning Offering, Thursday, August 14, 2025

Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day!

Join me in praying the Catholic morning offering, as well as hear meditations, learn about the saint of the day,  and hear today's Scripture readings from Holy Mass.

To sign up to receive a daily email of the Morning Offering through The Catholic Company, go to https://www.morningoffering.com/

Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Morning Glory Consecration Prayer is excerpted from "33 Days to Morning Glory:  A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration" by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, © 2011 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M., p. 137.

If you have any comments, please email me at Deanna.pierre25@gmail.com.

Transcript

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Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day. Good morning! Today is Thursday, August 14, 2025. Please join me in praying the morning offering prayer and prayers for our Holy Father. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayers for the Holy Father Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon thy servant, Pope Leo XIV, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to thy lovingkindness, in the way of eternal salvation, that of thy gift he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee, and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Quote from Saint Alphonsus Liguori. To put into practice the teachings of our holy faith, it is not enough to convince ourselves that they are true. We must love them. Love united to faith makes us practice our religion. Meditation of the Day, an excerpt from Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, page 94 I do not wish the soul to consider her sins, either in general or in particular, without also remembering the blood and the broadness of my mercy, for fear that otherwise she should be brought to confusion. And together with confusion would come the devil, who has caused it, under color of contrition and displeasure of sin. And so she would arrive at eternal damnation, not only on account of her confusion, but also through the despair which would come to her, because she did not seize the arm of my mercy." This is one of the subtle devices with which the devil deludes my servants, and in order to escape from his deceit and to be pleasing to me, you must enlarge your hearts and affections in my boundless mercy with true humility. Thou knowest that the pride of the devil cannot resist the humble mind, nor can any confusion of spirit be greater than the broadness of my good mercy. If the soul will only truly hope therein. Scripture verse of the day. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts chapter 1 verse 8. Saint of the day. The saint of the day for August 14th is Saint Maximilian Kolbe. St. Maximilian Kolbe lived between 1894 and 1941. He was born in Poland to a devout Christian family. As a boy, he had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She showed him two crowns, one white for virginity and one red for martyrdom, and asked him which he would be willing to accept. He replied that he would accept both. He later joined the Franciscans. While studying for the priesthood in Rome, he organized a group of friars and founded the Militia of the Immaculata in 1917 to crusade for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to oppose the evil of Freemasonry. From it came the Knights of the Immaculate magazine that reached a circulation of 750,000, as well as a radio show, both of which became a resource for strengthening faith across Poland. He also established a monastery which grew to 800 friars, the largest in the world at the time. In 1930, he traveled to the Far East and founded another monastery in Nagasaki, Japan. He returned to Poland in 1936. During World War II, St. Maximilian Kolbe housed over 3,000 Polish refugees at his monastery. He was eventually imprisoned because of his effective work and was sent to Auschwitz in 1941. There he endured special cruelty because he was a Catholic priest. St. Maximilian ministered to the prisoners and offered his life in place of a father who was condemned to death by firing squad. After being starved for two weeks and still found alive, he was killed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941. St. Maximilian Kolbe is the patron of families, drug addicts, prisoners, journalists, and the pro-life movement. Saint Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for Thursday of the 19th week in Ordinary Time. A reading from the book of Joshua, chapter 3, verses 7-10, 11, and 13-17. The Lord said to Joshua, Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses. Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when you reach the edge of the waters. So Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst, who at your approach will dispossess the Canaanites. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will precede you into the Jordan. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will cease to flow, for the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a solid bank. The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, Then the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan, while those flowing downstream toward the salt sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage. The Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 114. Alleluia. When Israel came forth from Egypt, the house of Jacob, from a people of alien tongue, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his domain. Alleluia! The sea beheld and fled, Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like the lambs of the flock. Alleluia! Why is it, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back! You mountains, that you skip like rams! You hills, like the lambs of the flock. Alleluia! A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 18, verse 21 through chapter 19, verse 1. Peter approached Jesus and asked him, Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus answered, I say to you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,"'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion, the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,"'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,"'Be patient with me and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt." Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him,"'You wicked servant, I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt." So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart. When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan. The Gospel of the Lord Prayer of Spiritual Communion In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most blessed sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen. Morning Glory Consecration Prayer Prayer to Saint Joseph O glorious Saint Joseph, chosen by God to be the guardian of the Holy Family, whose protection is so great, so strong, in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Savior Jesus Christ, send down from heaven a blessing from God to protect us from any harm, strengthen us in body, soul, and spirit. We ask this through thy powerful intercession. Holy Family, pray for us. Amen. Guardian Angel Prayer O angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. The Three Hail Marys Devotion The first Hail Mary, in honor of God the Father. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The second Hail Mary, in honor of God the Son. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The third Hail Mary, in honor of God the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. O my mother, preserve my soul from mortal sin during this day. Amen. Memorare to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 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, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. Oh my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man, died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith I intend to live and die. Amen. Act of Hope Oh my God, relying on your almighty power, infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of your grace, and a life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen. Act of Love Oh my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all love. Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory O gentle heart of Jesus, ever present in the blessed sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in purgatory, have mercy on them. Be not severe in thy judgment, but let some drops of thy precious blood fall upon the devouring flames. Merciful Savior, send thy angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen. Active Resignation to the Divine Will O Lord my God, from this moment do I accept from thy hands, with burning love and sincere contrition, with a calm and willing disposition, whatsoever death thou shalt choose to send me, with its pains and griefs. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day.