Catholic Morning Offering, Saturday, July 26, 2025, Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day!

Join me in praying the Catholic morning offering, as well as hear meditations, learn about the saint of the day,  and hear today's Scripture readings from Holy Mass.

To sign up to receive a daily email of the Morning Offering through The Catholic Company, go to https://www.morningoffering.com/

Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Morning Glory Consecration Prayer is excerpted from "33 Days to Morning Glory:  A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration" by Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, © 2011 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M., p. 137.

If you have any comments, please email me at Deanna.pierre25@gmail.com.

Transcript

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Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day. Good morning! Today is Saturday, July 26, 2025, the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Please join me in praying the morning offering prayer and prayers for our Holy Father. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayers for the Holy Father Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon thy servant, Pope Leo XIV, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to thy lovingkindness, in the way of eternal salvation, that of thy gift he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee, and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 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 those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Quote from Saint Catherine of Siena. You are rewarded not according to your work or your time, but according to the measure of your love. Meditation of the Day, an excerpt from The Sermons of St. Alphonsus Liguori for All the Sundays of the Year by St. Alphonsus Liguori, pages 149-150 What, then, are we to understand by a tepid soul? A tepid soul is one that frequently falls into fully deliberate venial sins, such as deliberate lies, deliberate acts of impatience, deliberate imprecations, and the like. These faults may be easily avoided by those who are resolved to suffer death rather than commit a deliberate, venial offense against God. St. Teresa used to say that one venial sin does us more harm than all the devils in hell. Hence, she would say to her nuns, My children, from deliberate sin, however venial it may be, may the Lord deliver you. Some complain of being left in aridity and dryness and without any spiritual sweetness. But how can we expect that God will be liberal of His favors to us when we are ungenerous to Him? We know that such a lie, such an imprecation, such an injury to our neighbor, and such detraction, though not mortal sins, are displeasing to God. and still we do not abstain from them. Why, then, should we expect that God will give us His divine consolations? But some of you will say, Venial sins, however great they may be, do not deprive the soul of the grace of God. Even though I commit them, I will be saved, and for me it is enough to obtain eternal life. You say that, for you, it is enough to be saved. Remember that St. Augustine says that, where you have said, it is enough, To understand correctly the meaning of these words of St. Augustine and to see the danger to which the state of tepidity exposes those who commit habitual and deliberate venial sins without feeling remorse for them and without endeavoring to avoid them, it is necessary to know that the habit of light faults leads the soul insensibly to mortal sins. For example, the habit of venial acts of aversion leads to mortal hatred. The habit of small thefts leads to grievous repine. The habit of venial attachments leads to affections which are mortally sinful. The soul, says Saint Gregory, never lies where it falls. No, it continues to sink still deeper. Mortal diseases do not generally proceed from serious indisposition. but from many slight and continued infirmities. So likewise, the fall of many souls into mortal sin follows from habitual venial sins. For these render the soul so weak that, when a strong temptation assails her, she has not strength to resist it, and she falls. Scripture verse of the day. When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, Do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say. Saint of the Day The saints of the day for July 26th are Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. Saint Anne and Saint Joachim lived in the 1st century B.C., and are the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the maternal grandparents of Jesus. Their names have been preserved in church tradition since the second century. Although little is known of their lives, it is believed that St. Joachim and St. Anne, although wealthy, lived a devout and simple life of voluntary poverty, chastity, and generosity to the poor. According to legend, after long years of suffering from infertility and praying for a child, Joachim and Anne were each separately visited by an angel in their old age, who announced that they would give birth to a very special child. Their moment of joy at this happy news is depicted with their embrace and kiss at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem. It was from their holy and chaste marriage that the Immaculate Conception was brought into the world. According to tradition, when the child Mary was three years old, They dedicated her to God and presented her to live in the Jerusalem temple until the time of her betrothal to Saint Joseph. Saint Anne is the patroness of unmarried women, wives, expectant mothers, pregnancy, women in labor, grandmothers, childless couples, and against poverty and sterility. Women praying to meet their future spouse often turn to Saint Anne. Saint Joachim is the patron of Fathers and Grandfathers, St. Anne and St. Joachim, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A reading from the book of Exodus, chapter 24, verses 3-8. When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the Lord, they all answered with one voice, saying, We will do everything that the Lord has told us. Moses then wrote down all the The Word of the Lord Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 50 Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. God the Lord has spoken and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Gather my faithful ones before me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself is the judge. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call upon me in time of distress. I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 13, verses 24-30. Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from? He answered, An enemy has done this. His slaves said to him, The Gospel of the Lord Prayer of Spiritual Communion In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most blessed sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen. Morning Glory Consecration Prayer Prayer to Saint Joseph O glorious Saint Joseph, chosen by God to be the guardian of the Holy Family, whose protection is so great, so strong, in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Savior Jesus Christ, send down from heaven a blessing from God to protect us from any harm, strengthen us in body, soul, and spirit. We ask this through thy powerful intercession. Holy Family, pray for us. Amen. Guardian Angel Prayer O angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. The Three Hail Marys Devotion The first Hail Mary, in honor of God the Father. 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 second Hail Mary, in honor of God the Son. 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 third Hail Mary, in honor of God the Holy Spirit. 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. O my mother, preserve my soul from mortal sin during this day. Amen. Memorare to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. Act of Faith O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man, died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. In this faith, I intend to live and die. Amen. Act of Hope Oh my God, relying on your almighty power, infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of your grace, and the life everlasting. Through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen. Act of Love O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen. Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory O gentle heart of Jesus, ever present in the blessed sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in purgatory, have mercy on them. Be not severe in thy judgment, but let some drops of thy precious blood fall upon the devouring flames. Merciful Savior, send thy angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen. Act of Resignation to the Divine Will O Lord my God, from this moment do I accept from thy hands, with burning love and sincere contrition, with a calm and willing disposition, whatsoever death thou shalt choose to send me, with its pains and griefs. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Starting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day.