Morning Prayer
Morning and evening are typically the greatest times of temptation, so we must always be sure to pray first thing when we get out of bed in the morning. Every day we build our spiritual ‘home’ anew. So be sure to build it on rock, not sand. Do not delay, or allow anything else to take greater priority.
Start with a Bible reading. It could be as short as a single verse, or as long as an entire book — it is entirely up to the individual. We can be our own guides through the Bible and reflect on our favorite verses, or we can read from books which guide us through the Bible and prayer. Some great examples are: Liturgy of the Hours, a Daily Missal, the Living Faith, or God’s Word Among Us. If none of those are handy, we can look at the mass readings for the day online at: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/
Then, follow up our reading with prayer. Pray from the heart. Thank God for safety in sleep. Then ask Him to grant us the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to guide us this day. One example morning prayer is:
Lord God, our Father in Heaven,
make our thoughts, our words, and our actions,
Yours, and Yours alone,
this day and every day,
so they may plant the seeds
and bear the fruit
of your Good Works.
Lord, grant us, we beseech Thee,
those graces and blessings necessary
to bear the fruit of chastity,
and exercise temperance,
in all that we do today.
Grant us also, we beseech Thee,
the gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel
so we may know what is Your will
in each and every moment of this day.
Grant us also, we beseech Thee,
the gifts of fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord,
so we may live according to Your will,
and carry out Your will,
in each and every given moment.
Finally, grant us, we beseech thee,
those graces and blessings necessary
to live with compassion, patience, gentleness and meekness of spirit,
so we may be, at the very least,
the faintest of reflections
of Your unending purity, mercy and goodness,
and so attract others to Your light,
shining from within us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.