By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager
This week’s “Embracing Faith” article will focus on Embracing Faith through Prayer.
"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a
fulfillment of what was spoken to her from God."
-Luke 1:45
Yesterday, March 8th, marked International Women's Day.
Each year, International Women's Day celebrates women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and provides a call to action to accelerate gender equality. (1)
The 2021 theme of International Women's Day is "Choose to Challenge" because "a challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change." (1)
Regardless of how you chose to observe International Women's Day yesterday, it is essential to take a moment today to pray for all women in our lives.
Franciscan Prayer for International Women's Day (2)
Lord, make me an instrument of peace:
Bless all women who daily strive to bring peace
to their communities, their homes and their hearts.
Give them strength to continue to turn swords into plowshares.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love:
We pray for all women who face
prejudice, inequality and gender disparities.
Help us seeand to face the discrimination against
women inall the many forms it may take.
Where there is injury, pardon:
Comfort all women who suffer from the pain
of war, violence, and abuse. Help them to become
instruments of their own reconciliation and peace.
Where there is division, unity:
Forgive all women and men who let differences
breed hate and discrimination. Let your example
of valuing all of creation help us to see that
we are equal partners in the stewardship of your world.
Where there is darkness, light; where there is untruth, truth:
Comfort all women who struggle in the darkness
of abuse, poverty, and loneliness. May we stand with them
in light to acknowledge their suffering and strive to
remove the burdens of shame or embarrassment.
Where there is doubt, true faith:
We pray for all women who live in fear of their
husbands, fathers, and forces that control their lives.
Help them to be empowered to be their true selves
through your everlasting love and faith.
Where there is despair, hope:
We pray for all women who live in the despair of
poverty, violence, trafficking, slavery, and abuse.
May the light of your love bring them hope.
Where there is sadness, new joy:
Help us to see the strength and goodness in all women and men. Transform our hearts to celebrate the love and grace of all people.