Morning Prayer

This is I usually pray during the morning. I'm sharing this because my future self might forget how it was for me when I was 25 and might be curious to know why. 

I usually start when I am already walking the length of Bonifacio Street to Quimpo Boulevard to catch a jeep. I'm a person of habits so my morning prayer always starts with this:

Morning Offering

Oh Jesus, through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer you all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings (with the emphasis) of this day in union with the holy sacrifice of the mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, for the salvation of souls (more specifically mine), reparations for our sins (again, mine), the reunion of all Christians (ahhh... ecumenism. But, honestly, I prefer we don't join under one umbrella. The differences in Christian doctrines across denominations make for a more interesting search for the Truth). I offer them for all the intentions of our bishops, and all the apostles of prayer (Their intentions only? Why not include the rest of the Church?), and in particular, for the intentions of our Holy Father the Pope (Whatever those are. An end to the scandals perhaps) for this month of...(Here's the clincher. This is the part where I get to find out if I'm really paying attention to what I'm doing or not because if I'm just simply parroting the prayer in my mind, I would stop and think what month it was). 

The Lord's Prayer

Our father, who art in heaven (I prefer "who is everywhere". Makes it more personal), holy is your name ("be" sounds like you're wishfully thinking His name is holy as compared to "is" where you're confirming a fact). Your kingdom come. Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread (or money) and forgive us our sins as we try (forgiving is hard, you know) to forgive those who sinned against us (and are better off in hell). Do not bring us to the test (please don't) but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is always with you. Blessed are you among all mankind (because "women" is too exclusive) and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God (Amazing. This phrase "mother of God" transcends all the other adulations, most of them nonsensical, people heave to Mary), pray for us sinners now and at the moment of our death. Amen.

Glory

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning and now and ever shall be world without end. Amen

After which, I proceed to my more personal and intimate petitions which, of course, I cannot share here.