MORNING PRAYER DURING MAGIS JCAP PROGRAM

Morning Prayer: Monday, December 28th

1. Sign of the Cross

Let us begin with a moment of silence to welcome God's presence.
2. Short clip “Echoes of the Forest” [4.15’]
The facilitator invites all participants to watch a short movie about forest landscape to grow
their sense of gratitude.
3. Opening Prayer

Dear God, Almighty Father,

I come to you at the beginning of this day.

I thank you that the darkness of night is over. Thank you for protecting me through the night.

Thank you for my beating heart and my breathing lungs which have given me yet another day in
your creation.

Thank you for your faithfulness of a new day bringing new hope, new light, and new
opportunities.

I accept this gift of a new day with gratitude and gladness.

Fill me with your peace and loving presence so that I might be aware of your loving presence
throughout the day.

Amen.

4. Reflection (with the music of nature played until the closing prayer) [10’]

DESIRE

As you begin to recognize this Presence, ask yourself: What desires do I have for today?

FEELINGS

Now take a survey of your feelings right now… How did you sleep? Have any feelings or
excitements or fears spilled over to the morning? Do you feel confident?

LOOKING AHEAD
 God knows these feelings well because God created each one of us. As you reflect on this matter,
you go forth as God made you, loved, with certain gifts and talents. With this in mind, do you
anticipate any challenges today?

COLLOQUY

Now take your desires for today, your feelings right now, and the challenges you anticipate and
give them to God. What would be your one-sentence to God right now as you face a new day?
Speak it to God right now.

5. Silence
6. Closing Prayer (by J. Veltri, SJ)

O God,
We find ourselves at the beginning of another day.
Please help us to be ready for whatever it may be.

If we are to stand up, help us to stand bravely.

If we are to sit still, help us to sit quietly.
If we are to lie low, help us to do it patiently.

We pray just for today, for these twenty-four hours,

for the ability to cooperate with others according to the way Jesus taught us to live.

Please free our thinking and feelings and the thinking and feelings of others,
from all forms of self-will, self-centeredness, dishonesty, and deception.

Send your Spirit to inspire and strengthen each of us to handle challenges. And help us to be a
blessing to all we come in contact with today.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Amen.

***

Morning Prayer: Friday, January 1st

1. Sign of the Cross

2. Opening Prayer (by singing “Give Thanks”) [3.20’]
3. Short Clip “Contemplation to Gain Love” [9.21’]
4. Reflection
 Let us keep silent for a moment to realize God’s loving-presence among us. God wants and
invites us to be in an intimate relationship with Him. When we look back on a past year or past
relationship or past situation, we may nostalgically long to return to that place. But the graces of
those times and the memories of the past can come with us. And God, most importantly, is
never left behind. God moves with us from the present moment into the future, into new and
hopeful beginnings.

The stories in scripture show time and time again that God offers people a new beginning,
another chance for great things. God frees the oppressed, Jesus heals and restores, and the Holy
Spirit imbues new life. All of this shows that God is going to do something “brand-new” in our
lives. What brand new thing is God doing for me now? … I sit for a while with that feeling.

5. Closing Prayer

Let us pray together:

O Spirit of God, we ask you to help orient all our actions today by your inspirations, carry them
on by your gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from you
and through you be happily ended. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen.