Lord, who came among us through a courageous woman’s Yes,
give us the courage to answer Yes to our sisters’ pleas.
To the unborn girl who cries for the same birthright as her brother,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the school-age girl who longs for the opportunities
only education can provide,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the adolescent girl who asks to be released
from the injustice of forced marriage,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the infected woman, praying for herself and her unborn child,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the woman in childbirth, seeking a safe delivery,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the mother who needs food to feed her children,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the woman whose family is in harm’s way, who seeks a way
to protect and save them,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the refugee woman, searching for a safe haven for her family,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the woman who longs for meaningful work
to support her household,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the woman who is not allowed to manage
her own financial resources,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the woman who has the spirit of a leader,
give us the courage to say Yes.
To the elderly woman who has given so much,
give us the courage to say Yes.
Lord it is by the grace of women that we are here.
Give us the grace to respond to this gift in kind
—with the courage of Mary.
The courage to say Yes.
Amen.
(Edward O’Neill Hoyt, Catholic Relief Services)