Universalis

Friday, November 01, 2002

Your wish is my command: some morning offerings

I've been requested to explain what the prayers are that I mention by name in the post on spiritual exercise programs. Here goes!

The morning offering comes in many flavors, composed over many centuries; here are three samples to choose from. After you've had some experience with prayer, you might end up composing your own version, who knows?

version one:
My Lord, my God, thank you for giving me another day in which to praise and serve You. I offer this new day and everything in it back to You, my Lord, for Your honor and Your glory, and so You may make me more conformed to You. Help me in my weakness, Lord, that I may be made worthy of the glorious promises You have made. Keep me faithful to You this day, for Your love and Your covenant fidelity are forever. Amen.

version two [I'm pretty sure this was the one on Grandma Falter's mirror]:
Most holy and adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I firmly believe that You are here present; I adore You with the most profound humility; I praise You and give You thanks with all my heart for the favors You have bestowed on me. Your goodness has brought me safely to the beginning of this day. Behold, O Lord, I offer You my whole being and in particular all my thoughts, words, and actions, together with such crosses and contradictions as I may meet with in the course of this day. Give them, O Lord, Your blessing; may Your divine Love animate them and may they tend to the greater honor and glory of Your sovereign majesty. Amen.

version three [short and sweet]:
O my God, I offer to You all my thoughts, works, joys, and sufferings of this day. And I beg You to grant me Your grace that I may not offend You this day; but may faithfully serve You and do Your holy will in all things. Amen.

The Benedictus canticle is Luke 1:68-79, the song Zachariah sang to and about his newborn son, John the Baptist.

Psalm 51 is also called the "Miserere," after its first word in Latin.
Psalm 130 is also called the "De profundis" or "Out of the depths," also after its first words.

The Magnificat canticle is Luke 1: 46-55, Mary's song when Elizabeth greets her at the visitation.

Thanks for your questions. There's a level two coming, and I'm not going to wait a full two months before posting it, but I will wait a week or two --- just like physical training, if you jump ahead too fast you can hurt yourself, or get discouraged and give up, which is no good. Slow, steady, easy is the way to proceed.
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