What a beautiful way to begin your day!
Father Ronald Vierling recently introduced several morning spiritual exercises to help Catholics start their day in prayer.
These suggestions come from Saint Alphonsus Liguori's writings, particularly his daily exercises.
They are summarized in the text below.
6 Spiritual Exercises from Saint Alphonsus Liguori Catholics Should Try Each Morning
1) Raise Your Mind to God
“When you awake in the morning, your first thought should be to raise your mind to God and offer Him all the actions of that day, asking Him to help you by His grace.”
2) Perform Christian acts and live as if it were your last day.
“Then make the other morning Christian acts of thanksgiving, love, petition, and the firm resolve of living during that day as if it were the last day of your life.”
3) Agree with Jesus to live the day with selfless love.
“Make an agreement with the Divine Savior: when you make signs, such as putting your hand on your heart, lifting your eyes heavenward, or to the crucifix, it is your intention to make an act of love, an act of desire to see Him loved by all, an act of self-offering.”
4) Ask Jesus and Mary for spiritual protection.
“After you have made the preceding acts, place your soul in the side of Jesus and under the mantle of Mary, and pray the Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus and Mary, to preserve you during the day.”
5) Spend at least 30 minutes in mental prayer or meditation on Jesus' Passion.
“Then, before any other action, make at once at least half an hour of mental prayer or meditation; and the principal topic of your meditation should be the sufferings and contempt that our Blessed Lord endured in His Passion.”
6) Increase your devotion to Jesus' Passion, the Eucharist, and to Mary.
“There are three devotions which you must treasure above all the others if you want to grow in holiness: devotion to the Passion, to the Most Blessed Sacrament, and to the Blessed Virgin.”