Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS for SEASONS

Our Morning Offring – 14 January – Be Born in Us

Our Morning Offring – 14 January – Tuesday of the First week in Ordinary Time, Year A

Be Born in Us
By Caryll Houselander (1901-1954)

Be born in us,
Incarnate Love.

Take our flesh and blood,
and give us Your humanity.

Take our eyes,
and give us Your vision.

Take our minds,
and give us Your pure thought.

Take our feet,
and set them in Your path.

Take our hands,
and fold them in Your prayer.

Take our hearts,
and give them Your will to love.

Amen

Caryll Houselander (29 September 1901 – 12 October 1954) was an English lay Roman Catholic ecclesiastical artist, mystic, popular religious writer and poet.be born in us caryll houselander no 2 14 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, POETRY

Our Morning Offering – 13 January – I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

Our Morning Offering – 13 January – Monday of the First week in Ordinary Time

I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.
By Archbishop + S Michael Augustine (1933-2017)

When I grow old, weak and stumbling
And my strength fails me
When I have run my course
And I feel just emptiness as a sore
I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

When those whom I have known and loved
Are no more around with me to guide indeed.
When my friends leave me, one by one to yonder life
And when I am left in sadness but in deep faith,
I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

When I feel hurt and dejected, rightly or wrongly
When insults and gossips pelted on me merrily.
When I feel dejected and dismayed selfishly,
I turn back to God, to ask Him, why I should suffer so badly
I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

The world moves on, for all on earth rapidly or dimly
The new ones may ignore the old and the grumpy
And all these earthly woes, why bother, will pass away
And I shall be led to You, in deep faith and love for You
I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

I know Lord, You are with me, deep in my heart
With Mother Mary, all the Angels and Saints
Lord, I am never alone, never old but ever in the heart
Of all my friends, old and young, on earth or in heaven.
I know, Lord, You are with me.  Stand by me.

Lord, I offer You, my ‘Fiat’ kept safe and sound by You I bet
Along with Yours and Mother Mary’s, I offer my tiny dot
With my parents and all my class friends, here on earth or in heaven
To the Glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit
ForEver and Ever, Amen.
I know, Lord, You are with me
Stand by me, Stand by me and Stand by me!

Archbishop Emeritus of Pondicherry and Cuddalore, India
Augustine was sometimes referred to as the “People’s Bishop” and “Bishop of the Poor.” He was fluent in English, French, Tamil and Latin.   He was a Tamil scholar, as well as a lyricist, poet, writer, singer, magician and artist.I know Lord you are with me stand by me archb michael augustine NO 2 13 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 12 January – Prayer after Holy Communion By St John Damascene

Our Morning Offering – 12 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Prayer after Holy Communion
By St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

God, my God,
unextinguishable and invisible fire,
You make Your angels flaming fire.
Out of Your inexpressible love,
You have given me
Your divine Flesh as food
and through this communion
of Your immaculate Body
and precious Blood,
You receive me
as a partaker of Your divinity.
Permeate all my body and soul,
all my bones and sinews.
Consume my sins in fire.
Enlighten my soul
and illumine my mind.
Sanctify my body
and make Your abode in me,
together with Your Blessed Father
and All-Holy Spirit,
that I may always abide in You,
through the intercession
of Your immaculate Mother
and all Your saints.
Amenprayer after holy comm by st john damascene 12 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 11 January – Jesus, Name Full of Glory

Our Morning Offering – 11 January – Saturday after Epiphany

Jesus, Name Full of Glory
By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

Jesus,
Name full of glory,
grace, love and strength!
You are the refuge of those who repent,
our banner of warfare in this life,
the medicine of souls,
the comfort of those who morn,
the delight of those who believe,
the light of those
who preach the true faith,
the wages of those who toil,
the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires,
by You our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating You.
O Name of Jesus,
You are the glory of all the saints for eternity.
Amenjesus name full of glory by st bernardine of siena - 11 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 10 January – May the Lord Jesus Touch Our Eyes

Our Morning Offering – 10 January – Fifth Day after Epiphany

May the Lord Jesus Touch Our Eyes
By Origen (c 185-253)
Father of the Church

May the Lord Jesus touch our eyes,
as He did those of the blind.
Then we shall begin to see in visible things
those which are invisible.
May He open our eyes to gaze,
not on present realities
but on the blessings to come.
May He open the eyes of our heart,
to contemplate God in Spirit,
through Jesus Christ the Lord,
to whom belong,
power and glory,
through all eternity.
Amenmay the lord jesus touch our eyes by origen - 10 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 9 January – Lord I am Yours

Our Morning Offering – 9 January – Fourth Day after Epiphany

Lord I am Yours
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Lord, I am Yours,
and I must belong to no-one but You.
My soul is Yours
and must live only by You.
My will is Yours
and must love only for You.
I must love You
as my first cause,
since I am from You.
I must love You
as my end and rest,
since I am for You.
I must love You
more than my own being,
since my being
subsists by You.
I must love You
more than myself,
since I am all Yours
and all in You.
Amenlord I am yours by st francis de sales - 9 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 8 January – Our Lady, Help Of Christians

Our Morning Offering – 8 January – Third day after Epiphany and the Memorial of Blessed Titus Zeman SDB (1915-1969) Priest and Martyr

As today is the Memorial of the Priest and Martyr, Blesssed Titus Zeman of the Salesians of St John Bosco – a man whose life is an excellent example of faithfulness to Don Bosco’s cause, especially through the zeal and love that he showed to save the vocations of young Salesians under the Communist regime of Czechoslovakia, let us pray St John Bosco’s prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians, to whom Blessed Titus gave all the honour of his work.

Our Lady, Help Of Christians
By St John Bosco (1815-1888)

Most Holy Virgin Mary,
Help of Christians,
how sweet it is to come to your feet
imploring your perpetual help.
If earthly mothers cease not
to remember their children,
how can you,
the most loving of all mothers forget me?
Grant then to me, I implore you,
your perpetual help in all my necessities,
in every sorrow and especially in all my temptations.
I ask for your unceasing help
for all who are now suffering.
Help the weak,
cure the sick,
convert sinners.
Grant through your intercession,
many vocations to the religious life.
Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians,
that having invoked you on earth
we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.
Amenour lady help of christians by st john bosco 24 may 2019.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 7 January – O God of Our Life

Our Morning Offering – 7 January – Second day after Epiphany

O God of Our Life
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

God of our life,
there are days when the burdens we carry
chafe our shoulders and weigh us down,
when the road seems dreary and endless,
the skies grey and threatening,
when our lives have no music in them
and our hearts are lonely
and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light,
run our eyes to where
the skies are full of promise,
tune our hearts to brave music,
give us the sense of comradeship
with heroes and saints of every age
and so quicken our spirits
that we may be able
to encourage the souls of all
who journey with us on the road of life,
to Your honour and glory.
Ameno god of our life - st augustine - 7 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, Thomas a Kempis

Our Morning Offering – 6 January – Write Your Blessed Name, Upon My Heart

Our Morning Offering – 6 January – First Day after Epiphany and the Month of the Most Holy Name

Write Your Blessed Name, Upon My Heart
By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Write Your blessed name,
O Lord,
upon my heart,
there to remain so indelibly engraved,
that no prosperity,
no adversity shall ever move me
from Your love.
Be to me a strong tower of defence,
a comforter in tribulation,
a deliverer in distress,
a very present help in trouble
and a guide to heaven
through the many temptations
and dangers of this life.
Amenwrite your blessed name o lord upon my heart - thomas a kempist - 5 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DEVOTIO, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY

Our Morning Offering – 5 January – Who lives in Love

Our Morning Offering – 5 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Who lives in Love
By St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595) Martyr

Who lives in Love, loves least to live
and long delays doth rue,
if Him he love by whom he lives,
to whom all praise is due,
Who for our love did choose to live
and was content to die,
who loved our love more than His life,
and love with life did buy.
Let us in life, yea with our life
requite His living love,
for best we live when least we live,
if Love our life remove.
Mourn, therefore, no true lover’s death,
life only him annoy,
and when he taketh leave of life
then Love begins his joys.who lives in love - st robert southwell 5 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS

Our Morning Offering – 4 January – Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart

Our Morning Offering – 4 January – Saturday of Christmas

Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart
(Treasury of the Sacred Heart 1950)

Everyday of my life belongs to You,
O my God
and every action of my life
should be performed with the pure intention
of honouring You alone.
From this moment, I offer them
to Your Sacred Heart
and by this offering,
I consecrate them without reserve
to Your glory.
What a motive for performing
all my actions with all possible perfection!
Do not permit them, O my divine Saviour,
to be sullied by any motives unworthy of
Your Sacred Heart.
I renounce all that could lessen
the merit of my offering.
I renounce all vanity,
self-love and human respect.
Grant, O my God,
that I may commence, continue
and end this day in Your grace
and solely from the pure motive
of pleasing and honouring You.
Amenmorning offering to the sacred heart - treasury of the sacred heart 1950.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME, Thomas a Kempis

Our Morning Offering – 3 January – O Sweet Name of Jesus

Our Morning Offering – 3 January – Christmas Weekday and the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

O Sweet Name of Jesus
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
(Manualis Parvulorum XIII)

O sweet Name of Jesus,
holy above all names in heaven and on earth
and to which every knee,
both of men and of angels in heaven,
on earth and in hell bends.
You are the the way of the just,
the glory of the saints,
the hope of those in need,
the balm of the sick,
the love of the devout
and the consolation of those that suffer.
O, Jesus be to me a help
and a protector
so that Your Name
may be blessed for all times…
Ameno sweet name of jesus by thomas a kempis 3 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 2 January – Steer the Ship of my Life, Lord

Our Morning Offering – 2 January – Christmas Weekday and The Memorial of St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)

Steer the Ship of my Life, Lord
By St Basil the Great (329-379)

Steer the ship of my life, Lord,
to Your quiet harbour,
where I can be safe from
the storms of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can see the right direction
in which I should go.
And give me the strength
and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough
and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring
hardship and danger in Your name
we shall find comfort and peace.
Amensteer-the-ship-of-my-life-lord-st-basil-11-june-2018-no-2-jpg.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS for SEASONS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – 1 January – ‘Now will I sing to Thy mother!’

Our Morning Offering – 1 January – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord

CHRISTMAS
By Gertrude von le Fort (1876-1971)

Your voice speaks:
Little child out of Eternity, now will I sing to Thy mother!
The song shall be fair as dawn-tinted snow.
Rejoice Mary Virgin, daughter of my earth, sister of my soul,
rejoice, O joy of my joy!
I am as one who wanders through the night
but you are a house under stars.
I am a thirsty cup but you are God’s open sea.
Rejoice Mary Virgin, blessed are those who call you blessed,
never more shall child of man lose hope.
I am one love for all, I shall never cease from saying:
one of you has been exalted by the Lord.
Rejoice Mary Virgin, wings of my earth, crown of my soul,
rejoice joy of my joy!
Blessed are those who call you blessed.

The Baroness Gertrud von Le Fort (full name Gertrud Auguste Lina Elsbeth Mathilde Petrea Freiin von Le Fort – 11 October 1876 – 1 November 1971 – aged 95) was a German writer of novels, poems and essays.
She converted to Catholicism in 1925 and most of her writings came after this conversion. She published over 20 books, comprising poems, novels and short stories.   Her work gained her the accolade of being “the greatest contemporary transcendent poet.”   Her works are appreciated for their depth and beauty of their ideas and for her sophisticated refinement of style.   She was nominated by Hermann Hesse for the Nobel Prize in Literature and was granted an honorary Doctorate of Theology for her contributions to the issue of faith in her works.CHRISTMAS BY GERTRUDE VON LE FORT 1 january 2019.jpg

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN PRAYERS, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 31 December – Let Me Spend My Life Near Thee, O Mother

Our Morning Offering – 31 December – The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Let Me Spend My Life Near Thee, O Mother
Blessed Miguel Pro SJ
Martyr (1891-1927)

Let me spend my life near thee, O Mother
to keep thee company
in thy solitude and deepest grief.

Let me feel in my soul
the sadness of thine eyes
and the abandonment of thy heart.

On life’s highway I do not seek
the gladness of Bethlehem,
I do not wish to adore the infant God
in thy virginal hands,
nor to enjoy the winsome presence of Jesus
in thy humble home of Nazareth,
nor the mingle with the angelic choirs
in thy glorious Assumption.

My wish in life is for the jeers
and derision of Calvary,
for the slow agony of thy Son,
for the contempt, the disgrace
and infamy of the cross.

My wish, O most sorrowful Virgin,
is to stand near thee,
to strengthen my soul through thy tears
to complete my offering
through thy martyrdom,
to temper my heart through thy solitude
and to love my God and thy God
through my self-sacrifice.
Amenlet me spend my life near thee o mother - 31 dec 2019 bl miguel pro

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – 30 December – The Staff of Life Springs Forth

Our Morning Offering – 30 December – The Sixth Day in the Christmas Octave

The Staff of Life Springs Forth
A Nativity Prayer
By St Ephrem (306-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

The feast day of Your birth resembles You, Lord
because it brings joy to all humanity.
Old people and infants alike, enjoy Your day.
Your day is celebrated from generation to generation.
Kings and emperors may pass away,
and the festivals to commemorate them soon lapse.
But Your festival will be remembered
until the end of time.
Your day is a means and a pledge of peace.
At Your birth heaven and earth were reconciled,
since You came from heaven to earth on that day.
You forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt.
You gave us so many gifts on the day of Your birth,
a treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick.
spiritual light for the blind,
the cup of salvation for the thirsty,
the bread of life for the hungry.
In the winter when trees are bare,
You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.
In the frost when the earth is barren,
You bring new hope to our souls.
In December, when seeds are hidden in the soil,
the staff of life springs forth
from the virgin womb.
Amenthe feast day of your birth resembles you o lord - nativity prayer by st ephrem 30 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Our Morning Offering – 29 December – The Song Of The Eucharist By Liam Ó Comáin

Our Morning Offering – 29 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave

The Song Of The Eucharist
By Liam Ó Comáin

Oh, let us adore and praise
The Eucharist who was born
As the Son of God to Mary,
An immaculate loving mother.

Oh Jesus, loving Jesus,
God with us on our way
Crucified and risen
To bring us to eternity.

By giving us Yourself
Before Your crucifixion
You granted us the ultimate
Beyond any imagination.

Oh Jesus, loving Jesus,
God with us on our way
Crucified and risen
To bring us to eternity.

For as the Bread of Life
We long for You daily
For to receive You is
The Fruit of our mother Mary.

Oh Jesus, loving Jesus,
God with us on our way
Crucified and risen
To bring us to eternity.

So let us sing to Jesus
Our most Blessed Sacrament
Offering thanks for His love
Which we experience daily.

Oh Jesus, loving Jesus,
God with us on our way
Crucified and risen
To bring us to eternity.

Amen

“The Truth is that Jesus,
is the greatest of all poems!
In truth, He is the Poet of all poets!
The mystical Source of the Art of all arts!”

Liam Ó Comáin

The author was born in the Town of Limavady in the Valley of the Roe in the County of Derry, in the north of Ireland. His birth name in English was William Cummings ( Young Bar The Door) but later on in life he changed his name to its Irish Gaelic form.
A great lover of poetry and, in due course, Liam has had books published about poetry, mysticism, politics and the sport of Pigeon Racing.   He has also written for the media.
A graduate from the Open University and the University Of Ulster at Coleraine in Psychologyand Philosophy (plus).the song of the eucharist by liam o comain o let us adore and praise - 29 dec 2019 feast of the holy family.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – A Prayer for Life by St John Paul

Our Morning Offering – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – The Fourth Day of the Christmas Octave.

When you think about the slaughter of these innocent children and the continuing slaughter of the unborn through the horrors of abortion, it becomes clear that they come from the same supreme act of selfishness.   Even though Herod heard the message coming from the prophets of his own people, he had no desire to align his heart with the purposes of God.

 

A Prayer for Life
By St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

O Mary,
bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause of life.
Look down, O Mother,
upon the vast numbers of babies
not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women
who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life
with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel
as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.
Amen

Taken from Pope John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical, “The Gospel of Life.”a-prayer-for-life-st-pope-john-paul-28-dec-2017 and 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Our Morning Offering – 27 December – Oh Teach Me then, Dear Saint! An Invocation of St John, Evangelist

Our Morning Offering – 27 December – Feast of St John the Evangelist and the Third Day of the Christmas Octave

Oh Teach Me then, Dear Saint!

An Invocation of St John, Evangelist

Saint of the Sacred Heart,
Sweet teacher of the Word,
Partner of Mary’s woes
And favourite of thy Lord!

Refrain
Oh teach me then, dear Saint!
The secrets Christ taught thee;
The beatings of His Heart,
And how it beat for me!

We know not all thy gifts
But this Christ bids us see,
That He who so loved all,
Found more to love in thee.
Refrain

When the last evening came,
Thy head was on His breast,
Pillowed on earth, where now
In heaven the Saints find rest.
Refrain

Dear Saint! I stand far off,
With vilest sins opprest,
Oh may I dare, like thee,
To lean upon His breast?
Refrain

His touch could heal the sick,
His voice could raise the dead,
Oh that my soul might be
Where He allows thy head.
Refrain

The gifts He gave to thee
He gave thee to impart
And I, too, claim with thee
His Mother and His Heart!
Refraino teach me then dear saint an invocation of st john evangelist hymn - 27 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 26 December – Help us, Holy Stephen

Our Morning Offering – 26 December – Feast of St Stephen the ProtoMartyr and The Second Day in the Christmas Octave

Help us, Holy Stephen
Breviary Prayer/Hymn
for the Feast of St Stephen

Jesus the Christ-Child brought new life to all men
And in His Manhood, conquered death and evil,
Risen, resplendent, in the Father’s glory
He reigns forever.

Stephen the Deacon was the first to follow
Christ’s great example, done to death by sinners,
Though all his actions and his words were prompted
By the Lord’s Spirit.

Enemies’ anger destined him to perish,
Stoned by his hearers, victim of their fury,
Yet like his Saviour, in his dying moments
Pleading their pardon.

Witness to Jesus, help us, holy Stephen,
Mourning and contrite to attain the Kingdom,
Gain us the graces which we need to bring us
Safely to heaven.

Of the same nature as the blessed martyrs,
Let us sing praises to our God Almighty,
Who honoured Stephen with a martyr’s glory,
First among thousands.
Amenhelp us holy stephen - 26 dec 2019 st stephens feast breviary hymn.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – 25 December – I hold Within my Heart, O Mother Queen, Thy Little Son, thy Child.

Our Morning Offering – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ

I hold Within my Heart,
O Mother Queen,
Thy Little Son, thy Child.

Prayer after Holy Communion

I hold within my heart, O Mother Queen,
Thy little Son, thy Child.
The right is thine,
And yet, by wondrous gift, this grace is mine!
‘Twas thou who first within thy heart serene
Thy God received.
By mortal eyes unseen
He dwelt secure,
thy loving heart His shrine.
In first communion with the Word Divine
Thou hadst a foretaste of our Gift supreme.
O thou, sweet Mother, who didst first embrace
Our God, teach me Thy potent way of grace,
That in the precious moments that are mine
I may constrain my Guest, thy Son Divine,
To abide with me.
Oh, may He ne’er depart!
Behold—-His living chalice,
my unworthy heart!
Ameni hold within my heart o mother queen they little child thy son - prayer after holy comm 25 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – 24 December – The People who in Darkness Walked

Our Morning Offering – 24 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Mass at Midnight – Readings: Isaiah 9:1-6, Psalm 96:1-3, 11-13, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14

The People who in Darkness Walked
From Isaiah 9:1-6

The People who in darkness walked
have seen a glorious light.
The light has shone on them who dwelt
In death’s surrounding night.
To hail You, Sun of Righteousness,
the gathering nations come,
rejoicing as when reapers bear,
their harvest treasures home.
To us a child of hope is born,
to us a son is given,
Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
Him all the host of heaven.
His name shall be the Prince of Peace
for evermore adored,
the Wonderful, the Counsellor,
the great and mighty Lord.the people who in darkness walked 24 dec 2019.jpg

 

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, CHRISTMASTIDE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The CHRIST CHILD, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 23 December – O Divine Child of Bethlehem, Be our Peace and our Joy!

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 23 December

O Divine Child of Bethlehem,
Be our Peace and our Joy!
By St John Paul II (1920-2005)

Wipe away,
Baby Jesus,
the tears of children!
Embrace the sick and the elderly!
Move people to lay down their arms
and to draw close
in a universal embrace of peace!
Invite the peoples,
O merciful Jesus,
to tear down the walls created
by poverty and unemployment,
by ignorance and indifference,
by discrimination and intolerance.
It is You,
O Divine Child of Bethlehem,
who saves us,
freeing us from sin.
It is You,
who are the true and only Saviour,
whom humanity often searches for
with uncertainty.
God of peace,
gift of peace for all of humanity,
come to live in the heart
of every individual
and of every family.
Be our Peace and our Joy!
Ameno divine child of bethlehem be our peace and our joy st john paul 23 dec 2019.jpg

 

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – 22 December – O Come, O come, Emmanuel

Our Morning Offering – 22 December – The Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A

O Come, O come, Emmanuel

O Come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high
And order all things far and nigh,
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain

O come, o come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,
From ev’ry foe deliver them
That trust Thy mighty power to save
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home,
Make safe the way that leads on high,
That we no more have cause to sigh.
Refrain

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high
And cheer us by thy drawing nigh.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadow put to flight.
Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid every strife and quarrel cease
And fill the world with heaven’s peace.
Refraino come o come emmnuel no 2 22 dec 2019.jpg

This ancient Advent hymn is based upon the seven Great “O” Antiphons, which are recited or sung before and after the Magnificat at Vespers (or Evening Prayer) from 17 – 23 December.

Music: T Helmore, 1811-1890 adapted from a 1st Mode Responsory in a 15th cent. French Processional.

Text: Veni, Veni Emmanuel, a para. of Latin 12th-13th cent.
“Great O Antiphons” in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, 1770.

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – Saturday of Advent 21 December – The Canticle of Mary

Our Morning Offering – Saturday of Advent 21 December

The Magnificat
The Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour
He looks on His servant in her lowliness
Henceforth all ages will call me blessed:
The Almighty works marvels for me,
holy is his Name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear Him.
He puts forth His arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, His servant,
remembering His mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons forever.the magnificat - luke 1 46-55 - 21 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 20 December – Hail, Heavenly Beam

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 20 December

Hail, Heavenly Beam
9th Century Catholic Advent Prayer
By Cynewulf tr Israel Gollanz

Hail, heavenly beam,
brightest of angels Thou,
sent unto men upon this middle-earth.
Thou art the true refulgence of the sun,
radiant above the stars
and from Thyself illuminest
forever, all the tides of time.
And as Thou, God indeed,
begotten of God,
Thou Son of the true Father,
wast from aye,
without beginning, in the heaven’s glory,
so now Thy handiwork in its sore need
prayeth Thee boldly, that Thou send to us
the radiant sun
and that Thou come Thyself
to enlighten those who for so long a time
went wrapt around with darkness
and here in gloom
have sat the livelong night,
shrouded in sin.

Cynewulf is one of twelve Old English poets known by name and one of four, whose work is known to survive today. He presumably flourished in the 9th century, with possible dates extending into the late 8th and early 10th centuries.

Known for his religious compositions, Cynewulf is regarded as one of the pre-eminent figures of Anglo-Saxon Christian poetry. Posterity knows of his name by means of runic signatures that are interwoven into the four poems which comprise his scholastically recognised corpus. These poems are: The Fates of the Apostles, Juliana, Elene and Christ II (also referred to as The Ascension).

The four signed poems of Cynewulf are vast, in that they collectively comprise, several thousand lines of verse.hail-heavenly-beam-cynewulf-19-dec-2017 and 20 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 19 December – Awaiting Baby Jesus

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent – 19 December

Awaiting Baby Jesus
Traditional Catholic Advent Prayer

My heart is beating,
filled with joy,
awaiting Mary’s baby boy.
For with this child, we embrace
the birth of God’s
most precious grace.
Baby Jesus, soon to come!
For us comes the Promised One.
Baby Jesus, God’s own Son,
you will be the Chosen One
to lead our flock into salvation.
Our eternal life awaits.
The birth of Jesus brings us nearer
Heaven’s holy gates.
Sing with joy
and count the days,
for soon to come,
the Lord we’ll praise.
Rejoice that Jesus
will soon arrive,
the Messiah and our faith alive.
Amenawaiting baby jesus - trad advent prayer - 19 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent, 18 December – A 6th Century Advent Hymn

Our Morning Offering – The Weekdays of Advent, 18 December

Catholic Advent Hymn
6th Century
tr. E Caswall (1814-1878)

Hark! a Herald voice is calling;
‘Christ is nigh!’ it seems to say,
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness,
waken, children of the day!’

Startled at the solemn warning,
let the earth-bound soul arise.
Christ her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.

Lo!, the Lamb so long expected,
comes with pardon down from heaven.
Let us meet Him with repentance,
pray that we may be forgiven.

So when next He comes with glory,
wrapping all the earth in fear.
May He then as our Defender,
on the clouds of heav’n appear.

Honour, glory, praise and blessing,
to the Father and the Son,
with the everlasting Spirit,
while unending ages run.hark-a-herald-voice-is-calling-6th-cent-hymn-18-dec-2017 and 2019.jpg

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Our Morning Offering – 17 December – Alma Redemptoris Mater

Our Morning Offering – 17 December

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Loving Mother of the Redeemer

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven,
star of the sea,
assist your people
who have fallen
yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature
you bore your Creator,
Yet remained a virgin
after as before.
You who received
Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.

Marian Antiphon Traditionally Said from Advent to the Presentation of Jesus in the TempleALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER loving mother of the redeemer 17 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY GHOST

Our Morning Offering – 16 December – Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One

Our Morning Offering – 16 December – Monday of the Third week of Advent, Year A

Nunc, Sancte, nobis Spiritus
By St Ambrose (340-397)
Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
Trans St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Trans 1836

Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
Art with the Father and the Son.
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls possess
With Thy full flood of holiness.

In will and deed, by heart and tongue,
With all our powers, Thy praise be sung.
And love light up our mortal frame,
Till others catch the living flame.

Almighty Father, hear our cry
Through Jesus Christ our Lord most high,
Who with the Holy Ghost and Thee
Doth live and reign eternallynunc sancte nobis spirtus come holy ghost who ever one - st ambrose st john henry newman 16 dec 2019.jpg

Come, Holy Ghost, Who Ever One is a translation from the original latin by St John Henry Newman of Nunc Sanc­te no­bis Spir­it­us by St Ambrose (340-397).   It was first published in Tracts for the Times (1836).   It is included in the Latin Breviary as the hymn sung during Terce, for it was at the 3rd hour (9AM) that the Holy Spirit defended upon the Apostles at Pentecost.