Prayer for Making a Spiritual Communion

 Cardinal Merry del Val, Secretary of  State to St. Pope Pius X, held a great love for the Most Blessed Sacrament.  He always advised people to make frequent acts of spiritual Communion throughout our day to keep our Lord constantly within us.  Each morning before saying Mass, the cardinal would recite a prayer he composed, titled "Morning Offering to Almighty God."  Through it he prayed each morning,

 "...I detest and weep over my sins and negligences, which like a huge mountain rise up before me, and which I oppose with the Passion of my Lord.  I weep over the sins and iniquities of the whole world, especially over the sacrileges and indifference which is shown to Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament of Thy love. I desire to make reparation and expiation for all these faults. I desire to live spiritually within the tabernacle with Thee, to visit thee and adore Thee and receive Thee spiritually wherever thou art present under the sacramental veil and there, at the foot of Thy Eucharistic throne, to live and die..." 

The following prayer was composed by Cardinal Merry del Val for the purpose of making Spiritual Communions.

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Prayer for Making a Spiritual Communion

At Thy feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself, and I offer Thee the repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its nothingness and in Thy holy presence. I adore Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to receive Thee into the poor dwelling that my heart offers Thee. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental Communion, I wish to possess Thee in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to Thee! May Thy love embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. Amen.

--Cardinal Merry del Val

God bless!

+JMJ+

Keeping God in Mind throughout Our Day

 "We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives - that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him."  --Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

The Saints have repeated throughout history of the need to pray throughout our day, keeping our minds upon our Lord to seek His help, to love Him, and to thank Him. We are encouraged to make use of a morning and night offering, as well as small prayers throughout our day to aid us in growing closer to God.

Angelus

"Never forget that it is at the beginning of each day that God has the necessary grace for the day ready for us. He knows exactly what opportunities we shall have to sin, and will give us everything we need if we ask him then. That is why the devil does all he can to prevent us from saying our morning prayers or to make us say them badly."
--St. John Vianney

Morning Offering

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary [here kiss your Scapular as sign of your consecration to Mary, which carries a partial indulgence], I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with It the offering of my every thought, word and action of this day. O my Jesus, I desire to day to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them in the interests of Thy Most Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

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"It is an old custom of the saints of God to have some little prayers ready and to be frequently darting them up to heaven during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world. He who adopts this plan will obtain great fruits with little pain."--St. Phillip Neri

Prayer When the Clock Strikes

O most sweet Jesus; I commend to Thy Divine Heart all that I have done in the hour that is gone; to be cleansed and purified, and offered to God the Father for His eternal praise. And whatsoever I shall do in the hour that is beginning; I resolve to do simply and purely for the glory of God and for the salvation of all mankind; in union with Thy Passion. Amen. --Saint Gertrude and Saint Mechtilde

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"I shall love You, I shall love You always; when day breaks, when evening turns into night, at every hour, at every moment; I shall love You always, always, always".
--St. Gemma Galgani

Night Prayer by St. Alphonsus

Jesus Christ, my God, I adore Thee and I thank Thee for the many favors Thou hast bestowed on me this day. I offer Thee my sleep and all the moments of this night, and I pray Thee to preserve me from sin. Therefore, I place myself in Thy most sacred side, and under the mantle of our Blessed Lady, my Mother. May the holy Angels assist me and keep me in peace, and may Thy blessing be upon me.

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"It’s impossible to lose your footing when you’re on your knees."--Venerable Fulton Sheen

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of Epiphany

 And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11).

The Blessed Mother spoke thus to Ven. Mary Agreda, "My daughter, great were the gifts which the Kings offered to my most holy Son; but greater still was the affection with which they offered them and the mystery concealed beneath them. On account of all this they were most acceptable to His Majesty... Thy ceaseless offer, however, must be love, which is the gold; continual prayer, which is the incense; and the patient acceptance of labors and true mortifications, which is the myrrh. All that thou dost for the Lord, thou should offer up to Him with fervent affection and promptitude, without negligence or fear; for negligent works, and those not enlivened by love, are not an acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of His Majesty. In order to make those incessant offerings, it is necessary that Divine faith and light continually inflame thy heart, having before thy eyes the great object of thy praise and exaltation, ..." (Mystical City of God).

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As the Church commemorates the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, may we heed our Lady's words and remember to always offer ourselves and our entire day to our Blessed Lord, making a gift, an offering of love to Him each morning. One prayer to fulfill this task is the traditional morning offering. Another prayer fitting to be said as a daily prayer is a short, but beautiful prayer written by St. Alphonsus Liguori for the feast of the Epiphany. St. Alphonsus’ prayer makes a loving offering to our Lord on this most glorious feast of Epiphany, which commemorates the manifestation of the glory of Christ.

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Offering by St. Alphonsus

O Jesus, my Infant King! I also adore Thee, and offer Thee my miserable heart. Accept it and change it. Make it wholly Thine own, so that it may love nothing but Thee. My sweet Saviour, save me, and let my eternal happiness be to love Thee always and without reserve. O Mary, most holy Virgin, I hope for this grace from thee.

"Give me, therefore, I pray Thee, this gold, this incense, and this myrrh. Give me the gold of Thy holy love; give me the spirit of holy prayer, give me the desire and strength to mortify myself in everything that displeases Thee. I am resolved to obey Thee and to love Thee; but Thou knowest my weakness, oh, give me the grace to be faithful to Thee!" — St Alphonsus Liguori

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to be said Every Day, to Obtain the Graces Necessary for Salvation

                                                   

Prayer to be said Every Day, to Obtain the Graces Necessary for Salvation

Eternal Father, Thy Son hast promised that Thou wilt grant us all the graces which we ask Thee for in His name. In the name, therefore, and by the merits of Jesus Christ, I ask the following graces for myself and for all mankind. And, first, I pray Thee to give me a lively faith in all that the holy Roman Church teaches me. Enlighten me also, that I may know the vanity of the goods of this world, and the immensity of the infinite good that Thou art; make me also see the deformity of the sins I have committed, that I may humble myself and detest them as I ought and, on the other hand, show me how worthy Thou art by reason of Thy goodness, that I should love Thee with all my heart. Make me know also the love Thou hast borne me, that from this day forward I may try to be grateful for so much goodness.

Secondly, give me a firm confidence in Thy mercy, of receiving the pardon of my sins, holy perseverance, and, finally, the glory of Paradise, through the merits of Jesus Christ and the intercession of Mary.

Thirdly, give me a great love towards Thee, which shall detach me from the love of this world and of myself, so that I may love none other but Thee, and that I may neither do nor desire anything else but what is for Thy glory.

Fourthly, I beg of Thee a perfect resignation to Thy will, in accepting with tranquility sorrows, infirmities, contempt, persecutions, aridity of spirit, loss of property, of esteem, of relatives, and every other cross which shall come to me from Thy hands. I offer myself entirely to Thee, that Thou mayest do with me and all that belongs to me what Thou pleasest. Do Thou only give me light and strength to do Thy will; and especially at the hour of death help me to sacrifice my life to Thee with all the affection I am capable of, in union with the sacrifice which Thy Son Jesus Christ made of His life on the Cross on Calvary.

Fifthly, I beg of Thee a great sorrow for my sins, which may make me grieve over them as long as I live, and weep for the insults I have offered Thee, the Sovereign Good, Who art worthy of infinite love, and Who hast loved me so much.

Sixthly, I pray Thee to give me the spirit of true humility and meekness, that I may accept with peace, and even with joy, all the contempt, ingratitude, and ill-treatment that I may receive. At the same time, I also pray Thee to give me perfect charity, which shall make me wish well to those who have done evil to me, and to do what good I can, at least by praying, for those who have in any way injured me.

Seventhly, I beg of Thee to give me a love for the virtue of holy mortification, by which I may chastise my rebellious senses and cross my self-love; at the same time, I beg Thee to give me holy purity of body, and the grace to resist all bad temptations, by ever having recourse to Thee and Thy most holy Mother. Give me grace faithfully to obey my spiritual Father and all my Superiors in all things. Give me an upright intention, that in all I desire and do I may seek only Thy glory, and to please Thee alone. Give me a great confidence in the Passion of Jesus Christ, and in the intercession of Mary Immaculate. Give me a great love towards the most Adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and a tender devotion and love to Thy holy Mother. Give me, I pray Thee, above all, holy perseverance, and the grace always to pray for it, especially in time of temptation and at the hour of death.

Lastly, I recommend to Thee the Holy Souls of Purgatory, my relatives and benefactors; and in an especial manner I recommend to Thee all those who hate me or who have in any way offended me; I beg of Thee to render them good for the evil they have done, or may wish to do me. Finally, I recommend to Thee all infidels, heretics, and all poor sinners; give them light and strength to deliver themselves from sin. O most loving God, make Thyself known and loved by all, but especially by those who have been more ungrateful to Thee than others, so that by Thy goodness I may come one day to sing Thy mercies in Paradise; for my hope is in the merits of Thy Blood and in the patronage of Mary.

O Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me! So I hope; so may it be!  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of Epiphany

 And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11).

The Blessed Mother spoke thus to Ven. Mary Agreda, "My daughter, great were the gifts which the Kings offered to my most holy Son; but greater still was the affection with which they offered them and the mystery concealed beneath them. On account of all this they were most acceptable to His Majesty... Thy ceaseless offer, however, must be love, which is the gold; continual prayer, which is the incense; and the patient acceptance of labors and true mortifications, which is the myrrh. All that thou dost for the Lord, thou should offer up to Him with fervent affection and promptitude, without negligence or fear; for negligent works, and those not enlivened by love, are not an acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of His Majesty. In order to make those incessant offerings, it is necessary that Divine faith and light continually inflame thy heart, having before thy eyes the great object of thy praise and exaltation, ..." (Mystical City of God).

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As the Church commemorates the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, may we heed our Lady's words and remember to always offer ourselves and our entire day to our Blessed Lord, making a gift, an offering of love to Him each morning. One prayer to fulfill this task is the traditional morning offering. Another prayer fitting to be said as a daily prayer is a short, but beautiful prayer written by St. Alphonsus Liguori for the feast of the Epiphany. St. Alphonsus’ prayer makes a loving offering to our Lord on this most glorious feast of Epiphany, which commemorates the manifestation of the glory of Christ.

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Offering by St. Alphonsus

O Jesus, my Infant King! I also adore Thee, and offer Thee my miserable heart. Accept it and change it. Make it wholly Thine own, so that it may love nothing but Thee. My sweet Saviour, save me, and let my eternal happiness be to love Thee always and without reserve. O Mary, most holy Virgin, I hope for this grace from thee.

"Give me, therefore, I pray Thee, this gold, this incense, and this myrrh. Give me the gold of Thy holy love; give me the spirit of holy prayer, give me the desire and strength to mortify myself in everything that displeases Thee. I am resolved to obey Thee and to love Thee; but Thou knowest my weakness, oh, give me the grace to be faithful to Thee!" — St Alphonsus Liguori

God bless!

+JMJ+