Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

We pray through a traditional opening, a Morning Offering, and a closing devotion that places our whole day in Jesus’ hands through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We reflect with St Ambrose on Christ as the true light who knocks gently at the door of the soul and waits for our free, watchful yes. 

• invoking the Trinity and settling into prayer 
• offering prayers, works, joys, and sufferings in union with the Mass 
• welcoming Christ by opening the “door” of the mind and heart 
• choosing light by not closing the inner window 
• understanding faith as the door that keeps the house safe 
• recognising Christ’s knock during trouble and temptation 
• staying watchful so the bridegroom is not shut out 
• opening the gates of holiness so the King of glory enters 
• praying for holy joy and freedom from slavery to sin 
• closing with consecration and devotions to the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Guadalupe 

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunity to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.

Transcript

Opening Invocation And Glory Be

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Saint Augustine Jorron, priest and companions, martyrs, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, amen.

Morning Offering Through Mary

SPEAKER_00 0:26

O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular, for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

St Ambrose On Welcoming Christ

SPEAKER_00 0:47

From an exposition of Psalm 118 by St. Ambrose, Bishop. My Father and I will come and make our home with Him. Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the sun of the everlasting light that shines on every man. The true light shines on all. But if anyone closes his window, he will deprive himself of eternal light. If you shut the door of your mind, you shut out Christ. Though he can enter, he does not want to force his way in rudely, or compel us to admit him against our will. Born of a virgin, he came forth from the womb as the light of the whole world, in order to shine on all men. His light is received by those who long for the splendor of perpetual light that night can never destroy. The sun of our daily experience is succeeded by the darkness of night, but the sun of holiness never sets, because wisdom cannot give place to evil. Blessed then is the man at whose door Christ stands and knocks. Our door is faith. If it is strong enough, the whole house is safe. This is the door by which Christ enters. So the Church says in the Song of Songs the voice of my brother is at the door. Hear his knock, listen to him asking to enter. Open to me my sister, my betrothed, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is covered with dew, and my hair with the moisture of the night.

The Knock In Trial And Temptation

SPEAKER_00 2:27

When does God, the Word, most often knock at your door, when his head is covered with the dew of night? He visits in love those in trouble and temptation to save them from being overwhelmed by their trials. His head is covered with dew or moisture when those who are his body are in distress. That is the time when you must keep watch, so that when the bridegroom comes he may not find himself shut out, and take his departure. If you were to sleep, if your heart were not wide awake, he would not knock but go away. If your heart is watchful, he knocks and asks you to open the door to him. Our soul has a door, it has gates. Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory will enter. If you open the gates of your faith, the King of glory will enter your house in the triumphal procession in honor of his passion. Holiness too has its gates. We read in Scripture what the Lord Jesus said through his prophet, open for me the gates of holiness. It is the soul that has its door, the gates. Christ comes to this door and knocks. He knocks at these gates. Open to him, he wants to enter, to find his bride waiting and watching. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and share his supper. He and I together. Blessed is the servant who is found at work when his master returns. I will come into his house and share his supper. He and I together.

Prayer For Holy Joy And Freedom

SPEAKER_00 4:08

O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world, fill your faithful with holy joy, for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin you bestow eternal gladness, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

Sacred Heart Devotions And Resources

SPEAKER_00 4:27

All that I have and all that I am I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother, amen. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunity to grow in your faith, consider joining the Christuros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristuros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristuros can be found at theCristuros.org.