Our Morning Offering – 1 March – Ember Wednesday
Jesus, My Saviour, Help Me!
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Jesus, my Saviour, help me!
I am resolved truly to love Thee
and to leave all, to please Thee.
Help me to free myself
from everything which hinders me
from belonging wholly to Thee,
Who has loved me so much.
By thy prayers, O Mother Mary,
which are so powerful with God,
obtain for me this grace,
to belong wholly to God.
Amen
“All those who, attracted by My Love and venerating My Countenance, shall receive, by virtue of My Humanity, a brilliant and vivid impression of My Divinity. This splendour shall enlighten the depths of their souls, so that in eternal glory the celestial court shall marvel at the marked likeness of their features, with My Divine Countenance.” … (Our Lord Jesus Christ to St Gertrude the Great)
DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER
O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity,
through the intercession of Holy Mary,
whose soul was pierced through
by a sword of sorrow
at the sight of the Passion of her Divine Son,
we ask Thy help,
in making a perfect Novena of Reparation with Jesus,
united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints
to intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena
to the Most Holy Face of Jesus
and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen
THE SECOND DAY:
PRAYER:
Most Holy Face of Jesus,
we are truly sorrowful,
for we have hurt Thee so much.
By our sins, we have disobeyed Thee,
turned away from Thee
and omitted to please Thee by our lives.
But now, we wish to do penance
and amend our lives.
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
intercede for us,
help us to console
the Most Holy Face of Jesus.
Pray for us, that we may share
in the tremendous love
you have for the most Holy
and Blessed Trinity.
Through the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood
and Thy Most Holy Face,
O Jesus, grant us our petition ………………
Pardon and mercy.
Amen
You made Mary full of grace
and inflamed the hearts of the Apostles
with a holy zeal,
enflame our hearts with Your love.
You are the Spirit of goodness,
give us the courage to confront evil.
You are Fire,
set us ablaze with Your Love.
You are Light,
enlighten our minds,
that we may see what is truly igood and true.
You are the Dove,
give us gentleness.
You are a Soothing Breeze,
bring calm to the storms which rage within us.
You are the Tongue,
may our lips ever sing God’s praises
You are the Cloud,
shelter us under the shadow of Your protection.
O Holy Spirit, melt the frozen,
warm the chilled
and enkindle in us,
an earnest desire to please You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 12 January – Within the Octave of Epiphany – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus”
O Dearest Infant
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O dearest Infant,
tell me what You came on earth to do.
Tell me whom You are seeking.
Ah, yes, I now understand…
You have come to die for me, a lost sheep,
in order that I may no more
hide from You but love You.
O Jesus, my treasure,
my life, my love, my all,
if I do not love You,
then whom shall I love?
Where can I find a mother or father,
a friend, or a spouse more loving than You?
And who has ever loved me more than You have?
I am sorry that I have lived so many years in this world
and yet still love You so little,
even having offended You
and sometimes forgotten You.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 16 December – Friday of Ember Week in Advent
My Most Sweet Lord
Morning Offering
Of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
My most sweet Lord,
I offer and consecrate to Thee.
this morning
all that I am and have –
my senses,
my thoughts,
my affections,
my desires,
my pleasures,
my inclinations,
my liberty.
In a word,
I place my whole body and soul
in Thy Hands.
Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – All Souls Day – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
“Remember, when you
leave this earth,
you can take nothing with you,
which you have received,
only that, which you have given.”
“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”
“It seems to me, my daughters,
that everything passes so quickly
that we should be thinking more,
about how to die,
than how to live!”
“The powers of hell
will assail the dying Christian
but his Angel Guardian
will come to console him.
His Patrons and St Michael,
who has been appointed by God
to defend his faithful servants,
in their last combat with the devils,
will come to his aid.”
“It is not Death that will come to fetch me,
it is the good God.
Death is no phantom, no horrible specter,
as presented in pictures.
In the catechism it is stated,
that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all!
Well, I am not afraid of a separation
which will unite me to the good God forever.”
Prayer for a Holy Death
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
My beloved Jesus,
I will not refuse the cross,
as the Cyrenian did;
I accept it, I embrace it.
I accept, in particular,
the death Thou hast destined for me,
with all the pains which may accompany it;
I unite it to Thy Death,
I offer it to Thee
Thou hast died for love of me; I
will die for love of Thee
and to please Thee.
Help me by Thy grace.
I love Thee, Jesus, my love;
I repent of ever having offended Thee.
Never permit me to offend Thee again.
Grant that I may love Thee always
and then do with me what Thou will.
Amen
MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/02/quote-s-of-the-day-2-november-death-is-then-no-cause-for-mourning/
Quote/s of the Day – 13 August – Feast of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinner and the Memorial of St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Father of the Church
“To the extent that you pray
with all your soul
for the person who slanders you,
God will make the truth known, to those,
who have been scandalised
by the slander.”
“Theology without practice,
is the theology of demons!”
“The demons that wage war on us,
through our shortcomings in virtue,
are those which teach —
impurity, drunkenness, avarice and envy.
Those that wage war on us,
through our excessive zeal for virtue,
teach — conceit, self-esteem and pride.
They [the demons] secretly pervert,
what is commendable,
into what is reprehensible!”
MORE ST MAXIMUS QUOTES:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/08/13/quote-s-of-the-day-13-august-st-maximus/
Shelter Me Under Your Mantle,
O Refuge of Sinners
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary,
to you who are the Mother of my Lord,
the Queen of the Universe, the Advocate,
the hope, the refuge of sinners,
I, who am the most miserable of all sinners,
have recourse this day.
I venerate you, great Queen
and I thank you for the many graces
you have bestowed upon me even unto this day,
in particular for having delivered me from the hell
which I have so often served by my sins.
I love you, my dearest Lady
and because of that love,
I promise to serve you willingly forever
and to do what I can,
to make you loved by others also.
I place in you all my hopes for salvation,
accept me as your servant
and shelter me under your mantle,
you who are the Mother of Mercy.
And since you are so powerful with God,
deliver me from all temptations,
or at least obtain for me the strength
to overcome them until death.
From you I implore a true love for Jesus Christ.
Through you I hope to die a holy death.
My dear Mother, by your love for Almighty God,
I pray you to assist me always
but most of all, at the last moment of my life.
Forsake me not then,
until you shall see me safe in heaven,
there to bless you
and sing of your mercies through all eternity.
Such is my hope.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 8 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
O Mother Blest
By St Alphonsus Maira Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Trans. Fr Edmund Vaughn C.SS,R, (1827 – 1908 )
O Mother blest, whom God bestows
On sinners and on just,
What joy, what hope thou givest those
Who in thy mercy trust.
Thou are clement, thou are chaste,
Mary thou art fair,
Of all mothers, sweetest best,
none with thee compare.
O heavenly Mother, mistress sweet!
it never yet was told
that suppliant sinner left thy feet,
unpitied, unconsoloed.
Thou are clement, thou are chaste, …
O Mother, pitiful and mild,
Cease not to pray for me;
For I do love thee as a child,
And sigh for love of thee.
Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
Most powerful Mother, all men know
Thy Son denies thee nought;
Thou askest, wishest it, and lo!
His power thy will hath wrought.
Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
O Mother blest, for me obtain,
Ungrateful though I be,
To love that God who first could deign
To show such love for me.
Thou art clement, thou art chaste,
Mary, thou art fair.
Of all mothers, sweetest, best,
None with thee compare.
Our Morning Offering – 27 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Prayer for Five Graces
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
Eternal Father, Thy Son has promised
that Thou would grant,
all the graces
we ask of Thee in His Name.
Trusting in this promise
and in the Name of and through the Merits
of Jesus Christ,
I ask of Thee five special graces:
First, I ask pardon, for all the offenses
I have committed,
for which I am sorry with all my heart
because I have offended Thine infinite goodness.
Second, I ask for Thy Divine Light,
which will enable me to see
the vanity of all things of this earth
and see also, Thy Infinite greatness and goodness.
Third, I ask for a share in Thy love,
so that I may detach myself from all creatures,
especially from myself and love only Thy Holy Will.
Fourth, grant me the grace to have confidence
in the Merits of Jesus Christ
and in the intercession of Mary.
Fifth, I ask for the grace of perseverance,
knowing that, whenever I call on Thee for assistance,
Thou will answer my call and come to my aid.
I fear only, that I will neglect to turn to Thee
in time of need
and thus bring myself to ruin.
Grant me the grace to pray always,
O Eternal Father,
in the Name of Our Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Quote’s of the Day – 25 July – Memorial of St Christopher (died c 251) One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
The Fourteen Holy Helpers: – Plague Saints for a time of plague!
Prayer to the Fourteen Holy Helpers
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church
Great princes of Heaven, Holy Helpers,
who sacrificed to God all your earthly possessions,
wealth, preferment and even life
and who now are crowned in Heaven
in the secure enjoyment of eternal bliss and glory;
have compassion on me,
a poor sinner in this vale of tears
and obtain for me from God,
for Whom you gave up all things
and Who loves you as His servants,
the strength to bear patiently all the trials of this life,
to overcome all temptations
and to persevere in God’s service to the end,
that one day I too may be received into your company,
to praise and glorify Him, the supreme Lord,
Whose Beatific Vision you enjoy
and Whom you praise and glorify forever.
Amen
The “fourteen Angels” of the lost children’s prayer in the Composer, Engelbert Humperdinck’s (1854-1921) (not the popular Welsh singer) fairy opera, ‘Hansel and Gretel’, are the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The English words are familiar and very beautiful:
When at night, I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels, watch do keep,
Two my head are guarding,
Two my feet are guiding;
Two upon my right hand,
Two upon my left hand.
Two who warmly cover
Two who o’er me hover,
Two to whom ’tis given
To guide my steps to Heaven.
And the beloved St Christopher, probably one of the most loved Saints of all time.
The Christopher Prayer,
Make Us True Christ-Bearers
Anonymous
Father, grant that we may be,
bearers of Christ Jesus, Your Son.
Allow us to fill, the world around us,
with Your light.
Strengthen us, by Your Holy Spirit,
to carry out our mission
of living and following
the path of Jesus, our Lord.
Help us to understand,
that by Your grace
our gifts are Your blessings,
to be shared with others.
Fill us with Your Spirit of love
to give glory to You
in loving all
and preaching by our love.
Nourish in us the desire
to go forth
as the bearers of Your Son
fearless and gentle,
loving and merciful.
Make us true Christ-Bearers,
that in seeing us,
only He is visible.
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 13 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” 1 Petet 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us, all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your Name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 16 June – Corpus Christi, The Most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 23-29, John 6:56-59.
“But when our kind and loving Father
rained down the Word,
He Himself, became spiritual nourishment
to the good. … And then, we are to throw out
the old and carnal corruption,
our old diet, receiving in exchange
a totally new diet — Christ Himself,
as we ingest Him for Him
to remain hidden there.
Then, with our Saviour enshrined in our souls,
as it were, we can correct
the affections of our flesh.”
“He who eats My Flesh
and drinks My Blood,
abides in Me and I in him.”
“This bread you see on the Altar,
consecrated by the word of God,
is the Body of Christ.
This cup consecrated by the word of God,
or rather its contents, is the Blood of Christ.
In these two elements our Lord desired to hand over,
for our veneration and love,
His Body and Blood, shed for the remission of our sins.
If you have received them with a good disposition,
then you are what you have received.
As the apostle Paul declares:
“We are, all of us, one bread, one body” (1 Cor 10,17)…”
Source of all we have or know,
feed and lead us here below.
Grant that with Your saints above,
Sitting at the feast of love,
We may see You face to face.
Amen Alleluia!
Lord Jesus Christ,
in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
we Adore and Love You!
( The last Verse of the Lauda Sion,
the Eucharistic Hymn/Sequence
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
“Spiritual Communion is
an ardent desire to receive Jesus
in the Holy Sacrament
and a loving embrace,
as though we had already received Him.”
“It is enough for us to love Him
and to be ready to keep His commandments.
Such an act of sincere
and effective love for Jesus,
will cause Him to enter
and to remain in our hearts,
even after the sacramental species
has been consumed.
This is Spiritual Communion,
which consists mainly in the yearning for Jesus.
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth
and what will I but, that it be kindled”
(Lk 12:49).”
I desire, good Jesus,
to receive Thee in Holy Communion
and since I cannot now receive Thee
in the Blessed Sacrament,
I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually
and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness.
Come, my Lord, my God and my All!
Come to me
and never let me ever again
be separated from Thee by sin.
Teach me Thy blessed ways,
help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example,
to practise meekness, humility,
charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart.
My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will
and to love Thee, more and more.
Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service.
Bless me in life and in death,
that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven,
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 9 March – Wednesdayof the First Week of Lent, Ember Wednesday – FAST & PARTIAL ABSTINENCE
Act of Contrition
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.”
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 8 March – Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us, all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your Name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 17 February – Feast of the Flight into Egypt
My Beloved Redeemer
Prayer for the Flight into Egypt (Excerpt)
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church
My beloved Redeemer,
I have many times driven Thee out of my soul
but now I hope, that Thou
have again taken possession of it.
I beseech Thee,
do Thou bind it to Thyself
with the sweet chains of Thy love.
Oh, do Thou make Thyself loved,
make Thyself loved by all the sinners
who persecute Thee,
give them light,
make them know the love
Thou hast borne them
and the love Thou deserves,
since Thou goes wandering over the earth
as a poor Infant,
weeping and trembling with cold
and seeking souls to love Thee!
O Mary, most holy Virgin,
O dearest Mother
and companion of the sufferings of Jesus,
do thou help me always
to carry and preserve thy Son
in my heart,
in life and in death!
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 10 February
The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love You, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without You, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose You, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain You, I must leave all.
But in loving You,
I already have all good things,
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for You.
Grant me perseverance in doing Your will
and never let me be separated from You.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 7 February
Jesus, My Saviour, Help Me!
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Jesus, my Saviour, help me!
I am resolved truly to love Thee
and to leave all, to please Thee.
Help me to free myself
from everything which hinders me
from belonging wholly to Thee,
Who has loved me so much.
By thy prayers, O Mother Mary,
which are so powerful with God,
obtain for me this grace,
to belong wholly to God.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 11 January – Sixth Day within the Octave of Epiphany
O Adorable Infant
By St Alphonsus de Liguori
O Adorable Infant
I should not dare to present myself before Thee,
did I not know
that Thou, Thyself invitest me
to approach Thee.
It is I, by my sins,
who made Thee shed so many tears
in the stable of Bethlehem
but since Thou art come upon earth.
to pardon penitent sinners,
vouchsafe to pardon me.
I sincerely repent
of having despised Thee,
my Lord and my God,
Who art so good
and hast loved me so much.
Thy grace that I ask,
is that I may love Thee henceforth,
with all my heart.
Inflame my soul entirely
with Thy Holy Love.
I love Thee, O my God,
Who hast become an Infant for me.
Grant that I may never
cease to love Thee
O Mary, my Mother!
thou art all-powerful
by yhy prayers;
I ask but one favour of Thee,
namely, that Thou wilt pray to Jesus for me.
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 10 January – The Fifth Day within the Octave of Epiphany
O Child, So Worthy of Our Love,
I Offer Thee My Heart
(O Grant Me that Gold, Incense and Myrrh
Which I Lack)
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O Child so worthy of our love,
I see You lying on the straw in this cave,
so poor and despised.
Yet faith teaches me, that You are my God
come down from heaven for my salvation.
I acknowledge You as my Sovereign Lord and Saviour,
as such I proclaim You,
yet, I have nothing at all to offer You.
I am without Love’s Gold,
since I have given my love to the things of this world –
I have only loved my own whim, rather than loving You,
so infinitely worthy of love.
I am without Prayer’s Incense,
since I have lived wretchedly without thinking of You.
I have no Myrrh of Mortification since,
so as not to forsake some paltry pleasures,
I have so often saddened Your infinite goodness.
So what am I to offer You?
O my Jesus, I offer You my heart, soiled and naked as it is.
Take it and change it, for You have come down to us
to wash our guilty hearts with Your Blood
and so transform us from sinners into saints.
O grant me that Gold, Incense and Myrrh which I lack.
Grant me the Gold of Your Holy Love;
grant me the Incense which is the spirit of prayer;
grant me Myrrh,
the willingness and strength to deny myself
in all that displeases You…
O holy Virgin, you welcomed those devout Magi Kings
with keen affection and satisfied them.
Deign to welcome and comfort me also,
I, who come, following their example,
to visit and offer myself to your Son
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 29 December – The Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave
O Dearest Infant
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O dearest Infant,
tell me what You came on earth to do.
Tell me whom You are seeking.
Ah, yes, I now understand…
You have come to die for me, a lost sheep,
in order that I may no more
hide from You but love You.
O Jesus, my treasure,
my life, my love, my all,
if I do not love You,
then whom shall I love?
Where can I find a mother or father,
a friend, or a spouse more loving than You?
And who has ever loved me more than You have?
I am sorry that I have lived so many years in this world
and yet still love You so little,
even having offended You
and sometimes forgotten You.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 13 December – Monday of the Third week of Advent
My Most Sweet Lord
Morning Offering
Of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
My most sweet Lord,
I offer and consecrate to Thee.
this morning
all that I am and have –
my senses,
my thoughts,
my affections,
my desires,
my pleasures,
my inclinations,
my liberty.
In a word,
I place my whole body and soul
in Thy Hands.
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 4 December – Saturday of the First Week of Advent – Mary’s Day
Mother of my God,
Lady Mary, Queen of Mercy
By St Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
Mother of my God and my Lady Mary,
as a beggar, all wounded and sore,
presents himself before a great Queen,
so do I present myself before you,
who are Queen of heaven and earth.
From the lofty throne on which you sit,
disdain not, I implore you,
to cast your eyes on me,
a poor sinner.
God has made you so rich
that you might assist the poor
and has made you Queen of Mercy,
that you might relieve the miserable.
Behold me then and pity me.
Behold me and abandon me not,
until you see me changed
from a sinner into a saint.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 15 November – A Catholic Monday of the Holy Spirit
Inflame our Hearts with Your Love
Prayer To the Holy Spirit
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
You made Mary full of grace
and enflamed the hearts of the Apostles
with a holy zeal.
Inflame our hearts with Your love.
You are the Spirit of Goodness,
Give us the courage to confront evil.
You are Fire, set us ablaze with Your love.
You are Light, enlighten our minds,
that we may see what is truly important.
You are the Dove, give us gentleness.
You are a soothing Breeze,
bring calm to the storms that rage within us.
You are the Tongue,
may our lips ever sing God’s praises
You are the Cloud,
shelter us under the shadow of Your protection
O Holy Ghost, melt the frozen,
warm the chilled
and enkindle in us an earnest desire
to please You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 19 October
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 30 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart”
O God of Love,
Give Me Thy Love and Thy Grace
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O God of Love,
Thou art
and shall be forever,
the only delight of my heart
and the sole object of my affections.
Sinee Jesus said:
‘Ask and you shall receive,’
I do not hesitate to say:
‘Give me Thy Love and Thy Grace.’
Grant that I may love Thee
and be loved by Thee.
I want for nothing else.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 2 August – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church and a Catholic Monday of the Holy Ghost
Inflame our Hearts with Your Love
Prayer To the Holy Ghost
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
You made Mary full of grace
and enflamed the hearts of the Apostles
with a holy zeal.
Inflame our hearts with Your love.
You are the Spirit of Goodness,
Give us the courage to confront evil
You are Fire, set us ablaze with Your love
You are Light, enlighten our minds,
that we may see what is truly important.
You are the Dove, give us gentleness.
You are a soothing Breeze, bring calm to the storms that rage within us.
You are the Tongue, may our lips ever sing God’s praises
You are the Cloud, shelter us under the shadow of Your protection
O Holy Ghost, melt the frozen,
warm the chilled and enkindle in us an earnest desire to please You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 19 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 14: 5-18; Exodus 15: 1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6; Matthew 12: 38-42
“They repented” – Matthew 12:41
REFLECTION – “Let us meditate on the Ninevites…, let us listen to what they did. After the terrifying proclamation made by Jonah before this gluttonous and drunken people…, like capable workmen they made hast to restore the City their evil deeds had destroyed, taking a sure rock for its foundation…: repentance. After washing away its filth in the floods of their tears, they adorned their Town with their prayer and, converted Nineveh, pleased the Merciful One. For she immediately showed forth the beauty of her heart to “he who searches the heart” (Ps 7,10)… rubbed with the oil of their good deeds, perfumed with fasting, she returned to the One who loves her… and He embraced her repentance.
Its king, a wise man,… prepared animals and flocks as if to bring them along in dowry, saying: “O God, my Saviour, I offer everything to You, only reconcile, bring back in grace, she who prostituted herself and betrayed… Your purity, for see how, in her love, she offers her repentance to You like a gift… If I, the sovereign king, have sinned then strike me alone and take pity on all these others. But if we have all fallen short, hear the voices of all… May Your help come upon us and all fear will be dissolved. Nothing will frighten us if You receive what we are offering You – our repentance…
Rebellious Nineveh throws herself at Your feet and I, a miserable king and Your wretched servant, I sit down in ashes since I am unworthy of my throne (Joh 3,6). Because I have scorned the crown, I throw dust on my head. Because I am not worthy of my purple, I have put on sackcloth and burst into lamentation. Therefore, do not despise me, cast a glance upon us, O my Saviour, and accept our repentance.”
Son of the One God, O only God, those who love You, wish to carry out Your Will; protect them in Your mercy… As in former days You took pity on the Ninevites… so today, release from judgement those who sing to You and grant me forgiveness in return for my confession… Since I have no works worthy of Your glory, at least save me, my Saviour, for my words of contrition – You Who love repentance.” – St Romanos Melodios (c 490-c 556) Monk, Poet, Hymnist – Hymn « Nineveh » § 4-17; SC 99
PRAYER – My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.”
Amen – By St Alphonsus Mary Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering – 14 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 4 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
For those unable to attend Holy Mass today and for all of us, everyday!
Act of Spiritual Communion
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
I desire, good Jesus,
to receive Thee in Holy Communion
and since I cannot now receive Thee
in the Blessed Sacrament,
I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually
and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness.
Come, my Lord, my God and my All!
Come to me
and never let me ever again
be separated from Thee by sin.
Teach me Thy blessed ways,
help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example,
to practise meekness, humility,
charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart.
My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will
and to love Thee, more and more.
Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service.
Bless me in life and in death,
that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven,
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 24 April – Saturday of he Third Week of Easter
Mother of my God,
Lady Mary, Queen of Mercy
By St Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
Mother of my God and my Lady Mary,
as a beggar, all wounded and sore,
presents himself before a great Queen,
so do I present myself before you,
who are Queen of heaven and earth.
From the lofty throne on which you sit,
disdain not, I implore you,
to cast your eyes on me,
a poor sinner.
God has made you so rich
that you might assist the poor
and has made you Queen of Mercy,
that you might relieve the miserable.
Behold me then and pity me.
Behold me and abandon me not,
until you see me changed
from a sinner into a saint.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 2 March – Tuesday of the Second week of Lent
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures;
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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