Novena Prayer: First Day - Humility
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Novena Prayer
In the Middle Ages, particularly in Spain and France, novena of prayers were offered nine days before Christmas, signifying the nine months Our Lord spent in the womb of Our Blessed Mother. These special novenas helped the faithful prepare for the festive, yet solemn, celebration of the birth of Our Lord. Eventually, various novenas were composed to help the faithful prepare for a special feast or to invoke the aid of a saint for a particulatar reason.
"Ask, and you shall receive"
Our Lord Himself taught the necessity of asking for Divine aid. "Ask, and you shall receive," and although it is quite true that we may ask directly, he nevertheless gives greater favours through the intercession of those particularly dear to Him. Those close round His Throne in Heaven are willing and able to interced for us; so that from the earliest times, and according to the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, pious Catholics have sent uo their prayers to the Blessed Virgin and to the Saints that their needs may be better urged. Further, Our Lord seems to set greater store on the collective prayer of a number. "Where two or more shall be gathered together there am I in the midst of them." Into these two truths the Novena method fits perfectly, and far from being a superstition, as unbelievers sometimes urge, it is simply doing what Our Lord teaches. St Therese supplies us with a very good example. "One day" (during Therese's dangerous illness, 1883, and when her condition seemed hopeless) "Papa came into my room in the deepest distress, and I watched him go up to Marie and give her some money, bidding her write to Paris, and have a Novena of Masses said at the Shrine of Our Lady of Victories, to obtain the cure of his poor little Queen.... If needed a great miracle, and this was wrought by our Lady of Victories herself."
Little Way Novenas
The underlying thought of the Novena is this: St Therese, so particularly beloved of Our Lord, has gathered around her a numerous family of friends; they are familiar with her and they speak to her of their troubles, their sorrows and necessities. These clients unite during the Novenas in making special calls for help, while she in accordance with her promises, makes their petitions her own, and confidently places them before Almighty God. How great are the gifts she obtains! What fragrant Roses she scatters!
"My power is great with God: ask me what you will....... In heaven the Good God will do all I desire because I have never done my own will on earth."
First Day: Humility
"I am too little for great things." - St Therese
Just as the Saint, whom all the world knows as The Little Flower, recognized that her approach to God must be based upon humility, so must we likewise recognize that God will only hear the humble. Therefore, acknowledging our weakness, let us nevertheless ask with confidence. Little things done well for the love of God make up the life which is truly great. "To him that is little, mercy is granted." It is possible to remain little even in the most responsible porition, and is it not written that at the last day, "The Lord will arise to save the weak and lowly ones of the earth." He does not say "to judge," but "to save."
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
V. Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, Who has so often chosen the weak things of this world to confound the strong, we implore You that through the glorious intercession of Saint Therese, you will hear and answer us in our need. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Little Flower of Jesus, Patroness of the Missions, hear our prayers and obtain for us all we ask.
posted by ronjiedotcom @ 1:37 PM,
0 Comments:
Post a Comment