The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Morning Prayer
Morning Prayer.
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IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
THANKSGIVING.
O MY God! I adore thee, and I love thee with my whole heart. I thank thee for all the benefits which thou hast granted me, and especially for having protected me so mercifully this night.
PRAYER FOR NECESSARY GRACE.
O MY Jesus! bear me in thy hands this day. Mary, holy Virgin! may I find shelter under thy protecting mantle. And do thou, O heavenly Father! show me mercy, for the love of Jesus and of Mary. My Guardian Angel, and all my patron Saints, help me by your holy prayers.
GOOD INTENTION.
TO thee, my God, I offer all that I shall do, all that I may suffer during the day which is now begun. I unite all my actions and sufferings to the sufferings of Jesus and Mary, and I make the intention now to gain all the indulgences to which I may be entitled for any good works of mine this day.
RESOLUTION.
MY God! I firmly resolve to fly from sin, and I implore thee for Jesus' sake to grant me the grace of perseverance. And especially I am resolved that in every trial, taking refuge in thy holy will, the prayer of my heart shall be, "O Lord, thy will be done!"
Here set before your mind the labours and other occupations in which you are likely to be engaged throughout the day. Consider well how you can order all your affairs for the honour of God and the good of your neighbour. Call to mind your usual faults, also the dangers and the occasions of sin to which you will be exposed, and make the firm resolution to guard yourself carefully against these temptations and occasions; and especially against that one which you know to be the greatest and most dangerous of all. Say then, with a sincere heart:
O MY God! I am resolved to avoid this sin of _____ above all others, and with the greatest care, and to be on my guard against this dangerous occasion _____
Then recommend yourself to the intercession of Mary, to all the Saints, and to your holy Guardian Angel.
O MOST Holy Mary, Mother of God! and all ye blessed Saints of Paradise, pray to God for me, that I may not offend him to-day by any sin. And thou, Holy Angel, who art given to me by God for my Guardian, keep me this day from falling into any deliberate sin.
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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 them who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.Amen.
THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION.
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 APOSTLES' CREED.
I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell, the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
THE CONFITEOR, OR GENERAL CONFESSION.
I CONFESS to Almighty God, to the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May Almighty God have mercy on me, forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen.
ACT OF FAITH
O MY God! thou who art infallible Truth! I believe everything which the holy Church commands me to believe, because thou hast revealed it to her. I believe that thou art the Creator of heaven and earth, that thou dost reward the just in paradise, and punish the wicked eternally in hell. I believe that thou art one divine Essence in three persons, namely: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I believe the incarnation, and the death of Jesus Christ. In a word, I believe all that the holy Church believes. I thank thee for having made me a Christian and a Catholic, and I protest that I will live and die in this holy faith.
ACT OF HOPE.
O MY God! I confide in thy promises, because thou art faithful, powerful, and merciful, and hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for the pardon of my sins, final perseverance, and the everlasting glory of paradise.
ACT OF CHARITY.
O MY God! I love thee with all my heart, and above all things, because thou art infinitely good and worthy of infinite love, and for love of thee I love my neighbour as myself.
ACT OF CONTRITION.
O MY God! I am heartily sorry for all my sins, because by them I have offended thee. I detest them above all things; and I am firmly resolved, by the help of thy holy grace, which I beseech thee to grant me now and always, rather to die than offend thee any more.Amen.
N.B.—It is a most profitable exercise for those whose way of life allows of it, to make at least a quarter of an hour's meditation after their morning prayers. See Meditations at page 255.
A PRAYER TO YOUR ANGEL GUARDIAN.
O ANGEL of God, to whose care I am committed by the supreme clemency, enlighten, defend, direct, and govern me this day, in all my thoughts, words and actions.Amen.
Bless us, O Lord, and preserve us from all evil, and bring us to eternal life; and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.Amen.