Prayer for this Morning with Saint Francis (Monday, October 4)

Prayer for this Morning With Saint Francis: Let us give thanks and praise to God our Father through the Lord Jesus Christ for all he has given to us.

Prayer for the Morning

Praise and exalt God above all for ever!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

HYMN

All creatures of our God and King,

Lift up your voices, let us sing:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

O burning sun with golden beam

And silver moon with softer gleam:

O praise him! O praise him!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Dear mother earth, who day by day

Unfolds rich blessings on our way,

O praise him! Alleluia!

The fruits and flow’rs that verdant grow,

Let them his praise abundant show.

O praise him! O praise him!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

CANTICLE (cf. Daniel 3:57-59, 62-67, 71, 73-76, 78-82, 87)

Let everything that lives and that breathes/ give praise to the Lord. Alleluia! (Ps 150:6)

This biblical litany of praise is echoed in Saint Francis’ famous Canticle of the Sun. Saint Francis’ love for creation was neither sentimental nor superficial. He understood in true humility what glory lies in being a creature of so great and loving a God. From that ­perspective, there is no greater joy than to give praise and thanks.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.

Praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Angels of the Lord: R/ bless the Lord.

You heavens: R/

Sun and moon: R/

Stars of heaven: R/

Every shower and dew: R/

All you winds: R/

Fire and heat: R/

Cold and chill: R/

Nights and days: R/

Lightnings and clouds: R/

Let the earth bless the Lord.

Praise and exalt him above all for ever.

Mountains and hills: R/

Everything growing from the earth: R/

Seas and rivers: R/

You dolphins and all water creatures: R/

All you birds of the air: R/

All you beasts, wild and tame: R/

You sons of men: R/

Holy men of humble heart: R/

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (1 Timothy 4:4-5)

Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer.

Give thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. (cf. Eph 5:20)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. (Gn 1:31)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

With Saint Francis, let us give thanks and praise to God our Father through the Lord Jesus Christ:

R/We praise and exalt you above all for ever!

For the gifts of earth, sea, and sky, and all that fill them: R/

[F]or the gift of the human body: R/

For the gift of our brothers and sisters throughout the world: R/

For the gift of life and death: R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God, you inspired Saint Francis to follow the example of Christ in leading a life of humility and poverty. Instill in us his ardent disciple’s love for the Lord our Savior, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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