Lord, We Pray:

• for women victimized by wars or violence;
• for women working hard to obtain the barest necessities for their children;
• for women who share even when they are in need;
• for women who grieve too many losses;
• for women too sick to participate in new programs;
• for women whose leadership is ignored and attacked;
and
• for those women who persevere anyway. Grant them the success of their hands.

Amen

Song of Songs 8:5-14

5 Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in travail with you, there she who bore you was in travail.
6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned.
8 We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister, on the day when she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
10 I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who brings peace.
11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
12 My vineyard, my very own, is for myself; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.
13 O you who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice; let me hear it.
14 Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountains of spices.

St. Teresa Benedicta, your hunger for truth and courageous example still inspires us. You spent your life humbly accomplishing great works, focusing your energy into the few minutes allowed for your intellectual work. Look upon your tired and needy sisters on this earth, and pray that we will receive the grace needed each day to make every minute of every day fruitful.

We ask your intercession for:_____________(mention your petition here).  We place all things upon the altar of God, not knowing how they will be used, and asking for the humility to receive God’s grace and to sacrifice willingly for the sake of the Kingdom where we yearn to join you in eternal peace. Amen.

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John 19:28-35

28 After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.”
29 A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; 33 but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness -- his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth -- that you also may believe.