PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15)

Saint Teresa of Jesus

Prayer for the Morning

God takes delight in his people:

let us enter his presence in prayer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

HYMN

Teresa, yet a child in years,

You left your home with heart afire,

To spread abroad the faith in Christ,

A martyr, ready in desire.

A death more gentle will be yours,

With pain far sweeter, yet more keen,

For wound divine will pierce your soul

With its consuming flame serene.

O victim of undying love,

Make our poor hearts in fervor grow;

Protect all those who trust in you,

And save us from eternal woe.

PSALM 73:23-26, 28

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thes 5:17)

Saint Teresa was a woman of remarkable integration: she worked as hard as Martha at the many tasks of establishing convents of the Carmelite reform, but she drew her energy from the hours she spent, with Mary, sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to him speak. Working or praying, she found her delight in Christ’s company.

I was always in your presence;

you were holding me by my right hand.

You will guide me by your counsel

and so you will lead me to glory.

What else have I in heaven but you?

Apart from you I want nothing on earth.

My body and my heart faint for joy;

God is my possession for ever.

To be near God is my happiness.

I have made the Lord God my refuge.

I will tell of all your works

at the gates of the city of Zion.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Luke 10:38-42)

As they continued their journey [Jesus] entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Jesus would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

(cf. Lk 5:16)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. (Rom 12:12)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

Through the intercession of Saint Teresa, let us pray:

R/Guide us by your counsel.

For those who are called to a deeper life of prayer even amid their daily work:

– lead them into the heart of your presence. R/

For those who are called to the contemplative life:

– draw them closer to yourself. R/

For those who yearn for you without knowing your name:

– bring them to know and to believe what they love without seeing. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God, you set Saint Teresa afire with love for your Son Jesus Christ. Through her example and intercession, lead us deeper into your presence, that we may more and more faithfully hear your Word and keep it, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.