Praying the Lauds - Your Daily Christian Morning Prayer

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 13, 2022 | Memorial of Sts. Pontian, pope, and Hippolytus, priest, Martyrs "Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to the little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom." - Matt 11:25 St. Pontian (Pontianus) was a victim of the persecution of Alexander Severus, who directed his attention particularly against the leaders of the Church. St. Po...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 12, 2022 | Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time "The Lord has come to his people and set them free." - Benedictus antiphon May the all-powerful Father's radiance dawn in our lives, that we may walk in the light of His law and be truly free as His beloved sons and daughters. Start your day with the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient traditi...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 11, 2022 | Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi, virgin "How beautiful you are, O virgin of Christ, who were worthy to receive the Lord’s crown, the crown of perpetual virginity." - Entrance antiphon St. Clare of Assisi was the first woman to practice the life of entire poverty as taught by St. Francis. Placed by him at the head of a few companions in the small convent...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 10, 2022 | Feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr "This is the blessed Lawrence, who gave himself up for the treasure of the Church: for this he earned the suffering of martyrdom to ascend with joy to the Lord Jesus Christ." - Entrance antiphon Saint Lawrence was chief among the seven deacons who served the Roman Church during the mid-third century. The young cle...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 9, 2022 | Memorial of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart." - Mt. 11:29 Edith Stein was born of Jewish parents in 1891, becoming an influential philosopher following her extensive studies at major German universities. After her conversion to Catholicism, she became a major...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 8, 2022 | Memorial of St. Dominic, priest "This is the steward, faithful and prudent, who the Lord set over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time." - Luke 12:42 At the end of the twelfth century, the Church in France was ravaged by the Albigensian heresy, a doctrine which was not only entirely unchristian but which, in addition, cons...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 7, 2022 | Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" By the gift of the Holy Spirit, we dare to call God our Father. May He bring to perfection in our hearts the spirit of adoption as His sons and daughters that we may merit to ente...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 6, 2022 | Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord "In a resplendent cloud the Holy Spirit appeared. The Father’s voice was heard: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." - Mt 17:5 This Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord was originally celebrated in Syrian, Byzantine, and Coptics rites. It was introduced in Rome in 1457 in commemo...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 5, 2022 | Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major "Pardon the faults of your servants, we pray, O Lord, that we, who cannot please you by our own deeds, may be saved through the intercession of the Mother of your Son and our Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever." - Collect Prayer We celebra...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 4, 2022 | Memorial of St. John Mary Vianney, priest "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." - Mt. 16:18 St. John Baptist Mary Vianney (1786-1859) was born in Dardilly and died in Ars, France. Although his talents were limited and his education meager, he was ordained a priest in 1815...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 3, 2022 | Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time "With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you." - Jer. 31:3 What extravagant love! It is only when we acknowledge our own sinfulness and allow God's mercy to heal us that we can experience God's unconditional love. He promises to restore what we have lost with our sins through His...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 2, 2022 | Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." - Mt. 14:27 We may fear a lot of things that could hinder us from giving ourselves in love. But Jesus' words invite us to boldly take that step in faith. Let us listen more attentively to His voice in prayer and silence and it will resound louder than the darkest st...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - August 1, 2022 | Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church "The past is no longer yours; the future is not yet in your power. You have only the present wherein to do good." - St. Alphonsus Liguori St. Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) was a great preacher of the Gospel to the poor. His charity and apostolic spirit led him to found the Congregation...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 31, 2022 | Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C) "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me! You are my rescuer, my help; O Lord, do not delay." - Ps 70(69): 2, 6 Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have crea...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 30, 2022 | Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven." - Matt 5:10 What are you willing to give up for the sake of God's Kingdom? We know that those who follow Christ do not have it easy. The radical discipleship that Jesus calls us to may mean oppressions an...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 29, 2022 | Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus "Jesus entered a village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home." - Lk 10:38 In the household of Bethany, the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 28, 2022 | Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel." - Jer. 18:6 God is always at work in our lives, whether we acknowledge Him or not. But the moment we do let Him transform us daily into a new creation, we get a glimpse of the joy of His presence... the joy of His friendship... e...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 27, 2022 | Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time “Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.  When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”  Matthew 13:45-46 What are you searching for in your life? Is it a tireless search for God and His will? Commit yourself to the search...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 26, 2022 | Memorial of Saints Joachim and Ann, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Let us praise Joachim and Anne, to whom, in their generation, the Lord gave him who was a blessing for all the nations." - Entrance Antiphon, Cf. Sir 44:1, 25 It was in the home of Saints Joachim and Anne where the Virgin Mary received her training to be the Mother of God. Thus, devoti...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 25, 2022 | Feast of St. James, apostle "As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother mending their nets and he called them." - Mt. 4:18,21 St. James, the Apostle, known as the Greater, in order to distinguish him from the other Apostle St. James, our Lord's cousin, was St. John's brother. With Peter and John he was one o...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 24, 2022 | Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." - Luke 11:9-10 God our loving Father knows what we need and yet he wants us to ask, seek and knock. Like a little...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 23, 2022 | Memorial of St. Bridget, Religious "Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls."- James 1:21bc Patron saint of Sweden, St. Bridget married a young prince and lived happily with him for 28 years, bearing him eight children. St. Catherine of Sweden was their daughter. After her husband died, Bridget founded the Order...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 22, 2022 | Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles "The Lord said to Mary Magdalene: Go to my brothers and tell them: I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." - John 20:17 The feast of St. Mary Magdalene is considered one of the most mystical of feasts, and it is said that of all the songs of the saints, that of Mary Magdalene is...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 21, 2022 | Thursday in the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Today is also the commemoration of St. Lawrence of Brindisi. The first Capuchin Franciscan to be honored as a Doctor, St. Lawrence was born in 1559 at Brindisi, a town located on the Adriatic coast of the heel of Italy. Educated from his youth by the Conventual Franciscan Friars, he acquired great facility in...

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - July 20, 2022 | Wednesday in the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time The seed is the word of God. Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever. May God's Word take root in our lives. May we nurture it with prayer, the Sacraments and good works that it may bear fruits for His Kingdom. Nourish your life of prayer. Start your day with the universal prayer of the Ch...