Catholic Morning Offering, Monday, August 18, 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 Monday, August 18, 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. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Quote from St. Thomas Aquinas Just as in one man, There is one soul and one body, yet many members. Even so, the Catholic Church is one body, having many members. The soul that quickens this body is the Holy Spirit, and therefore in the Creed, after confessing our belief in the Holy Spirit, we are bid to believe in the Holy Catholic Church. Meditation of the Day, an excerpt from Augustine Day by Day by St. Augustine, page 34. There are two loves, the love of God and the love of the world. If the love of the world takes possession of you, there is no way for the love of God to enter into you. Let the love of the world take the second place and let the love of God dwell in you. Let the better love take over. Saint of the Day The Saint of the Day for August 18th is Saint Helen. Saint Helen, also known as Saint Helena, died in 327 AD. She was a woman of humble means from Asia Minor. She married the future Roman emperor Constantius Chloras, and their son Constantine was born in 272. Constantius divorced Helen in 293 to marry Emperor Maximian's daughter for the sake of political gain. When her son Constantine became the Roman emperor, St. Helen was given the imperial title Augusta and was treated like royalty. After Constantine legalized Christianity across the Roman Empire, St. Helen, a Christian convert, went to the Holy Land in search of the actual cross on which Christ was crucified, despite being in her 80s. Helen questioned local Christians and Jews and learned that the cross was buried under the Temple of Venus. Helen had the temple demolished and excavated. There she discovered the Holy Sepulchre, three crosses, the board with Pilate's inscription, and the nails which pierced Jesus' sacred body. In order to determine which cross was the Lord's, the Bishop of Jerusalem touched them to a corpse, causing the man to come back to life. A second miraculous healing of a sick woman confirmed the discovery of the true cross. Christians flocked to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Cross. St. Helen then visited all the holy places of Jesus' life and built many churches over their locations, including at Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane. St. Helen is the patron of divorced people, empresses, difficult marriages, converts, and archaeologists. St. Helen, pray for us. Devotion of the Month August is the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception. That is, in preparation for the incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity in her womb, she was conceived without the corruption of sin through the foreseen and infinite merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Over the centuries, as saints and theologians reflected on how Mary pondered and treasured the sacred events from the life of Christ in her holy heart, as attested in Scripture, her pure heart was recognized as something to be imitated. Devotion to Our Lady's purity of heart began to flower, so much so that in the 17th century, St. John Eudes promoted it alongside the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion rose to a new level after the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima when Mary revealed an image of her Immaculate Heart to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. Readings for Holy Mass for Monday of the 20th week in Ordinary Time A reading from the Book of Judges, chapter 2, verses 11-19. The children of Israel offended the Lord by serving the Baals, abandoning the Lord, the God of their fathers, who led them out of the land of Egypt. They followed the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of these gods, provoked the Lord. Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth, the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them. He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand. Whatever they undertook, the Lord turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do till they were in great distress. Even when the Lord raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the Lord. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived. It was thus the Lord took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct. They served their idols, which became a snare for them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They became defiled by their works and wanton in their crimes. And the Lord grew angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance. Many times did he rescue them, but they embittered him with their counsels. Yet he had regard for their affliction when he heard their cry. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 19, verses 16-22. A young man approached Jesus and said,"'Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?' He answered him,"'Why do you ask me about the good? There is only one who is good.' If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. He asked him, Which ones? And Jesus replied, The young man said to him, All of these I have observed. What do I still lack? Jesus said to him, If you wish to be perfect, go. Sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 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. 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. Act of 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.