Every day, we will post a few brief prayers inspired by the Liturgy of the Hours.
O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall declare your praise.
Psalm 25:4-18
Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my savior. In you I hope all day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me. The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, he guides the humble in the right path; he teaches his way to the poor. His ways are faithfulness and love for those who keep his covenant and law. Lord, for the sake of your name forgive my guilt; for it is great. If anyone fears the Lord he will show him the path he should choose. His soul shall live in happiness and his children shall possess the land. The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him; to them he reveals his covenant. My eyes are always on the Lord; for he rescues my feet from the snare. Turn to me and have mercy for I am lonely and poor. Relieve the anguish of my heart and set me free from my distress. See my affliction and my toil and take all my sins away.
Reading: From a sermon by St. Alphonsus Liguori
God made this abundance of things out of love for man, so that all creation might serve man, and man in turn might love God out of gratitude for so many gifts. But he did not wish to give us only beautiful creatures; the truth is that to win for himself our love, he went so far as to bestow upon us the fullness of himself. The eternal Father went so far as to give us his only Son. When he saw that we were all dead through sin and deprived of his grace, what did he do? Compelled, as the Apostle says, by the superabundance of his love for us, he sent his beloved Son to make reparation for us and to call us back to a sinless life. By giving us his Son, whom he did not spare precisely so that he might spare us, he bestowed on us at once every good: grace, love and heaven; for all these goods are certainly inferior to the Son: He who did not spare his own Son, but handed him over for all of us: how could he fail to give us along with his Son all good things?
The Canticle of Mary
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God, my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
Intercessions
Preserve us in your unity with the bond of peace. Look kindly on your children, Lord! Be with us in our work today. Look kindly on your children, Lord! May we imitate you in all we do today. Look kindly on your children, Lord!
Dear Father, May we always strive to do your will and seek your Kingdom. May we follow you with our whole heart. We ask this through Jesus, your Son, in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
