Daily Offering Prayer

Sometimes people ask me: "What's the official Morning Offering Prayer?" They wonder if they are praying in union with the Apostleship of Prayer throughout the world if they don't use the traditional formula, or one of the Daily Offering Prayers on our web site or in our printed materials. The answer is that any Daily Offering Prayer is acceptable, including the one that you pray spontaneously, with your own words, from the heart.

I usually make the Morning Offering as soon as I wake up and before getting out of bed, but I know that often, in my pre-caffeinated state of mind, my offering is more a mindless routine than a fervent prayer. I trust God knows my intention of making every conscious and unconscious moment of my day an offering. And I can always renew my offering later when I am more alert. This is where other versions of the Daily Offering--the Trinitarian Prayer from our international office in Rome or the Morning Offering of St. Terese--can be helpful. Different prayers, including our own spontaneous ones, can help us to pray the offering and not just say it.

The following prayer was sent to me by a Jesuit of the Maryland Province whom I recently had on retreat. It was written by Fr. James Devereux, S.J. several years ago when he was provincial and it was sent to every member of the Province.

O Jesus, I come before you at the
beginning of this day.
I gaze at your face, I look upon
your side pierced by the lance.
Your wounded heart speaks to me of
God's love poured out for us.
Take, Lord, and receive my heart:
the words of faith that I speak,
the works of justice I would do,
my joys and sufferings.
When I come to the Eucharistic table,
gather my offerings to your own
for the life of the world.
At the end of the day, place me
with Mary, your mother,
and for her sake take me to
your Heart.
Amen.