Opening Prayer
Holy One, You are beyond human understanding and imagination. Thank You for revealing Yourself in Jesus and continuing to reveal to us. Your Spirit speaks from Your depths to our depths. Amid all the noises and voices screaming and competing within and among us, help us discern Your voice. Give us the mind of Christ so that we know You. Silence the demonic and distracting voices crying within, that we might have a listening quiet. Use Your divine authority to exorcise the rationalizations and impurities of our hearts that we might know You as the One so close to us, dwelling and speaking in our depths.
As a child, St. Therese adopted the accused and unrepentant murderer Pranzini by praying for his conversion. And on this day in 1887, he kissed the cross moments before he was being executed.
Beloved St. Therese, you needed a real sign that God was listening. You knew that this was the confirming sigh from Jesus that God listens to your prayers. Teach us to stretch our faith to trust God’s merciful response to the needs, hurts, and hopes of our lives.
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