Bringing a ray of light

Grant to me O God, that while I ascend the steep slope of my life I may without pause dry all the tears of those I meet, sweeten every bitterness and    dryness, smooth out the roughness and pour a little balm on every wound.

Grant that I may bring a smile to the face of all those who are sad or anxious, bring peace to those who are troubled, reunite those separated and bring peace where there is anger or violence. Grant that I    may offer at least a mouthful of bread to the hungry who ask for it, a glass of water to those who are thirsty; a piece of cloth to the one who has no clothes and a roof at least in my heart for all pilgrims.

Grant that I may know    how to bring a ray of light to those walking in darkness; to direct towards what is good those who are going towards evil; stretch out a hand to those in danger of falling and gently lift up someone who has fallen.

Grant that I may know how to draw out the thorns from all oppressed hearts, restore peace to those who have lost it; cover with the mantle of charity all poor sinners; and spread everywhere comfort, relief, well-being and peace.

Yes, O my God, grant me the grace to be able to console all those sufferers I meet on the way to Calvary; and to be an instrument of your merciful kindness. Fill my heart with meekness, with humility, kindness and sweetness; with understanding and mercy; carve in my soul your blessed, holy, beloved image, so that whoever sees me sees only Thee my sweet Love!

May there be not even one soul who passes me by without my taking them immediately to Thy love; and from that moment being only concerned to flee from sin and to please Thee. I have a hunger and thirst for justice: to make Thee known, loved and served. Therefore, as with Isaiah, touch my lips, not however, with a burning coal but with a drop of Thy most precious Blood: so that they may open and proclaim Thy Name    and tell to the winds Thy marvels, Thy greatness and above all the tenderness of    Thy    divine and adorable Heart!

O Mary Mother mine, with Jesus, in Jesus and for Jesus, for his glory I give and abandon myself blindly and completely into thy motherly arms, so as to pass, at the hour of death, directly from thine to those of the infinite mercy of the Lord. Amen.

Responsory                   Jer 31, 3; Os 2, 16-21

R/. God loved her with an everlasting love: so he drew her to himself from her childhood, he led her into the wilderness * and spoke to her heart.

V/. He betrothed her for ever in faithfulness and love,

R/. and spoke to her heart.

Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.

Morning Prayer

Scripture Reading                  Song 8, 7

Love is a fire no waters avail to quench, no floods to drown; for love, a man will give up all that he has in the world, and think nothing of his loss.

Short Responsory

R/. My heart has said of you: * I have sought your presence Lord.

My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence Lord.

V/. It is your face I will continue to seek

I have sought your presence Lord

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

My heart has said of you: I have sought your presence Lord.

Ant. At the Ben. If there is love among you, then all will know that you are my disciples.

.

Intercessions

Let us give glory to God for having given to the Church and to the Salesian Family, in Blessed Maria Romero, a shining witness of his selfless love    for all.

Remember your Church O Father.

You gave Blessed Maria Romero an ardent faith and a great love for the Church:

–grant that our lives of prayer and the apostolate may unite us ever more intimately to you, in faithful fulfilment of the teaching of the Church.

.You gave Sister Maria wise intuitions and a courageous spirit of enterprise in charitable work:

–multiply in the Church of today initiatives of solidarity and witnesses to your love as a Father.

In Sister Maria Romero you have given us a shining example of Eucharistic    ardour and evangelising passion:

–help us to draw from the table of the Eucharist the strength to proclaim with credibility the Gospel of Christ, especially to the young.

In Blessed Maria Romero you “did great things” because of her unconditional trust in the intercession of Mary Most Holy:

–make us too capable of recognising the presence of Mary our mother who loves and cares for all her children.

You who have care for all your children and are close as a Father to those who suffer on account of poverty, marginalisation and sickness:

–grant that we may imitate Sister Maria in the service of the poor and those who suffer.

Our Father

Prayer

O God, Father of all consolation,

who show your people the signs of your goodness and mercy,

grant to us, that through the intecession of the virgin Blessed Maria [Romero],

we too may console those in any kind of trial

and on the day of judgement be numbered among the blessed.

    Through Our Lord

Evening Prayer

Scripture Reading                Rm 8, 28-30

We are well assured that everything helps to secure the good of those who love God, those whom he has called in fulfilment of his design. All those who from the first were known to him, he has destined from the first to be moulded into the image of his Son, who is thus to become the eldest-born among many brethren. So predestined, he called them; so called, he justified them; so justified he glorified them.

Short Responsory

R/. God has chosen her * He chose her before she was born.

God has chosen her. He chose her before she was born.

V/. He brought her to live in his own dwelling place,

* He chose her before she was born.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

God has chosen her. He chose her before she was born.

Ant. At the    Magn. Anything you did for the least of these who are mine you did for me.

Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Intercessions

We pray to God the Father, author of every plan of holiness, that he may point out to us the path to holiness he has chosen for us.

Guide us O Lord in your ways.

In Blessed Sister Maria Romero you have given us a model of holiness inspired by the apostolic charity of Saint John Bosco and of Saint Mary Domenica Mazzarello:

–grant that following her example we may be faithful to our Salesian vocation with a holy life full of love.

Give to your Church the strength of your Spirit,

–so that through the guidance of holy pastors and the witness of consecrated persons it may continue to give birth to saints in every part of the world.

Give to missionaries the ardour of charity you gave to Sister Maria,

–to respond to the demands of evangelisation and to build your Kingdom.   

Give to educators humility and patient dedication,

–to recognise the signs with which you continue to show your love and your call to the young.

To those who are poor and to those afflicted by any kind of suffering

–grant that they may experience in Christian solidarity a    reflection of your fatherly love

You who have welcomed Blessed Maria Romero to your wedding feast, with all the holy virgins,

–admit the faithful departed to the wedding feast of eternal life.

Our Father

Prayer

O God, Father of all consolation,

who show your people the signs of your goodness and mercy,

grant to us, that through the intecession of the virgin Blessed Maria [Romero],

we too may console those in any kind of trial

and on the day of judgement be numbered among the blessed.

Through Our Lord.

.