Catholic Morning Offering, Monday, February 23, 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.

I want to assure you that I never use AI in recording this podcast!

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, february twenty third, twenty twenty six. 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. Quote from Saint Gabriel Possinti I will attempt day by day to break my will into pieces. I want to do God's holy will, not my own. Meditation of the day an excerpt from Meditations for Lent by Jacques Bignet Buset, pages four through five. God sees you in secret. Know that He sees into your very depths infinitely farther than you do yourself. Make a simple, lively act of faith in His presence. Christian soul, place yourself entirely under His gaze. He is very near. He is present, for He gives being and motion to all things. Yet you must believe more, you must believe with a lively faith that He is present to you by giving you all of your good thoughts from within, as holding in His hand the source from which they come, and not only the good thoughts, but also whatever good desires, good resolutions, and every good act of the will, from its very first beginning and birth to its final perfection. Believe too that he is in the souls of the just, and that he makes his dwelling there within, according to these words of the Lord. We will come to him and make our home with him. He is there in a stable and permanent way, he makes his home there. Desire that he should be in you in this way, offer yourself to him as his dwelling and temple. Now come out and with the same faith that enables you to see him within you, look upon him in heaven, where he manifests himself to his beloved. It is there that he awaits you. Run, fly, break your chains, break all the bonds that tie you down to flesh and blood. O God, when shall I see you? When will I have that pure heart that enables you to be seen in yourself, outside of yourself, everywhere? O light that enlightens the world, O life that gives life to all the living, O truth that feeds us all, O good that satisfies us all, O love that binds all together. I praise you, my heavenly Father, who sees me in secret. Scripture verse of the day. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases, yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah chapter fifty three verses four through six. Saint of the day, the saint of the day for february twenty third is Saint Polycarp of Smyrna. Saint Polycarp of Smyrna lived between sixty nine and one hundred fifty five AD. He became a Christian in his youth, a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist. Saint John ordained him Bishop of Smyrna in modern day Turkey, and from this position Polycarp became one of the most illustrious of the apostolic fathers. His closeness with the apostles and the long life that he lived enabled him to protect the church against heresy. The account of his martyrdom is well preserved and is one of the earliest in the church. Knowing the government was seeking his life, he received a vision while praying that he would be burned alive. After his capture, he was encouraged to submit to Caesar in order to be released, but he refused. He was then taken to a public arena to be killed. He gave an outstanding testimony, declaring that he had served Christ for eighty six years. Witnesses of his execution saw the flame surround his body without burning it, and that polycarp began to glow and emit a sweet aroma. This amazed the crowds, and his executioners were then ordered to stab him to death. Saint Polycarp is the patron saint against dysentery and earache. Saint Polycarp, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for Monday of the first week of Lent A reading from the Book of Leviticus, chapter nineteen verses one through two and eleven through eighteen. The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them, Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not steal, you shall not lie or speak falsely to one another, you shall not swear falsely by any name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor, you shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the Lord. You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment, show neither partiality to the weak, nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly. You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin, nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake. I am the Lord. You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. The word of the Lord. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty five, verses thirty one through forty six. Jesus said to his disciples, When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him and say, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison and visit you? And the king will say to them in reply, Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me you accursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me. Then they will answer and say, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs? He will answer them. Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me. And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. 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.