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Welcome back to our nine-day novena asking for the intercession of "the greatest saint of modern times": Doctor of the Church St Thérèse of Lisieux. The novena is traditionally offered in the lead up to her feast on October 1. We ask the saints in Heaven to pray for us, just as we would ask our friends on earth to pray for us, because they are even closer to God and so their prayers contain even greater purity and power.
Novena prayer: Day 9
For each of the nine days, pray this prayer:
St Thérèse, you said you would let fall from Heaven “a shower of roses” as a sign of your prayers for us. Please bring my special intention before God (mention intention here).
Please pray for me to believe as you did in God's great love for me, so that I might imitate your complete trust in Him. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply.
Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Reflect and pray
"My God! I love you!"
"Heaven" was the first word she learned to write, and these were Thérèse Martin's last words on earth. But they are also the words spoken by her entire life and vocation. In the end, nothing more or less or different needs to be said, and nothing more or less or different needs to be done, but to love God.
Sanctity blooms not in some ethereal and elusive place that only a few can find, but in flesh and blood. Thérèse Martin is a woman of fierce clarity: the one thing necessary is love. Thérèse radiates the bold truth about love that our culture often dilutes and diminishes.
Love that sanctifies is not trivial.
Love that sanctifies blazes and burns away the chains of selfishness.
When we choose them every day, the straws of little ordinary sacrifices and self-gifts are never trivial. When we choose love instead of self, these straws become a bonfire of refinement that lights up the darkness.
She taught us: "In order that love be fully satisfied, it is necessary that it lower itself to nothingness, and transform that nothingness into living fire!"
Come back tomorrow for how to celebrate the feast of our dear Little Flower. You can also subscribe here so you don't miss anything.
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