Morning prayers. Help me! "

[Tradcat1]

Hello I’m a catholic teenager and I’m reading the Intro to devout life. This is the way St. Francis de Sales proposed for the morning prayers. Please can you help me to design my morning prayer briefly as St. Francis recommends. If so, how long should my prayer last?

CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer.
BESIDES your systematic meditation and your other vocal prayers, there are five
shorter kinds of prayer, which are as aids and assistants to the great devotion, and foremost
among these is your morning prayer, as a general preparation for all the day’s work. It should
be made in this wise.

1. Thank God, and adore Him for His Grace which has kept you safely through the
   night, and if in anything you have offended against Him, ask forgiveness.
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2. Call to mind that the day now beginning is given you in order that you may work
   for Eternity, and make a stedfast resolution to use this day for that end.
3. Consider beforehand what occupations, duties and occasions are likely this day to
   enable you to serve God; what temptations to offend Him, either by vanity, anger, etc., may
   arise; and make a fervent resolution to use all means of serving Him and confirming your
   own piety; as also to avoid and resist whatever might hinder your salvation and God’s Glory.
   Nor is it enough to make such a resolution,—you must also prepare to carry it into effect.
   Thus, if you foresee having to meet some one who is hottempered and irritable, you must
   not merely resolve to guard your own temper, but you must consider by what gentle words
   to conciliate him. If you know you will see some sick person, consider how best to minister
   comfort to him, and so on.
4. Next, humble yourself before God, confessing that of yourself you could carry out
   nothing that you have planned, either in avoiding evil or seeking good. Then, so to say, take
   your heart in your hands, and offer it and all your good intentions to God’s Gracious Majesty,
   entreating Him to accept them, and strengthen you in His Service, which you may do in
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   some such words as these: “Lord, I lay before Thee my weak heart, which Thou dost fill
   with good desires. Thou knowest that I am unable to bring the same to good effect, unless
   Thou dost bless and prosper them, and therefore, O Loving Father, I entreat of Thee to help
   me by the Merits and Passion of Thy Dear Son, to Whose Honour I would devote this day
   and my whole life.”
   All these acts should be made briefly and heartily, before you leave your room if possible,
   so that all the coming work of the day may be prospered with God’s blessing; but anyhow,
   my daughter, I entreat you never to omit them.

 

[harshcshah]

Matt Fradd (host of the Pints with Aquinas podcast) has released an e-book entitled “A Simple Prayer Rule” which includes a morning prayer routine, an evening prayer routine and prayers throughout the day. This is the link: Here’s How You Can Pray Without Ceasing | Pints With Aquinas

Also, I would recommend a holy hour some time during the day to centre yourself around the Lord although there is no set requirement for how long prayer should last. You should definitely pray the Rosary every day.

 

[Tradcat1]

Thanks alot. I read that. But it lacks some of the points for prayer that St. Francis de Sales recommends. St. Francis wants the morning prayer to be simple including all the above points, for a beginner who is searching for a holy life.Anyway thanks alot for the ebook

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

There is the standard Morning Offering; is there something on the list that isn’t covered by this (or could be, with minor variation)?

O my 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 intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen.

Also, bear in mind that setting your own prayer routine is a very personal process; there’s no one-size-fits-all even if we’re mostly doing similar things. One person’s “shoulds” are simply there opinions and may/may not be right for you.

 

[DebCWil]

St. Josemaria Escria was the founder of Opus Dei. He called getting up and out of bed winning the first Spiritual battle of the day. When I read the article in my diocesan paper, I slightly changed my morning prayer routine.
I was already praying the Liturgy of the Hours followed by the Angelus.
Instead, to overcome morning lethargy i decided to flip my routine and follow St. Josemaria’s recommendation.
Begin your morning with the Morning Offering, as given by Cor_ad_Cor. It can be found in almost any basic Prayer Book, as can the Daily Consecration to Mary.
Consider developing a prayer life as you would an exercise program. Building slowly means more long lasting effects. Begin with the 2 simple prayers plus the Guardian Angel Prayer.
When he was little, I would have my grandson pray the Guardian Angel Prayer while waiting for the school bus.
6am is the traditional time for the Angelus. it is also the traditional time for Morning Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. I begin with the Office of Readings, which can be seamlessly blended into Morning Prayer. The LOTH can wait until you have established your more basic routine, in line with time for breakfast and getting ready for school.
Some people pray while they dress, remembering the Armor of Christ as they put on each piece of clothing.
You can even think of tidying your room, including making your bed, as an act of prayer when you begin your day.
This returns to the now famous graduation speech by the Navy Seal about changing the world. Making your bed completes the first task of the day making it easier to complete the next task. Simply getting out of bed means winning the first Spiritual battle of the day, especially when offered to God.