Morning Prayer

Last November I wrote down one of the morning prayers from the daily prayers (Lauds) from the Universalis website. I enjoy the poetic rhyme and rhythm of the prayer and read and meditate on this prayer frequently. It is so simple yet full of wisdom. This morning I decided to share this prayer. I went to Universalis to get the URL for my blog post and there it was again!

Hymn (from Morning Prayer 9.2.15)

Now that the daylight fills the sky,

we lift our hearts to God on high,

that he, in all we do or say,

would keep us free from harm today;

Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife;

from anger’s din would hide our life;

from all ill sights would turn our eyes;

would close our ears from vanities.

Would keep our inmost conscience pure;

our souls from folly would secure;

would bid us check the pride of sense

with due and holy abstinence.

So we, when this new day is gone,

and night in turn is drawing on,

with conscience by the world unstained

shall praise his Name for victory gained.

  

Morning Prayer is part of the “Hours”, day long prayer typical of monastic living.

“Seven times a day I praise you.” – Psalm 118(119):164

The Lord has commanded us to pray without ceasing, and this is what the Hours help us do.

Morning Prayer – at the start of the day's work and the coming of the light.

Daytime Prayer – at mid-morning, noon and in the afternoon, to unite us with the one for whom and through whom we are working.

Evening Prayer – at the end of the day's work, to offer up what we have done.

Night Prayer – last thing at night, to commend our souls to God.

And finally, there is the magnificent Office of Readings, at whatever time of day is best for us to reflect on the mystery of salvation, with the help of Scripture and the writings of the Fathers of the Church.

http://www.universalis.com/index.htm