Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer is a duty which God requires as the first fruits of the day; most religiously then, should it be consecrated to him. The success of our actions, for the rest of the day, depends, in a great measure, upon this first duty. To begin the day without imploring God's grace, and thanking him sincerely for the repose of the night, is certainly to expose ourselves to infinite danger.

But before prayer, recollect yourself a moment; think what you are yourself, and what God is, to whom you are going to speak. You will thus conceive the importance of the action, and the sentiments of humility, of regret for your faults; of attention, respect, and modesty; of fervour, love, and confidence, with which you should address him.

IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Blessed be the Holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

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 that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. Amen.

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION.

HAIL, Mary! full of grace, our 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 in 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 arose 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.

I CONFESS to Almighty God, to 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 a virgin, the blessed Michael the Archangel, the 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. May the Almighty and merciful Lord, grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.

Then call to mind the sins and daily infidelities you usually fall into, and endeavour to foresee the occasions of such failings, to which you may be exposed during the present day. Examine particularly your words and behaviour, to your children, servants, &c. resolve to avoid what is wrong, and say—

WITH most humble submission, I acknowledge, O Lord, my many and daily transgressions of thy holy law. And in the bitterness of my soul, I bewail my ingratitude, in mispending so much precious time, allowed me by thy infinite goodness, for no other purpose than to lay up treasures for eternal life. Penetrated with a sense of thy predilection for me, a poor, ungrateful, and miserable sinner, I here, in thy sacred presence, Eternal God, and in the sight of my angel guardian, do most sincerely enter on my duty, and am resolved to spend this day to thy honour and glory. I offer to thee those vows I made at entering into thy holy church, and from my heart I here repeat and renew the same; viz. I renounce the devil, with all his works; the world, with all its pomps, and the flesh, with all its temptations.

MORNING HYMN.

“Jam lucis orto sidere.”

Brightly shines the morning-star;
Pray we God his grace to give,
That from sin and danger far,
We the coming day may live.

That the tongue by Him withheld,
May from sounds of strife refrain;
That the eye from roving quell'd,
Seek not sights corrupt or vain.

That the heart, with pureness fraught,
May from folly turn aside;
And the flesh, by temperance taught,
Calm its lusts, and veil its pride.

That, when He the day shall close,
And the night successive bring,
We triumphant o'er our foes,
May our hymn of glory sing.

Glory, Sire of all, to thee;
And to thee, co-equal Son,
With the Spirit, glory be;
One in Three, and Three in One.
Amen.

LET US PRAY.

GRANT, O Lord, I may be careful in every duty belonging to my state; that I may suffer no neglect, sloth, or self-love, to hinder me in the faithful discharge of whatever obligations are upon me; that I may do and suffer all thou requirest of me as a Christian, with a ready submission to thy will. Let it be thy mercy to me to avoid all occasions of sin, and resist all inclinations that lead to sin. Preserve me, likewise, from all other misfortunes and ill accidents, and let not the devil, in any kind, have power over me: and this one thing, O God, I ask of thee, that thou never leave me to myself, but that, by the help of thy grace, I may live this day, and evermore, as a Christian, to thy glory, and my own everlasting good. Amen.

AN ACT OF FAITH IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

O MY God, I firmly believe thou art here, and perfectly seest me, and that thou observest all my actions, all my thoughts, and the most secret motions of my heart. Canst thou suffer in thy holy presence a sinner who has so often offended thee? It is thy goodness and liberality which invite and command my poverty to come to thee. Give me, therefore, grace to pray as I ought.

Come, O Holy Spirit! fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy love.

V. Send forth thy Spirit, and our hearts will be regenerated.

R. And thou wilt renew the face of the earth.

LET US PRAY.

O GOD, who by the light of the Holy Ghost didst instruct the hearts of the faithful, give us, by this same Holy Spirit, a love and relish of what is right and just, and the constant enjoyment of his comforts. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

AN ACT OF ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING.

O MY God, I adore thee as my Creator and my sovereign good; and with all possible thanksgiving I acknowledge the many benefits thou hast conferred upon me, in relation both to body and soul. Thou hast created me of nothing; redeemed me by the death of thy Son, sanctified me by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, preserved me from an infinity of danger, and from hell-fire, which I deserve by my sins. Thou knowest I am an unprofitable and an ungrateful servant, nevertheless thou hast all this time had patience with me: thou hast preserved me the night past, and given me this present day, that I may labour with more care and diligence than I have hitherto done, to obtain the crown of immortal glory, which thy goodness has prepared for me. O my God! how good thou art towards me; what return can I make for so innumerable benefits? I will bless thy holy name, and serve thee all the days of my life.

Here call to mind the chief sins of your life past, and make resolutions against the temptations and dangerous occasions you may perhaps meet with in the day.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION WITH GOOD RESOLUTIONS.

O MY God, how ill have I hitherto lived! how little have I done for thee! I am heartily sorry I have spent and lost that time in offending thee, which thy infinite goodness gave me to be employed in thy service, in advancing the good of my soul, and in purchasing everlasting life. I detest all the sins I have committed against thy divine Majesty; I am sorry that I have offended thee, because thou art infinitely good, and sin is infinitely displeasing to thee; I love thee with my whole heart and soul, and I firmly purpose, by the help of thy grace, to serve thee more faithfully for the future. Receive, I beseech thee, the remainder of my life; I renew my promises made in baptism; I renounce the devil, his works, and all his pomps; I now begin and will endeavour to spend this day according to thy holy will, both as to the nature and circumstances of my actions, performing them so as they may be pleasing to thee. I will take particular care to avoid the failings I am so apt to commit, and to exercise the virtues which are most agreeable to my state and employments.

AN OBLATION.

I OFFER to thee, O my God! the life and death of thy only Son; and with them these my affections and resolutions, my thoughts, words, deeds, and sufferings of this day, and of all my life, in honour of thy adorable Majesty: in thanksgiving for all thy benefits, in satisfaction for my sins, and to obtain the assistance of thy grace: that persevering to the end in doing thy holy will, I may love and enjoy thee for ever in thy glory.

A PETITION.

THOU knowest, O God! how weak and unable I am to do good. Leave me not to myself, but take me into thy protection, and give me grace faithfully to comply with these holy resolutions. Enlighten my understanding with a lively faith, raise up my will to a firm hope, and inflame it with an ardent charity.

Strengthen my weakness, and cure the corruption of my heart; grant, that overcoming my enemies, both visible and invisible, I may make good use of thy grace; and vouchsafe to add to these blessings, the inestimable gift of final perseverance.

V. To thee, O Lord, I have raised my voice.

R. And early in the morning my prayer shall come before thee.

V. Let my mouth be ever filled with thy praise.

R. That I may publish thy glory, and all the day thy greatness.

V. Turn thy face, O Lord, away from my sins.

R. And blot out all my iniquities.

V. Create in me a clean heart, O God.

R. And renew a right spirit in me.

V. Cast me not out of thy sight.

R. Nor take thy holy Spirit from me.

V. Restore me to the joy of thy saving mercy.

R. And strengthen me with thy sovereign Spirit.

V. Our succour is in the name of our Lord.

R. Who hath made both heaven and earth.

V. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day,

R. To preserve us from all sin.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.

R. Have mercy on us.

V. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be poured upon us.

R. According to the hopes we have placed in thee.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my supplications come to thee.

LET US PRAY.

ALMIGHTY Lord and God, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day, let thy powerful grace so conduct us through it, that we may not fall into any sins; but that all our thoughts, words, and actions, may be regulated according to the rules of thy heavenly justice, and tend to the observance of thy holy law, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LET US PRAY.

LORD God, the King of heaven and earth, vouchsafe this day to rule and sanctify, to direct and govern our souls and bodies, our senses, words, and actions, in conformity to thy law, and in a strict obedience to thy commands; that by the help of thy grace, O Saviour of the world, we may be fenced and freed from all evil, both now and for ever. Amen.

LET US PRAY.

O GOD, who out of thy unspeakable providence art pleased to appoint thy holy angels for our guardians, give ear to the supplications which we make for a continuance of their protection, and that we may be added to their joyful number for all eternity. Amen.

Adorable Jesus! divine model of that perfection to which all Christians should aspire, I will endeavour this day after thy example, to be mild, humble, chaste, zealous, patient, charitable, and resigned. Incline my heart, O Lord, to keep thy commandments. I am resolved to watch over myself with the greatest diligence and circumspection, and to live soberly, justly, and piously, for the time to come. I will place a guard on my mouth, and a gate of prudence before my lips, that I may not offend with my tongue. I will turn away my eyes, that they may not see vanity; and I will be particularly attentive not to relapse into my accustomed failings, but will struggle against them, and with thy gracious assistance, correct them. Enlighten my mind, O Lord; purify my heart and guide my steps, that I may pass this, and the remaining days of my life, in thy divine service. Amen.

Hail, O most holy and blessed Virgin Mary, full of celestial grace, and replenished with the joys of Heaven, of whom, and by whom, it pleased our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Heaven, the Brightness of his Father's Glory, to be born and nourished! obtain for me, O blessed Mother, from thy only begotten Son, whatsoever thou knowest to be necessary for the salvation of my soul. O holy Mother of God, help my frailty and weakness, assist me this day in all my troubles, temptations and dangers, but especially at the hour of my death, vouchsafe not to depart from me, that by thy prayers and protection, I may be safe in that last and dangerous conflict. Amen

Glory be to the Father, who by his almighty power hath created me, and made me to his own image and likeness. Glory be to the Son, who by his wisdom hath delivered me from hell, and opened for me the gates of heaven. Glory be to the Holy Ghost, who in his mercy hath sanctified me by baptism, and who incessantly worketh my sanctification by the fresh graces I daily receive from his bounty. Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the blessed Trinity, which was as great at the beginning as he now is, or will be for ever and ever. Amen.