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St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
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
Blessed are you, Abba, God of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your Reign.
Psalm 130/131
Adonai, my heart is not proud,
nor haughty my eyes.
I do not busy myself with great matters,
with things too sublime for me.
Rather I have stilled my soul,
like a weaned child on her mother’s lap,
even so is my heart within my breast.
O Israel, hope in Adonai,
both now and forever.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before, so now and evermore. Amen
Blessed are you, Abba, God of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of your Reign.
READING Autobiography of Therese of Lisieux
I persevered in the reading [of Paul’s Letters] and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: “Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will show you the way which surpasses all others.” For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God. At length I had found peace of mind.
When I had looked upon the mystical body of the Church, I recognised myself in none of the members which St. Paul described, and what is more, I desired to distinguish myself more favourably within the whole body. Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realised that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.
Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed: O Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is love. Certainly I have found my place in the Church, and you gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love, and thus I will be all things, as my desire finds its direction.
(Mss Autobiographiques, (Lisieux, 1957) 228-229.
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong* so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. V. Adonai has dethroned the powerful and lifted up the lowly* so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. V. Glory to the Abba and the Word, and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
Unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Reign of Heaven.
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.
Unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Reign of Heaven.
Intercessory Prayer
With St. Therese, help us to realize we can nourish ourselves on nothing but truth.
As was the case with Therese, our vocation is love. Help us to hear you calling us to be be love, and then be all things.
Do not allow us to miss a single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right thing and doing it all for love.
For Therese, prayer was a surge of the heart; a simple look turned toward heaven, a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy; teach us to pray.
Remind us that “Holiness consists simply in doing Your will, and being just what You want us to be.”
May we be ready today with a word or a smile , which is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.
Help us simply to live from one moment to another; look only to the present, forget the past and take good care not to forestall the future.
Create new hearts in us, O God,
and fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father …
Closing Prayer & Blessing
Holy One and God of endless Compassion, you are the praise of all your saints and the joy of all creation. We rejoice today in the fellowship of your blessed servant Therese and we give you thanks for her life of simple love and profound wisdom which continue to delight and inspire us. Fill us with life and light, and give us perseverance to serve you all our days; For yours is the power and glory of love now and forever. Amen.
May the Love of Christ inspire us with compassion for all who suffer,
and may he bring us all to everlasting life. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.