# Thursday, December 17, 2026 *Today’s Prayer for Advent Weekday (December 17).* [[#☀️ Morning Offering|Morning Offering]] | [[#🕰️ Liturgy of the Hours|Liturgy of the Hours]] | [[#📖 Daily Readings & Verse|Daily Readings]] | [[#🕊️ Today's Meditation|Today's Meditation]] > ***[[day-17-daily-prayer-for-seminarians-and-priests|Day 17 - Let us pray for seminarians Diego Estrada Dávila and David Nelle]]*** # ☀️ Morning Offering > [!quote] Carmelite Morning Offering (St. Thérèse) > O my God, I offer You all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its merciful love. O my God, I ask of You for myself and for those whom I hold dear the grace to know You, and to know and fulfill perfectly Your holy will, to accept for love of You the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in Heaven for all eternity. Amen. [[20261218-morning-offering|Next →]] ## 🕰️ Liturgy of the Hours > [!links] Universalis & Office > - [Office of Readings](http://www.universalis.com/20261217/readings.htm) | [Morning Prayer (Lauds)](http://www.universalis.com/20261217/lauds.htm) > - [Evening Prayer (Vespers)](http://www.universalis.com/20261217/vespers.htm) | [Night Prayer (Compline)](http://www.universalis.com/20261217/compline.htm) ## 📖 Daily Readings & Verse > [!cite] Daily Readings > **Verse:** "Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers. Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never forsake you or abandon you." Thus we may say with confidence: "The Lord is my helper, [and] I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?""Hebrews 13:4-6 > > **Resources:** [USCCB Readings](http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121726.cfm) | [Daily Reflections (Evangeli.net)](https://evangeli.net/gospel) ## 🕊️ Today's Meditation > [!abstract]- Daily Reflection > "Upon receiving Holy Communion, the Adorable Blood of Jesus Christ really flows in our veins and His Flesh is really blended with ours."St. John Vianney > > “Movements of the spirit that enable us to experience more of God’s grace and love and enable us to become more of the person God wants us to be are “consolations.” Consolations represent the loving counsel of the Holy Spirit that draws us into deeper communion with God and helps us make choices that are consistent with becoming the whole, healed, godly, grace-filled person we are meant to be. By contrast, desolations represent the counsel of an evil spirit attempting to pull us away from God or throwing up roadblocks to us cooperating with God’s grace to become the whole, healed, godly, grace-filled people we are meant to be…Tuning in to consolation and desolation allows us to recognize where our thoughts are coming from. We often take our thoughts for granted as coming from ourselves, but this is very often not true. It’s important to recognize when the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us something – and also when an evil spirit is whispering lies in our spiritual ear.”—Dr. Gregory Popcak, p. 134 > [!abstract]- Divine Intimacy Meditation > [[19-seeking-god-in-love|Meditation #19, Seeking God in Love - Help me, O God, to concentrate all my affections on You, so that my heart will be satisfied with You alone]] ## 🏛️ Saint of the Day: Saint John of Matha > [!info]+ The Cloud of Witnesses > > > St. John of Matha (1154-1213) was born near Provence, France to noble and pious parents, and was dedicated to God from his birth. He learned the arts of a nobleman and advanced in Christian virtue, tending the sick and giving alms to the poor. Through his study of theology at the University of Paris he discerned a call to Holy Orders and became a priest. On the day of his first Mass he had a vision which encouraged him to devote his life to ransom Christians who had been captured by Muslims and forced into slavery. After time spent in prayer and fasting, he went to Rome to gain the Pope's approval for a new religious order dedicated to this purpose. Pope Innocent III deliberated and ordered a fast, afterwards concluding that John's mission was inspired by God. He gave his approval for the foundation of the Order of the Holy Trinity, or the Hospitaler Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of Captives (Trinitarians). The habit of the order, a white scapular with a two-toned blue and red cross on the chest, was chosen according to what St. John saw in his vision. St. John of Matha and the Trinitarians collected alms and traveled to Moor-controlled areas, ransoming and encouraging many Christian captives. His feast day is December 17. ## 🕯️ Monthly Devotion: Month of The Immaculate Conception > [!attention]- Focus: Month of The Immaculate Conception > > > Prayer to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception:Most holy Virgin, who wast pleasing to the Lord and became His Mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on the wretched who implore thy powerful patronage. The wicked serpent, against whom was hurled the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children of Eve. Do thou, then, O Blessed Mother, our queen and advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of the enemy, receive the prayers which, united with thee in our single heart, we implore thee to present at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares which are laid out for us, and may all arrive at the port of salvation; and, in so many dangers, may the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance and of victory and of peace.Amen. ## 🙏 Daily Prayers > [!todo]- Daily Prayers > **Spiritual Communion:** My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. > > **Prayer for the Dead:** In Your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life You embraced them with Your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. > > **For the Holy Father:** Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy loving kindness, in the way of eternal salvation. --- [[20261216-morning-offering|← Previous]] | [[Calendar|Liturgical Calendar]] | [[20261218-morning-offering|Next →]]