Knights begin their days with morning prayer.
First Thoughts
The first thing on your mind as you awaken should be the Lord and so the first thing you should do as you awaken is to pray. This can be accomplished quiet easily through memorized prayer and repetition. For instance, use a memorized prayer such as the Lord's Prayer, and say or think it every morning as soon after you wake up as you can remember to. You may have to set a reminder on your phone or a sticky note on your alarm or mirror so when you reach for your phone, alarm, or your toothbrush you will be reminded to pray your memorized prayer. Once you have done this for a sufficiently long amount of time, perhaps 3 to 8 months, your mind will instinctively want to pray immediately upon waking. Preserver in the habit and you will find yourself effortlessly praying as you awaken each morning.
As you become more accustomed to praying in the morning, add prayers to your morning routine. Below is a sample morning prayer routine that should take you through waking up and getting ready for your day. Pray these as you get ready for your day or pray them before or after your morning routine, or pray them between the individual items of your morning routine. The important part is that you build prayer into your day from the very beginning of the day.
Prayer Routine
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Morning Offering
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. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our Bishops and of all members of the Apostleship of Prayer and, in particular, for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Act of Faith
My God, I firmly faith believe that You are one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that Your Divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because You have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.
Act of Hope
O my God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon my sins, the help of Your grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
Act of Love
O my God, I love You above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because You are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbors as myself for the love of You. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; restrain him, O God, we humbly pray; and do you, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Prayer for Generosity
Dear Lord, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve You as You deserve: to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not ask for reward, except that of knowing that I am doing Your will. Amen.