Catholic Morning Offering, Friday, December 19, 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 Friday, December 19th, 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. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of your sacred heart, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the holy intentions of the Holy Father this month, amen. Prayers for the Holy Father Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon thy servant, Pope Leo XV, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him according to thy loving kindness 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. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. The O Antiphons of Advent The Roman Church has been singing the O Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the magnificent canticle of evening prayer from December through the twenty third. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the Messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative come embodies the longing of all for the divine Messiah. The O Antiphon for december nineteenth O root of Jesse stem, sign of God's love for all his people, come to save us without delay. Quote from Saint Juliana of Norwich And I saw that truly nothing happens by accident or luck, but everything by God's wise providence, for matters that have been in God's foreseeing wisdom since before time began befall us suddenly, all unawares, and so in our blindness and ignorance we say that this is accident or luck. But to our Lord God it is not so Meditation of the Day, an excerpt from Spiritual Steps to Christmas, a daily devotional throughout Advent by Monsignor Aloysius Coogan, pages 96 through 97. During these Advent days, God is sending his angel of grace to drop the seed of inspiration to Christian living into our hearts. We must till the soil by prayer and penance if the seed would take root. We must be on our knees like Mary and in the silence of our chamber. In reflection must we be found if the angel is to be heard above the tumultuous riot of noise and distraction which characterizes our day. The important thing about the Annunciation of Mary is that she heard in silence the invitation. She reflected and then accepted. Acceptance of God's inspiration depends on us. God never, never forces our wills. We are not conditioned by grace, we are free to refuse. Therein is the story of salvation. God comes into the world as he did at Bethlehem and knocks upon the inn of human hearts. Angels like Gabriel are sent by God as his messengers from heaven. They give us the gravitation of heaven. They set a tugging or pulling of our hearts. They move us to good by gentle reminders and holy inspirations, but they never force our souls. With every annunciation, it is sad to say, there is the possibility of a renunciation of grace. Acceptance requires the work of a good life and the practice of virtue. Hence, Advent penance and prayer are a prerequisite if we are to imitate Mary. Angel songs are sweet to contemplate, Ave Maria's are pleasant to hear, but we must do our part and add our share to the angels' task. We are men and women of flesh and blood, and have been created just a little less than the angels. We must strive for perfection that we may be in a position like Mary to say Fiat Mihi secundum verbum tuum, be it done unto me according to thy word. Scripture verse of the day. The end of all things is near, therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Saint of the day. The saint of the day for December 19th is Pope Saint Anastasius I. Pope Saint Anastasius I died in four hundred one AD. He was a fourth century bishop of Rome. The writings of the Church Fathers tell us that he was a distinguished Roman Christian known for his charity and holiness. He was elevated to the chair of Saint Peter in 399 AD, succeeding Pope Cerisius, and his pontificate lasted not quite four years. Saint Paulinus of Nola, Saint Augustine, and Saint Jerome were among his friends. Saint Jerome called Pope Saint Anastasius a man of very rich poverty and apostolic zeal. He fought against heresies and heretics that threatened the doctrine of the Church, most notably a popular theologian of the time, Origen, whom he soundly condemned. Pope Saint Anastasius I was known as a great holy father who governed the Church with purity of life, abundance of doctrine, and perfect strictness of ecclesiastical authority. Pope Saint Anastasius I pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for december nineteenth. A reading from the Book of Judges, chapter thirteen verses two through seven and twenty four through twenty five. There was a certain man from Zora of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink, and to eat nothing unclean. As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines. The woman went and told her husband, a man of God came to me, he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name, but he said to me, You will be with child and will bear a son, so take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb until the day of his death. The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up, and the Lord blessed him. The Spirit of the Lord stirred him. The word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 71. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory. Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory. For you are my hope, O Lord, my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth, from my mother's womb you are my strength. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory. I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord. O God, I will tell of your singular justice. O God, you have taught me from my youth, until the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke, chapter one verses five through twenty five. In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by Lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John, and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord. Then Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years? And the angel said to him in reply, I am Gabriel, who stand before God, I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time. Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary, but when he came out he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then when his days of ministry were completed he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others. 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.