Praying the Lauds - Your Daily Christian Morning Prayer

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 29, 2022 | Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

"Bless the Lord, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will." - Ps. 103:21

The liturgy celebrates the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Michael (Who is like God?) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zechariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, "Hail, full of grace," is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, watch over us and protect us!

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Thursday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 29, 2022 | Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

"Bless the Lord, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will." - Ps. 103:21

The liturgy celebrates the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Michael (Who is like God?) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zechariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, "Hail, full of grace," is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, watch over us and protect us!

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Thursday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 28, 2022 | Memorial of Sts. Lorenzo Ruiz and companions, Martyrs

"I shall die for God, and for Him I would give many thousands of lives if I had them." - St. Lorenzo Ruiz

St. Lorenzo Ruiz was a devoted husband and father of three children in the Philippines during the seventeenth century. After he was unjustly accused of murder, he fled with Christian missionaries to Japan where he was tortured for their faith. Lorenzo and his companions shed their blood for Christ in Nagasaki in 1637. These martyrs were members of the Order of St. Dominic. They were nine priests, two religious, two sisters, and three laymen. They abundantly sowed the missionary seed of Christianity with the example of their life and death.

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Wednesday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 27, 2022 | Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, Priest and Founder

"Let us love God; but at the price of our hands and sweat of our face." - St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) was born in Gascony, France, and died in Paris. He studied theology at Toulouse and was ordained a priest in 1600. As a young priest he fell into the hands of Mohammedan pirates who carried him off to Africa. After his return to France he became successively parish priest, grand almoner of the galley slaves, and spiritual director of the Visitation nuns. He founded the Congregation of the Priests of the Mission or Lazarists to preach especially to country people. With the help of Louise de Marillac he established the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity to care for young girls, for the needy, sick, and foundlings. He died at St. Lazarus's which was the center of his Congregation. Leo XIII proclaimed him special patron of charitable institutions.

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Tuesday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 26, 2022 | Monday in the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time/ Optional Memorial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs

"The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:45

According to tradition, Saints Cosmas and Damian suffered martyrdom in Syria during the Roman persecution of Diocletian, around 303 A.D. Not much is known about them, but tradition holds they were twin brothers and medical doctors, never charging a fee for their medical services. Their names are in the Roman Canon of the Mass and they are honored in both the Eastern and Western Church and highly celebrated in Italian communities. (CatholicCulture.org)

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Monday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 25, 2022 | Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

"I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you." - Ez. 36:26

What do you want to trade in exchange for a new heart?

Whether in poverty or in abundance, in sorrow or in joy, in uncertainty or in confidence, we can always desire for a new heart that trusts and rests in the Lord. Let us pray that we may love God for who He is and not for what He can give us. May we see His providence and presence in every moment of our lives and so grow in faith, hope and love.

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Sunday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 24, 2022 | Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.

"Today's memorial is a remembrance of the maternal example and discipleship of the Blessed Virgin Mary who, strengthened by faith and hope, on that 'great Saturday' on which Our Lord lay in the tomb, was the only one of the disciples to hold vigil in expectation of the Lord’s resurrection. It is a prelude and introduction to the celebration of Sunday, the weekly memorial of the Resurrection of Christ. It is a sign that the Virgin Mary is continuously present and operative in the life of the Church." - Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (2001), §188

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Saturday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 23, 2022 | Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

"Your priests, O Lord, shall be clothed with justice; your holy ones shall ring out their joy." - Ps 132 (131):9

More popularly known as Padre Pio, St. Pius, was born in 1887 in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina.  He joined the Capuchin Friars at the age of sixteen and was ordained a priest seven years later. For fifty years at the monastery of San Giovanni Rotundo he was a much sought after spiritual advisor, confessor, and intercessor whose life was devoted to the Eucharist and prayer. Yet despite such notoriety, he would often say, "I only want to be a poor friar who prays."

St. Padre Pio, pray for us!

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Friday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 22, 2022 | Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

"I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

The works of man are vanity, says Qoheleth. We can become too focused on the things of the earth that we forget to work on the things of heaven. Today we have been given another lease in life. Let us thank God for this gift by allowing ourselves to be led by God confident that He loves us and cares for us.

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Thursday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records

LISTEN | Morning Prayer - September 21, 2022 | Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

"As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him." - Mt. 9:9-13

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. At the time that Jesus summoned him to follow Him, Matthew was a publican, that is, a tax-collector for the Romans. His profession was hateful to the Jews because it reminded them of their subjection; the publican, also, was regarded by the Pharisees as the typical sinner. St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist. His gospel, composed c. 85, is generally arranged in an alternating pattern of narrative and discourse. Intended for a largely Jewish-Christian audience, it seeks to portray Christianity as consistent with the Jewish tradition and a continuation of it. Tradition holds that Matthew preached in Judea and in Ethiopia where he was martyred. He is the patron of accountants and customs officers.

St. Matthew, pray for us!

Join the universal prayer of the Church through the ancient tradition of Lauds. Listen, share and subscribe to Wednesday's Morning Prayer. Brought to you by the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication. Available on Anchor, Spotify and Google.

*Music: Deeper Melodies by WTB Records