Today’s Reflection: Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love. — Attributed to Sir Francis Drake, c. 1577

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection:  Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily;
to lean on your great strength, trustfully, respectfully;
to wait for the unfolding of your will, patiently, serenely;
to meet others, peacefully, joyfully;
to face tomorrow, confidently, courageously. Amen.— A prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

 Today’s Reflection:  Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace. — Author unknown

 Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection: Most Gracious and all wise God
Before whose face the generations rise and fall
Thou in whom we live, and move, and have our being
We thank thee for all of thy good and gracious gifts
For life and for health
For food and for raiment
For the beauties of nature and the love of human nature.

We come before thee painfully aware of our inadequacies and shortcomings
We realize that we stand surrounded with the mountains of love
And we deliberately dwell in the valley of hate
We stand amid the forces of truth and deliberately lie
We are forever offered the high road
And yet we choose to travel the low road
For these sins O God forgive.

Break the spell of that which blinds our minds
Purify our hearts that we may see thee.

O God
In these turbulent days when fear and doubt are mounting high
Give us broad visions, penetrating eyes, and power of endurance
Help us to work with renewed vigor for a warless world
For a better distribution of wealth
And for a brotherhood that transcends race or color.

In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection:  Loving God, help me to put you first today and to tune out the distractions of the material world.  Draw me closer to you and to the people around me in need.  Amen. —Therese Marz

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection: Thanks be to thee, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou has given me,
for all the pains and insults
thou hast borne for me.

O most merciful redeemer,
friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly,
day by day. —St. Richard of Chichester  

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection:  Lord, guide me, teach me, strengthen me,
‘till I become such a person as thou would have me be;
pure and gentle,
truthful and high-minded,
brave and able,
courteous and generous,
dutiful and useful. Amen.  —Charles Kingsley (1819-75)

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection:  Lord, we hold in prayer:

the sick in mind or body,

the dying,

the grieving,

those anxious for their loved ones,

those worried about the future,

those scared for their safety,

any who have lost their faith,

all in trouble or distress;

keep us safe under the shadow of your wing. — PrayeroftheChurch 

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.

Today’s Reflection: Something a little different today:

Prayer

once
i saw my grandmother hold out
her hand cupping a small offering
of seed to one of the wild sparrows
that frequented the bird bath she
filled with fresh water every day

she stood still
maybe stopped breathing
while the sparrow looked
at her, then the seed
then back as if he was
judging her character

he jumped into her hand
began to eat
she smiled

a woman holding
a small god —”why i feed the birds” by Richard Vargas

Morning Offering is a daily post by Joe Barkovich, who lives in his hometown of Welland, Ontario. Daily photo by Joe Barkovich.

Morning Offering is posted by 8 a.m.