Catholic Morning Offering, Friday, January 23, 2026

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 Friday, january twenty third, twenty twenty-six. 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. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of your sacred heart, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the holy intentions of the Holy Father this month, amen. Prayers for the Holy Father Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon thy servant, Pope Leo XV, our supreme pontiff, and direct him according to thy loving kindness 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. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Quote from Saint Augustine What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy, it has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. Meditation of the day an excerpt from The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Lagori, pages three hundred ninety eight hundred ninety nine. But let us consider the reasons for which Mary's martyrdom was greater than that of all martyrs. In the first place, we must remember that the martyrs endured their torments, which were the effect of fire and other material agencies in their bodies. Mary suffered hers and her soul, as Saint Simeon foretold, and thy own soul a sword shall pierce. Luke two verse thirty five. As if the holy old man had said, O most sacred virgin, the bodies of other martyrs will be torn with iron, but thou wilt be transfixed, and martyred in thy soul by the passion of thine own son. Now, as the soul is more noble than the body, so much greater were Mary's sufferings than those of all the martyrs. As Jesus Christ himself said to Saint Catherine of Siena, between the sufferings of the soul and those of the body there is no comparison. Whence the holy abbot Arnold of Chartres says that whoever had been present on Mount Calvary to witness the great sacrifice of the Immaculate Lamb, would there have beheld two great altars, the one in the body of Jesus, the other in the heart of Mary, for on that mount, at the same time that the Son sacrificed his body by death, Mary sacrificed her soul by compassion.

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Scripture verse of the day.

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For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord. Jeremiah chapter twenty nine verses eleven through thirteen. Saint of the day. The saint of the day for January twenty third is Saint Mary Ann Cope. Saint Mary Ann Cope lived between 1838 and 1918. She was also known as Saint Mary Ann of Molokai. She was a German-born American immigrant. She worked in a New York factory before entering the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Syracuse. She spent her early years serving as a leader in health care and education. When the Hawaiian government was searching for a religious order to run a station for victims of leprosy, the Syracuse Sisters volunteered immediately. Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii in 1883. She devoted 35 years to caring for those afflicted with Hansen's disease, leprosy, in Molokai, Hawaii. She also opened a hospital and a school for girls on the island of Maui and took charge of the home St. Damien of Molokai established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, dignity, and fun into the colony. Despite her direct contact with leprosy patients over many years, she was not afflicted by the disease, which some consider miraculous. She was canonized in twenty twelve. Saint Mary Ann Cope, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for Friday of the second week in ordinary time. A reading from the first book of Samuel, chapter twenty four verses three through twenty one. Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel, and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags. When he came to the sheepfolds along the way he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself. David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave. David's servant said to him, This is the day of which the Lord said to you, I will deliver your enemy into your grasp, do with him as you see fit. So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle. Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul's mantle. He said to his men, The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the Lord's anointed. With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way. David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, My Lord the King. When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul, Why do you listen to those who say David is trying to harm you? You see for yourself today that the Lord just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, I will not raise a hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed and a father to me. Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold, since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion. I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life. The Lord will judge between me and you, and the Lord will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you. The old proverb says From the wicked comes forth wickedness, so I will take no action against you. Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog or a single flea? The Lord will be the judge, he will decide between me and you. May he see this and take my part, and grant me justice beyond your reach. When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, Is that your voice, my son David? And Saul wept aloud. Saul then said to David, You are in the right rather than I. You have treated me generously while I have done you harm. Great is the generosity you showed me today when the Lord delivered me into your grasp and you did not kill me. For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed? May the Lord reward you generously for what you have done this day, and now I know that you shall surely be king, and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession. The Word of the Lord Responsorial Psalm Psalm fifty seven Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge, in the shadow of your wings I take refuge till harm pass by. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. I call to God the most high, to God my benefactor, may He send from heaven and save me, may He make those a reproach who trample upon me. May God send his mercy and his faithfulness. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. Be exalted above the heavens, O God, above all the earth be your glory, for your mercy towers to the heavens and your faithfulness to the skies. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark, chapter three verses thirteen through nineteen. Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, that they might be with him, and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. He appointed the twelve, Simon whom he named Peter, James son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder. Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaan, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed 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 Mary, my mother, I give myself totally to you as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all that I am and have, whatever most pleases you. Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for bringing the greatest possible glory to God. Amen. 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. Memori 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. O 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.