Opening Prayer
Almighty and Powerful God, why do we seek to be more than You have made us? Why do we seek beyond our grasp? What dark and restless emptiness inside us reaches out to embrace what we can never be? Is our arrogance an echo of our insecurity? Why do we hang around and invite only the rich, beautiful and important to our table? Do we believe that their glow will enlighten us? Teach us, Holy God, to accept who and what we are as a gift. Give us the humility to enjoy the meal of life from where You have seated us. InSpirit us to know and believe that we are living in Your holy city and sitting at Your table. They are holy, not by us, but by Your presence at the table with us. In humility, help us to be present to Your truth and reality, not just our fantasies and nightmares.
Young Therese, Zelie Guerin Martin, your Mom, died on this day in 1877. You were only 4 years old and devastated. But instead of simply collapsing in self-pity, you sought out Pauline to be your mother. You believed that God would always provide the maternal nourishment and intimacy you desired. Eventually, you turn to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Our Lady of Mount Carmel to be your mother. Teach us never to give up the search when others are no longer present to us. Give us your trust that God always provides.
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