Opening Prayer
Mother Hen, I Love You! I enjoy the warmth of Your wings encompassing me. You protect us from ourselves and our own self-destructive ways. You protect us from fears which diminish us and lead us astray. You hold us even as we try to fly away as if You had nudged us from Your nest or stopped nursing us. Let the wings of Your Spirit lift and empower us to create Your reign. So embrace us that You are our armor, helmet, breastplate and footgear. You are strong, Mother. We are helpless and floundering without You.
You are so wonderfully determined, gentle Therese. You knew that your call to Carmel was from God – and even as you received resistance from many sources, you were not deterred. On this day, in 1887, you fixed your hair to look older and courageously went to see your local Bishop to seek his permission to enter the Carmel early. You knew he could override the others, but were not stymied when he vacillated. Help us to remain faithful to calls from God deep within, even when others do not agree or affirm. Keep us faithful to our vocation of life.
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