Catholic Morning Offering, Friday, December 12, 2025, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

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.

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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

SPEAKER_00: 0:01

A quote from Saint Maximilian Colby Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did. Meditation of the Day, an excerpt from The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Ligory, pages one hundred thirty two through one hundred thirty three. The devil, like Holofernus, who, in order to gain possession of the city of Bethulia, ordered the Aqueducts to be destroyed, exerts himself to his utmost to destroy devotion to the Mother of God in souls, for if this channel of grace is closed, he easily gains possession of them. And here, continues the same Saint Bernard, see, O souls, with what tender devotion our Lord wills that we should honor our queen by always having recourse to and relying on her protection. For in Mary He has placed the plenitude of every good, so that henceforward we may know and acknowledge that whatever hope, grace, or other advantage we possess, all come from the hand of Mary. Saint Antoninus says the same thing. All graces that have ever been bestowed on men all came by Mary, and on this account she is called the Moon, according to the following remark of Saint Bonaventure. As the moon which stands between the sun and the earth transmits to this latter whatever she receives from the former, so does Mary pour out upon us who are in this world the heavenly graces that she receives from the divine Son of Justice. Again the Holy Church calls her the happy gate of heaven, for, as the same Saint Bernard remarks, as every mandate of grace that is sent by a king passes by the palace gates, so does every grace that comes from heaven to the world pass through the hands of Mary. Saint Bonaventure says that Mary is called the gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing by her. An ancient author, probably Saint Sophronius, in a sermon on the Assumption, published with the works of Saint Jerome, says that the plentitude of grace which is in Jesus Christ came into Mary, though in a different way, meaning that it is in our Lord as in the head, from which the vital spirits, that is, divine help to obtain eternal salvation, flow into us, who are members of his mystical body, and that the same plentitude is in Mary, as in the neck, through which these vital spirits pass to the members. The same idea is confirmed by Saint Bernadine of Siena, who explains it more clearly, saying that all graces of the spiritual life that descend from Christ their head to the faithful, who are his mystical body, are transmitted by the means of Mary. Scripture verse of the day By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. Saint of the Day Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saint Juan Diego, a humble Aztec peasant, saw the Blessed Virgin Mary on the hill of Tepeac, near present day Mexico City on december ninth, fifteen thirty one, the feast of the Immaculate Conception at that time. After a request by the bishop to prove her identity, our lady asked Juan Diego to gather the roses which he found growing on the hill, which were neither native to the area nor in season, and take them to the bishop. Juan Diego did so and placed the roses in his tilma or cloak. Upon opening the tilma to reveal the miraculous roses to the bishop, there was something even more miraculous present, an image of the Virgin Mary dressed as a pregnant Aztec princess. The various design elements on the tilma read like a codex to the Aztecs, revealing to them the truth of the Catholic faith preached by the missionary priests. Millions quickly converted to the Catholic Church as a result. This apparition and image is venerated under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the first Marian apparition in the New World, and the only one where Our Lady produced an image of herself. The perfectly preserved Tilma is venerated at her basilica and shrine in Mexico City. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas, the new evangelization, and unborn children. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A reading from the book of the Prophet Zechariah, chapter two, verses fourteen through seventeen. Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion, see, I am coming to dwell among you, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. The Lord will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the Lord, for he stirs forth from his holy dwelling. The Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm Judith chapter thirteen. You are the highest honor of our race. Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth, and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth. You are the highest honor of our race. Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God. You are the highest honor of our race. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke, chapter one verses twenty six through thirty-eight. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary, and coming to her he said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at what was said, and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called son of the most high, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. But Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no relations with the man? And the angel said to her in reply, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren, for nothing will be impossible for God. Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word. Then the angel departed from her. 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 Mary, my mother, I give myself totally to you as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all that I am and have, whatever most pleases you. Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for bringing the greatest possible glory to God. Amen. 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 Mary's 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. Memori 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. Act of Faith. O 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. O 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 the life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen. Act of love. O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen. 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.