FEASTS OF HOLY WOMEN
Morning and Evening Prayer
GREETING
O God, come to my assistance,
O Lord, make haste to help me.
DOXOLOGY
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
Psalm 45: 3, 7–16,18
With joy I heard them say, “Let us go to the Lord’s house!”
Unrivaled in beauty,
gracious in speech —
how God has blessed you!
Your throne is as lasting
as the everlasting God.
Integrity is the law of your land.
Because you love justice and hate evil,
God, your God, anoints you
above your peers with festive oil.
Your clothes are fragrant
with myrrh and aloes
and cinnamon flowers.
Music of strings welcomes you
to the ivory palace
and lifts your heart.
Royal women honor you.
On your right hand the queen,
wearing gold of Ophir.
Mark these words, daughter:
leave your family behind,
forget your father’s house.
The king desires your beauty.
He is your lord.
Tyre comes with gifts,
the wealthy honor you.
The robes of the queen
are embroidered with gold.
In brilliant attire
she is led to the king;
her attendants follow.
In high spirits
they enter the royal palace.
Every age will recall your name.
This song will fix it in their memory.
Reading
Isaiah 61: 10 –11; 62: 4–5
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Canticle of Zechariah
Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
who shepherds the people
and sets them free.
God raises from David’s house
a child with power to save. --
--Through the holy prophets
God promised in ages past
to save us from enemy hands,
from the grip of all who hate us.
The Lord favored our ancestors
recalling the sacred covenant,
the pledge to our ancestor Abraham,
to free us from our enemies,
so we might worship without fear
and be holy and just all our days.
And you child, will be called
Prophet of the Most High,
for you will come to prepare
a pathway for the Lord
by teaching the people salvation
through forgiveness of their sin.
Out of God’s deepest mercy
a dawn will come from on high,
light for those shadowed by death,
a guide for our feet on the way to peace.
Canticle of Mary
These are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
I acclaim the greatness of the Lord,
I delight in God my savior,
who regarded my humble state.
Truly from this day on all ages
will call me blest.
For God, wonderful in power,
has used that strength for me.
Holy the name of the Lord!
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
one generation to the next.
The mighty arm of God
scatters the proud in their conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones,
and raises up the humble.
The Lord fills the starving
and lets the rich go hungry.
God rescues lowly Israel,
recalling the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham’s heirs forever.
Intercessions
Gracious God, through your power and grace women of all times have been called to witness to your mercy and love.
Like Ruth, Esther, Miriam and all the holy women of Israel:
~ May we believe in your power to save.
Like holy women who risked their lives and reputations to serve your suffering poor:
~ May we place ourselves at the service of those who cry out for mercy.
Like holy women throughout time who sought their rightful place in church and society:
~ May we work for equality for women in all areas of human life.
Like holy women, mothers, sisters, martyrs and mystics:
~ May we be teachers of prayer and examples of gospel love.
The Lord’s Prayer
Prayer for the feast
Blessing