One of the most important parts of every day can also be one of the hardest battles to fight. Simply put, it is the alarm clock.

It may seem like a small battle that does not really affect our day and yet, how we start our day can greatly impact how well we cooperate with Jesus and his mission of love and mercy.

Saint Josemaria Escriva explains this concept in what he called the “heroic minute.” He wrote in The Way:

“Many good Christians develop the habit of giving their first thought of the day to God. The ‘heroic minute’ follows: it facilitates the Morning Offering and getting the day off to a good start. The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and … up. The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body. If, with God’s help, you conquer yourself, you will be well ahead for the rest of the day. It’s so discouraging to find oneself beaten at the first skirmish.”

How many times do we hit the “snooze” button? It is interesting to think how simple and how hard this first battle is every day!

By giving God the very first fruits of our day, there is a more likely chance that we will offer to God the remainder of our day. Rising immediately and saying our Daily Offering, gives to God every waking minute, offering it to him as a pleasing sacrifice.

It can be a challenging practice to incorporate into our lives, but the rewards quickly become visible. By immediately offering our day to God, we look forward to ways we can work alongside Jesus, encountering the many challenges of humanity and serving the most vulnerable of society.