J.M.J.
Rise and shine! Saying this phrase makes waking up and getting ready for the day so inviting and encouraging. This popular expression apparently originated from a Biblical passage in the Book of Isaiah:
“Arise! Shine, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.” – Isaiah 60:1
Whether you’re in New Zealand where the first sunrise across the world happens, or you’re in the Philippines to welcome the day, four hours later, it is always a grace from God to wake up to a new day, not only to experience life, but more importantly, to fulfill one’s part in God’s Divine Plan.
There is this song “Another Day of Sun” from one of my most favorite movies of all time, La La Land. It’s one of those songs, which I rate as perfect 10 – the lyrics, the tune and the beat are fantastic, including its film choreography. The chorus talks about how we actually spend each and every day by working hard for our personal aspirations; and, should anyone or anything upset us, we know that we’ll make it next time because we can look forward to… another day of sun.
Climb these hills
I’m reaching for the heights
And chasing all the lights that shine.
And when they let you down
You’ll get up off the ground
‘Cause morning rolls around
And it’s another day of sun.
One thing that many of us are probably guilty of at one point or another is forgetting to devote the earliest moment of each day to the ultimate source of all inspiration and love, Our Heavenly Father. All of us are in constant need of growing our personal relationship with God. But we tend to disregard it whenever we neglect to pray and acknowledge Him ahead of everything else. Just like a loving relationship that is deepened by listening and talking with each other first thing in the morning, Prayer is a “vital” way that serves to deepen “the living relationship of the children of God with their Father.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2558, 2565) It is through our prayer life that we listen to and speak with God, and improve our relationship with Him, with the Blessed Mother, and with the Saints. It helps us to hear the voice of God in our hearts, telling us His will.
Though understandable, it’s unfortunate that because of the daily rush with our to-do list and chores at home, work or school, we either forget or procrastinate praying and prefer to just do it before we sleep at night. As a result, while many of our tasks and relationships are well attended to, our growth in spiritual life with God gets sidelined.
For the true faithful, however, a day is never ready to move without placing oneself in the hands of God. The busier our day will be, as we know it, the more we need to pause and pray, before everything gets hectic. Commending ourselves to God and to our Intercessor Saints at daybreak uplifts our souls and fills us with much needed grace and strength.
Why we must begin the day with a Prayer:
1. Adoration and Thanksgiving
Declaring our faith in the Divinity of the Holy Trinity and expressing our gratitude to God’s Providence and the Intercession of His Saints is a glorious way to begin our day. One way to do this is by praying The Divine Praises. (Click to read our Post on The Divine Praises). We can also offer heartfelt formula prayers such as The Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be.
2. An Act of Humility
Humbling ourselves before God by calling on to Him in prayer, and offering Him everything even before anything gets accomplished, is a good practice to help us grow in virtue. Morning prayer is also a time to ask for God’s forgiveness for our shortcomings (we need not wait for dusk), to lift up to God our weaknesses, and to acknowledge that it is only by God’s help that we can resist temptations.
3. Union with God
Saint John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests, said, “Prayer is nothing else than union with God.” And when we are united to God, he added, “we feel within ourselves a joy, a sweetness that inebriates, a light that dazzles us.” So before we head out to this chaotic world, start first with an earnest prayer to obtain that joy, sweetness and light that come with being united with God.
4. Participation in the prayers of the Church
Priests and Religious pray the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours every day, which begins early in the morning. Nowadays, more and more lay people participate in these prayers throughout the day, and we too can try to do so given the time. In our own words, we can also pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and those offered in the Holy Mass. Keep in mind, brothers and sisters in Christ, that praying for others is an act of charity.
5. Supplication
It is true that God already knows all that we are to ask of Him. Still, we must try to communicate to Him in prayer our needs and petitions for our loved ones and ourselves. What better time to do that than during the beginning of each day to show that we rely on Him for everything in our life.
***
Here is a Morning Offering written by St. Thérèse of Lisieux whose Feast we celebrated on October 1. This prayer from the Little Flower reminds us to make God the first and foremost of all that we are and do on earth so that we may be with Him in Heaven someday for all eternity.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us!
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
Mama Mary, pray for us!
Amen.
She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, the country's Pontifical and Catholic university, with an AB in Legal Management and minor units in Theology.
As an unmarried woman, prayer holds a central place in her daily life, with a focus on the Rosary and the Divine Office. Embodying her faith, she emphasizes the growth of her inner spiritual life, guided by the wisdom of Carmelite spirituality.
God manifested to her in a unique and radical manner, which made her know Who He truly is and led her to total surrender of her life to Him.
She has studied the Bible with her family, developing a particular fondness for the Old Testament.
Her adorable and intelligent toy poodle is a delightful companion in her daily life, bringing warmth and joy to her home.
Her hobbies include reading about everything, learning Japanese and German, listening to music and playing the flute.
In her leisure time, she enjoys gaming on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo 3DS, iOS and OS, and collecting things related to PlayStation and Nintendo.
Email: [email protected]
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humbling encounter you must have had with the Lord ( i want ot hear and read more about it, is you are graced to share it..thank you )…a blessing and grace..will want to have more encounter with you ,in the next few days..same road i want to journey on..purity..Go
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