Do You Do a Morning Offering?

09-03-2023Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

How do you start your day? What’s the first thing to which you turn your attention in the morning as you get up?

For me, I love to do a morning offering. After I make up my bed, it’s the first thing I do in the morning.

What is a morning offering? Well, basically you are offering or should I say reoffering yourself to God, body, soul, and spirit. You are offering the good, the bad and the ugly of the upcoming day to Jesus your Savior for some very specific prayer intentions. There are several versions of this prayer. One that I like has these words:

“O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month. Amen.”

If you go to morningoffering.com you will be asked to sign up for an email that will bring a morning offering to your inbox at the start of each day. My email arrives at 4:31 am every morning, so it’s always at the top of my inbox. In the email there’s a short video featuring Father Jeff Kirby from our Diocese. You just click on “Morning Offering” and Father Kirby will lead you in the morning offering prayer and then give a three-four minute exhortation on the Saint of the Day or another appropriate spiritual topic. Many of you will remember Father Kirby from the time of his assignment here. Father Kirby was my Vocations Director when I was a seminarian. I know you will be blessed with his brief encouraging messages.

As you look further into the email, you will see several other items that will help you in your walk with the Lord: a Quote of the Day; Today’s Meditation; several Recommended Reads; a Daily Verse; Daily Mass Readings; the Saint of the Day; the Liturgy of the Hours and many other devotional materials. And of course, since The Morning Offering is sponsored by The Catholic Company, they will advertise books and religious items. I have ordered several things from them; they offer high quality items and excellent service.

So how about it? Are you ready to try a morning offering? You will be blessed if you do!

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson