What is the first thing you do or think about when you wake up in the morning? What about on Sundays? Do you roll over in bed and hit “snooze” ten times? Perhaps you moan and groan about how tired you are and how you want to stay in bed all day. Well I’m here to tell you that we are called to MORE! Start your morning AND YOUR WEEK off in the best way. Below, you will find a short and simple prayer for Sunday morning that will keep you focused on the most important things. Keep reading!
What We Usually Like to Do
Let’s face it: most of us like to start our morning slowly. Maybe you’re used to checking your phone as soon as your eyes open. Or perhaps you drink a glass of water, putting on your running shoes, and head out the door for a sprint. I think most people do not feel naturally motivated to start off with prayer. And that’s okay! There’s no rule that says you prayer must be the FIRST thing you do. Sure, our lives would probably be better. But challenge yourself to say a prayer within the first hour of waking. Do it for seven days. I am certain that you will start to see a transformation in yourself.
Why Do We Need a Prayer for Sunday Morning?
Have you ever opened your eyes and thought, “Thank God I made it another day?” I know it can sound morbid. But when you think about it, there was no guarantee that you would live to see tomorrow. So a morning prayer is always good because it glorifies God, who blessed You with more time on earth to do His will before your judgment. But why a prayer for Sunday morning? Most people consider Sunday the start of their week. We need an anchor and a strong start! It’s natural for human beings to gravitate toward potential— that is, the possibility of something new and great when a fresh start presents itself. It’s why we love New Year’s resolutions so much, even when we can’t keep them. Sunday morning is your weekly “New Year’s Day.” Take advantage of it!
Who Needs a Prayer for Sunday Morning?
This should be obvious. We all need a prayer for Sunday morning! Every single one of us should pray every day, but I think we all need to recalibrate on Sundays and promise to do good during our week. We owe it to God and we owe it to ourselves. Old and young, rich and poor… we all need to thank God for our current blessings, repent of our sins, and try again this upcoming week. A homeless man may have nothing on Sunday and become a millionaire by Saturday. With God, anything is possible.
Thanking God for the Blessings Last Week
What is something that brought you joy last week? What did you learn and how did you become stronger, smarter, and closer to Christ last week? Maybe you can only think of something simple and small, like your daily Diet Coke was on sale on Wednesday. Or maybe your blessings are great, like your mom completed her last round of chemotherapy. Sunday is a great day to recall how God blessed you and to let it propel you in the week ahead, reminding you that blessings always come, even when we don’t deserve it.
Praying for Protection
There are lots of things we should ask God to protect us from, especially evil and the power of the devil (in fact, check out this post I wrote about that!). But we also need prayer for protection in more “practical” senses, like traveling to and from work, or if our loved one’s job is a dangerous one. I always pray for my family’s safety and the safety of all of my friends and loved ones. Whenever I see a public works employee repairing a power line or a firefighter driving by, I pray for their protection as well, even if I don’t know them by name. I encourage you to do the same! Prayer can be ongoing throughout your day like a constant conversation, and it doesn’t have to be limited to Sundays!
Prayer for Clarity and Clear Vision
I keep mentioning gratitude and thanking God for our blessings. However, how can you thank God for specific blessings if you can’t see them? Sometimes we are blind to our blessings. Because of this, I created a BONUS PRINTABLE for you this week! Challenge: can you turn your “burns” into “blessings?” In other words, can you take a negative thought or a thorn in your side and think about how it is actually a blessing your life? Check out this download:
Download FREE PRINTABLE here: Burns to Blessings Exercise – printable PDF download – life with the saints
Prayer to Use Our Gifts and Talents to Serve Others
We have so many gifts and talents! Some of us are gifted with helping others. Perhaps you are a wonderful teacher. Maybe you bake the most delicious bread in the neighborhood. Whatever your gifts and talents may be, it is a beautiful thing to ask God in your Sunday morning prayer to help you to use those gifts and talents to make the world a better place, all the while serving and glorifying Him. Your light was not meant to hide under a bushel!
Asking God to Bring Us Closer to Him
Sometimes my children ask me why we go to Mass every Sunday (and weekdays, too). I liken it to their visits with their grandpa: if they never saw their grandpa, they wouldn’t feel close to him. The more they spend time with him, the more they grow in love and relationship together. The same is true with God! If we don’t ask God to help us to continue to be close to Him and draw closer to Him, we make it easy for the devil to wedge us apart. The world has so many vices and temptations, it would be a slam dunk for him to keep us away from God unless we pray for God to continue to keep us near to Him.
Prayer for Sunday Morning
Heavenly Father,
I praise You and I thank You for all blessings You have given me. Thank You for giving me the graces I need, even when I have difficulty trusting in You and being obedient to Your will. Lord God, I ask that You send Your angels to guide and protect me and my loved ones this week. Help me to see goodness and beauty in my week. I pray that I may turn to You always, especially when I find it hard to overcome challenges given to me. Bring me ever closer to You. I pray that I may use the gifts and talents You gave me to bless others in my life. I also pray for [special intentions here].
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Free download here: Prayer for Sunday Morning – printable PDF download – life with the saints
And Of Course, Don’t Stop Once Sunday is Over!
Keep praying. Keep praying. Keep praying. Sometimes my prayer is as simple as, “Jesus, Mary, I love you. Save souls!” Sometimes it’s even simpler than that. Since I know that most of my readers have work coming up, here’s another prayer to help you before work. Looking for a routine with your family? Say this morning prayer with your family. Looking for a prayer to say after this “Prayer for Sunday Morning” so that you can prepare your heart for Mass on Sunday? Check out this link! I will continue to pray for you, dear readers. Thank you for joining me in this Faith journey. If you’re new here and want to know more, you can read about Life With the Saints here. Have a great week!
Thank you