ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' MORNING PRAYER / by Joe Castorino

Based on the guidelines of St. Francis de Sales

Dearest God,

I adore you profoundly.

I thank you for the grace

Of preserving me

During this past night,

And I implore your pardon

If I have committed any sin

During the course of it.

I realize that the present day

Is given to me in order to gain

The future day of eternity,

And I plan on using this day well.

Looking ahead to what

Awaits me today,

I now make a firm resolution

To sincerely serve you and

Also advance in holy devotion;

Therefore, this is my spiritual plan:

Dearest Jesus,

By the power

Of the Holy Spirit,

I resolve today

To live the fruit of the Spirit

And to live in thanksgiving.

I resolve today

To take the hand of

La Madonnina d’Amore,

And let her lead me

To you, O Gesù,

La Divina Misericordia.

I resolve today,

As a knight of Christ,

To imitate San Giuseppe,

And the rest of the Holy Family,

In saintly silence,

In heroic patience,

In holy courage.

I resolve today,

In the Dark Night of Unknowing,

And the Dark Night of the Cross,

To meditate on the Nativity,

And to meditate on the Passion,

For the glory of God the Father.

Lord, here is this wretched heart

Of mine, which through your

Goodness has conceived

Many good affections;

Alas, it is too weak and

Miserable to do the good

That it desires to do

Unless you impart your

Heavenly blessing.

For this reason

I humbly beg your blessing,

O Merciful Father,

Through the merits

Of the passion of your Son,

In whose honor I consecrate this day,

And all the remaining days of my life.

O Madonnina d’Amore, pray for me,

O Guardian Angel, pray for me,

All you saints and angels, pray for me,

That the windows of my soul

Will be opened

To the Sun of Justice.

Amen.