Litany
to the Saints of Bethany
Martha,
always willing to
welcome
Jesus at your home
-
teach us confidence
you
have stuck to Jesus,
when
your brother had died - teach us confidence
you
have tamed the dragon
-
teach us confidence
Mary,
friend of understanding
- teach us devotion
Mary,
regardless of the talk of the others
- teach us devotion
Mary,
tender and lavish
- teach us devotion
Lazarus,
friend of the Lord -
teach us friendship
Lazarus,
having come alive through Jesus - teach us friendship
Lazarus,
generous and inviting
- teach us friendship
Siblings
of Bethany - teach us how to love
Mary,
mother, who sticks by her child -
teach us how to believe
Mary,
sister of all who are powerless,
who
believe and struggle - teach us how to believe
Mary,
who loves chastely - teach us how to believe
Magdalene,
freed to love by
the
Lord -
teach us not to give up on anyone
Magdalene,
who has followed
Jesus
to the cross -
teach us not to give up on anyone
Magdalene,
herald of
the
risen Christ
- teach us not to give up on anyone
John,
the Lord’s favorite disciple - teach us reliability
John,
who has stuck with Jesus,
when
all others fled -teach us reliability
John,
to whom the Lord could
entrust
His mother - teach us reliability
You
women and men under the cross -
teach us how to love
Joseph,
you protected Mary and her
child
from all suspicions -
teach us loyalty
Joseph,
you followed the hints of God,
even
if they thwarted your plans -
teach us loyalty
Joseph,
full of concern to the vulnerable
- teach us loyalty
Fr.
Lataste, converted converter - teach us inner freedom
Fr.
Lataste, you returned their dignity
to
the prisoners -
teach us inner freedom
Despite
so much resistance, you have
defended
Bethany as God’s deed -
teach us inner freedom
Fr.
Boulanger and all friends and
benefactors
of Bethany - teach us solidarity
You
have helped Bethany out of so
many
difficulties - teach us solidarity
You
have taken an interest by sharing
- teach us solidarity
You,
whom Bethany owes its existence to - teach us how to love
M.
Henri Dominique, mother and sister
of
all who have been entrusted to you -
teach us mercy
M.
Henri Dominique, you have led
Bethany
with much courage and
knowledge
of human nature -teach us mercy
M.
Henri Dominique, you have trusted
in
God in all difficulties - teach us mercy
Sr.
Noel, you have nearly despaired
in
your powerlessness -
teach us, not to predefine anyone
Sr.
Noel, justified, because you
were
willing to forgive -
teach us, not to predefine anyone
Sr.
Noel, you symbol that a
new
start is really possible -teach us, not to predefine anyone
You
sisters, who have built up
Bethany,
you committed yourself
for
it with heart and soul -
teach us perseverance
You
have suffered so much and
experienced
so much joy - teach us perseverance
You
lived together and for each
other
in the enthusiasm of Jesus - teach us perseverance
You
founders and sisters of Bethany - teach us how to love
Jesus,
God, who became a human
being,
in order to live with us -
love in us
Jesus,
human being, who became
bread
so as we may live -
love in us
Jesus, center
of our community -
love in us
* Credit to Sister Hannah Rita Laue, O.P., a Dominican Sister of Bethany, for her drawing used with this Litany.
* Credit to Sister Hannah Rita Laue, O.P., a Dominican Sister of Bethany, for her drawing used with this Litany.
