Podcast: Play in new window | Download
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross/ Edith Stein (1891-1942)
Invitation to Worship
The God of Love and virgin’s crown: Come, let us adore!
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
In you Adonai!
I have found my peace!
Morning Hymn
Now from the heavens descending is seen a glorious light,
the bride of Christ in splendor, arrayed in purest white.
She is the holy city, whose radiance is the grace
of all the saints in glory, from every time and place.
This is the hour of gladness for bridegroom and for bride.
The Lamb’s great feast is ready, his bride is at his side.
How blest are those invited to share his wedding feast:
the least become the greatest, the greatest are the least.
The One enthroned in heaven takes up a dwelling place
among this chosen people, who see God face to face.
No sound is heard of weeping, for pain and sorrow cease,
and sin shall reign no longer, but love and joy and peace.
See how a new creation is brought at last to birth,
a new and glorious heaven, a new and glorious earth.
Death’s power for ever broken, its empire swept away,
the promised dawn of glory begins its endless day.
PSALMODY
Antiphon
How wondrous are the marvels of your love,
We are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us.
Canticle from Jeremiah 31:2-8
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.
Again you will take up your timbrels
and go out to dance with the joyful.
Again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.
There will be a day
when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to Adonai our God.’”
This is what Adonai says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘Adonai, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
Glory to the One and to the Word
And to the Breath of Love
As always before,
So now and evermore, Amen.
How wondrous are the marvels of your love,
We are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us.
READING
Selections from Novena to the Holy Spirit by Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Who are you, sweet light, that fills me
And illumines the darkness of my heart?
You lead me like a mother’s hand,
And should you let go of me,
I would not know how to take another step.
You are the space
That embraces my being and buries it in yourself.
Away from you it sinks into the abyss
Of nothingness, from which you raised it to the light.
You, nearer to me than I to myself
And more interior than my most interior
And still impalpable and intangible
And beyond any name:
Holy Spirit eternal love!
Are you the sweet song of love
And of holy awe
That eternally resounds around the triune throne,
That weds in itself the clear chimes of each and every being?
The harmony,
That joins together the members to the Head,
In which each one
Finds the mysterious meaning of being blessed
And joyously surges forth,
Freely dissolved in your surging:
Holy Spirit eternal jubilation!
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. The deeper one is drawn to God, the more one must ‘get beyond oneself’ going into the world to carry divine life into it. V. I used to think being a religious person meant giving up all earthly things and thinking only about divine things, but… V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
At midnight the cry was heard:
“Behold the bridegroom comes, go to meet him.”
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
At midnight the cry was heard:
“Behold the bridegroom comes, go to meet him.”
Intercessory Prayer
Today may there be peace within.
May we trust God that we are exactly where we are meant to be.
May we not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May we use those gifts that we have received, and pass on the love that has been given to us.
May we be content knowing that we are children of God.
May God’s presence settle into our bones, and allow our soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the joy of all creation and the praise of all your saints. We rejoice today in the fellowship of your blessed servant Teresa Benedicta and we give you thanks that her commitment to search for truth led her to depend on You alone and serve You with a wholly pure and detached heart. May her prayers be a source of help for us and may her example inspire us that, like her, we will be able to say, ‘I do not regret that I have given myself up to love.’” For yours is the power and glory of love now and forever. Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.