Catholic Morning Offering, Friday, January 30, 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 thirtieth, 2026. 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 Boniface In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship, but to keep her on course. Meditation of the day, an excerpt from twelve steps to holiness and salvation from the works of Saint Alphonsus Ligori adapted from the German of Reverend Paul Leich. Pages two hundred thirty six through two hundred thirty seven. Souls that love God feel a strong attraction for solitude, for they know that God converses familiarly with those who shun the noise and distractions of the world. O blessed solitude exclaims Saint Jerome, in which God with loving condescension deals familiarly with chosen souls. God does not speak in those places where time is squandered in loud laughter and idle talk. The Lord is not in the earthquake three Kings chapter nineteen verse eleven. But he says on the contrary, in the words of the prophet OC, I will lead her into the wilderness and I will speak to her heart OC two hundred fourteen. God speaks to the soul in solitude, and by his words the heart is inflamed with divine love. My soul melted when my beloved spoke, said the spouse in the canticle, chapter five verse six. Saint Eucharius relates that a person who desired to be perfect once asked a spiritual director what he had to do, and this was the answer he received. Solitude is the place where man finds God. In solitude, virtue is easily preserved. In intercourse with the world it is easily lost. Saint Bernard tells us that he learned more about God and divine things in solitude under the oaks and beech trees than from the books and schools of the learned. For this reason the saints felt an irresistible yearning to leave the noise and bustle of the world and retire into solitude. For this reason the mountains and forests and caves were inexpressibly dear to them. In the prophecy of Isaiah we read The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice and shall flourish like the lily. It shall bud forth in blossom and shall rejoice with joy and praise. The glory of Libanus is given to it, the beauty of Carmel and Sarin, they shall see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God. Isaiah thirty five verse one. In other words, for interior souls, solitude is the source of abundant delights, for it is there they look upon and contemplate the majesty and beauty of God. Scripture verse of the day Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Saint of the day, the saint of the day for january thirtieth is Saint Martina of Rome. Saint Martina of Rome died in two hundred twenty eight AD. She was born to a noble Roman family and orphaned at a young age. She was zealous in the practice of her faith, remained a virgin, and, in preparation for the Christian persecution sweeping the city, gave much of her inheritance to the poor. She was martyred under Roman Emperor Alexander Severus. According to the accounts of her martyrdom, she was discovered praying in a church and was arrested by Roman soldiers. She was ordered to pay homage to the pagan gods, which she refused. She was then cruelly tortured over several days. She was raked with iron hooks and scourged, and when a bright light enveloped her, some of her torturers were converted to the faith amid her fervent prayers. She was then taken to the temple of Diana to be forced to offer sacrifice, but at her presence the temple's demon left with a scream. They next tried to throw her to a lion, it showed no interest in her, and to burn her alive, but she would not catch fire. Finally she was beheaded. Saint Martina of Rome, pray for us. Readings for Holy Mass for Friday of the third week in ordinary time. A reading from the second book of Samuel, chapter eleven, verses one through four, five through ten, and thirteen through seventeen. At the turn of the year when kings go out on campaign, David sent Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem. One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of Joab's armor bearer, Uriah the Hittite. Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him he had relations with her. She then returned to her house, but the woman had conceived and sent the information to David, I am with child. David therefore sent a message to Joab, send me Uriah the Hittite. So Joab sent Uriah to David. When he came David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well. David then said to Uriah, Go down to your house and bathe your feet. Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king's table. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house. David was told that Uriah had not gone home. On the day following, David summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed among his lord's servants, and did not go down to his home. The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. In it he directed, place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce, then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead. So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong. When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David's army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died. The Word of the Lord Responsorial Psalm Psalm fifty one Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness, in the greatness of your compassion, wipe out my offense, thoroughly wash me from my guilt, and of my sin cleanse me. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always, against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. True I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness, the bones you have crushed shall rejoice. Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark, chapter four verses twenty six thirty four. Jesus said to the crowds, This is how it is with the kingdom of God. It is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow. He knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come. He said, To what shall we compare the kingdom of God? Or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, that when it is sown in the ground it is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth, but once it is sown it springs up and becomes the largest of plants, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade. With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. 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.