Friday

 

Morning Offering

 

Dear Jesus,
today I offer my heart to You
in honor of Your holy Passion,
Your bitter suffering,
Your sacred wounds,
and Your precious Blood.

I thank You, dear Jesus,
for the seven painful times
You shed Your precious Blood for us:

when You were circumcised
as a little baby…

when You sweat Blood
in the Garden…

when You were scourged
at the pillar…

when the thorns pierced
Your holy head…

when You carried
the heavy Cross…

when Your hands and feet
were nailed upon it…

and when Your Sacred Heart
was opened
by the soldier’s lance.

Thank You for bringing us back
to our Heavenly Father
through Your suffering and love.

Thank You for forgiving sins,
for the grace of Holy Confession,
and for every mercy
You give to a poor sinner like me.

Please give me
a prayerful heart,
patience in suffering,
holy zeal for God’s honor,
and kindness toward everyone,
even those who are hard to love.

Help me to think kindly of others,
to forgive quickly,
and to remember Your Cross
whenever life is hard.

Dear Jesus,
I offer this little prayer
in sorrow for my sins,
especially the ones I have forgotten.

Keep me close
to Your holy Passion,
and never let me wander
far from You.

Amen.

This prayer comes from a very small and beautiful Catholic prayer book printed in Augsburg, Germany, in 1776, titled Auserlesenes Gebethbüchlein, meaning “A Choice Little Prayer Book.” It includes morning and evening prayers, prayers for Confession and Holy Communion, litanies, and other daily devotions. First prepared for the young nobility of Austria and later published for all Catholics, the book contains old German blackletter pages, delicate devotional engravings, and Church approval pages showing the prayers had been examined and approved in Augsburg in 1752. Nearly 250 years later, these prayers are being gently translated into clear English by Sister Mary Claire for Kathy at Camp Littlemore Farm, so they may once again be prayed slowly and reverently.