Novena to St. Theresa the Little Flower
First Day
O Heavenly Father, Who in Thine ineffable goodness didst place in
the soul of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus the precious treasure
of sanctifying grace, and didst grant her ever to keep it in the
midst of earthly dangers, we pray Thee to grant to us for our part
the happiness of never losing this inestimable gift whereby we
become Thine adopted children, the brothers and sisters of Thy Son
Jesus, the temples of the Holy Spirit and the heirs of Heaven.
Enable us, to this end, carefully to avoid mortal sin which would
rob us of this grace more to be desired than all the wealth of the
world, to fly the occasions of sin, and to resist temptation.
We implore these graces through the intercession of the one who
was ever Thy faithful child and whose memory we venerate.
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, who would have preferred to die
rather than lose God's grace, vouchsafe to obtain for us all the
help necessary to avoid the misfortune of committing mortal sin,
incompatible with this divine grace. Obtain for us the favors we
crave and implore through you powerful intercession. Amen.
Second Day
O Heavenly Father, Who to assure our advancement in the right path
dost never cease to multiply the supernatural means of help which
we need, and which Thou has divinely poured out upon St. Theresa
of the Child Jesus, we beg of Thee, through this Saint so dear to
Thy Heart, all the graces of light and of fortitude necessary or
helpful to fulfill Thine adorable will.
Thy grace ever went before St. Theresa and Thou didst uphold her
at each moment, for Thou didst give to her both to will and to do,
and without Thee none can even utter the name of Jesus whereby we
may be saved.
Father, shed abroad in our minds and hearts those graces won by
the merits of our Savior and which St. Theresa asks for us.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus upon whom so many divine graces
were showered, we pray you to intercede with our Heavenly Father,
so that through t he merits of our Savior and you merits, He may
vouchsafe to give to our souls all the graces needful for the
perfect fulfillment of our duty. Obtain for us the favors we crave
and implore through your powerful intercession. Amen
Third Day
O Heavenly Father, Who didst dispose the soul of St. Theresa of
the Child Jesus to ascend by such wonderful steps and didst make
this lovable saint to rise from virtue to virtue, aiding her so
admirably to practice humility, simplicity, patience, confidence,
zeal and love, we beseech Thee to place in our hearts dispositions
like to hers and to grant us to resemble her, that we may hence
become conformable to Thy Son Jesus, our Model and the Divine
Example of Thine adorable perfections.
These virtues are so needful for us, for without them we cannot be
happy here below; without them we cannot gain for Thee the glory
that Thou dost look for from us.
Vouchsafe, O Father, to help us to make these virtues ours. May
Thy numerous graces joined to our generous efforts, bring forth,
as in St. Theresa, true and lasting virtue.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who to please God ever
Wonderfully grew in virtue each day of your life, obtain for us to
resemble you and generously to practice those virtues of which you
have left us such a beautiful example. Obtain for us the favors we
crave and implore through your powerful intercession. Amen.
Fourth Day
O Heavenly Father, Who in Thine infinite wisdom dost permit the
just to be tried upon earth, like gold in the furnace, hereafter
to crown them gloriously in Heaven, we beseech Thee to grant us
through the intercession of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, all
the graces of fortitude and consolation which we urgently need in
the difficulties we encounter here below.
Thou dost order all things for the good of those who love Thee,
nothing befalls without Thy permission, Thou knowest how to draw
good out of evil. May these consoling truths be our support in the
midst of our sorrows. Sweeten for us all that is bitter by the
unction of Thy grace.
Permit not, O Father, that impatience shall possess our heart or
murmurs rise to our lips. Make us understand the providential use
of sorrow, as it was undertook by St. Theresa who owned to finding
happiness in the midst of suffering.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who suffered much here below, and
knew how to find joy in every bitterness, intercede for us with
God that so He may help us to bear patiently all our crosses, and
console our hearts saddened by the trials of earth's exile. Obtain
for us the favors we crave and implore through your powerful
intercession. Amen.
Fifth Day
O Heavenly Father, Who so loved men that Thou didst give them
Thine Only-begotten Son to be their Redeemer upon the Cross, and
Food in the Divine Sacrament of the Altar, we beseech Thee to
grant us, through the prayers of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus so
inflamed with love for this Adorable Sacrament and so eager to
receive It, the grace for our part to draw near very often to the
Holy Table.
Following the example of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, may we
bring to it the best dispositions, a right intention, hearts
filled with lively faith, sincere humility, deep confidence,
ardent charity.
Father, make us truly understand that this Divine Bread is no less
needful to our soul than material bread is to our body and that we
cannot abstain from It without hurt to our soul.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who so much loved the Divine
Sacrament of the Altar and so greatly longed to unite yourself to
It through Holy Communion, obtain for us from God a love like to
yours for this Adorable Sacrament and a fervent longing often to
receive It in our hearts. Obtain for us the favors we crave and
implore through your powerful intercession. Amen
Sixth Day
O Heavenly Father, Who bestowed upon the Blessed Virgin Mary the
greatest and most precious graces and privileges, and called her
to become the Mother of Thy Son Jesus also giving her to be our
Mother, we beseech Thee through the intercession of St. Theresa of
the Child Jesus ever so faithful to honor this beloved Virgin,
whose radiant countenance and gracious smile she one day beheld,
to grant us too the inestimable favor of being the very loving
children of this Holy Mother.
We need her maternal mediation, for this good Mother is the way
that leads to Jesus, and she is the treasurer of all the graces
that our Savior acquired for us by shedding of His Precious Blood.
We thank Thee, O Father, for having given us the Blessed Virgin to
be our Mother, and our guide along our life's path, and we beseech
Thee that, like St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, we may be true
imitators of her virtues: of her perfect humility, her immaculate
purity, and her ardent love. We look to her for the greatest
succor now and at the hour of our death.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who ever manifested a great love
for the One you named the Immaculate Virgin, and from whom you
received so many benefits, we ask you to obtain for us the grace
to imitate your tender devotion towards her and to help us to
reproduce her beautiful and admirable virtues even as you your-
self did. Obtain for us the favors we crave and implore through
your powerful intercession. Amen.
Seventh Day
O Heavenly Father, Who has bestowed upon us so many benefits
through the intercession of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, and
willest that we should honor this lovable saint with a special
devotion, we earnestly implore Thee of Thy fatherly loving-
kindness the grace to be ever faithful in veneration her, invoking
her and imitating her virtues.
It is good for us to pay honor to the Saints. Thou has placed
these blessed Saints as powerful mediators between ourselves and
Thee, that so Thou mayest bestow upon us more ready and more
abundant aids. That which our prayer cannot obtain, theirs will
obtain for us.
Thou hast willed that the Saints should be our models. They were
once what we are; we can with Thy grace become what they are, what
they have done, we can do in our turn. Father, give us a true and
lasting devotion towards St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, a
devotion well ordered and constant, a devotion that will sanctify
us and lead us to Thee to Whom all the homage we pay to the Saints
returns.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, placed by the Church upon our
altars to be out protectress with God and model in Christian life,
obtain for us, we ask of you, ever to have you in honor, to
venerate you, to invoke you, to imitate you for the greater glory
of God and the greater good of our souls. Obtain for us the favors
we crave and implore through your powerful intercession. Amen.
Eighth Day
O Heavenly Father, Who hast created all the good things of earth
for the use of man and dost measure them out to him with marvelous
bounty, we beg Thee through the intercession of St. Theresa of the
Child Jesus to give us all those things of which we have need for
the preservation of our life here below.
Teach us to use these things with the moderation befitting
Christians, let us not attach our heart to them; may they serve
not to keep us from Thee, the Only True Good to be desired and the
Giver of all that is good in this world. Give us, as Thou gavest
to Thy faithful handmaid St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, to make a
holy use of earthly things and to make them serve on for Thy
Glory.
Father , Who dost feed the birds of the air and clothe the lilies
of the valley, forsake not the souls of those who trust in Thee.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who ever used the things of this
world according to the order willed by God, you who made earthly
gifts serve to merit those that are heavenly, we ask you to obtain
for us all that is necessary for us during our life upon earth.
Obtain for us the favors we crave and implore through your
powerful intercession. Amen.
Ninth Day
O Heavenly Father, Who hast prepared for us a glorious reward
after the labors of this life, and hast promised to crown with
honor and glory those who are faithful to the end in Thy love, we
beseech Thee to grant us through the intercession of St. Theresa
of the Child Jesus the grace to be faithful to Thy Commandments,
to those of the Holy Church and to Thy holy inspirations until the
hour of our death.
Father, grant that, after the example of St. Theresa of the Child
Jesus, we may not recoil from labors, that temptations may not
keep us from Thee, that trials may not cause us to lose courage.
May neither the world, nor the devil, nor our own inclinations
separate us from Thee to Whom we desire to belong for ever, as we
promised Thee on the day of our Baptism and on the day of our
First Communion.
Perseverance in grace is a grace, we beseech Thee to grant it to
us, and in Thy merciful love not to refuse us the grace of graces,
that of final perseverance which will unite us to Thee for
evermore and will give us to contemplate during all Eternity Thine
adorable Face.
Father, uphold us in the midst of our combats until the day when
we shall gain the victory, when Thou Thyself wilt triumph in us.
Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus who persevered throughout your
life in exact fidelity to God's grace, you who saw your
perseverance crowned own the glorious day of your death, obtain
for us to be fully faithful to God's law and never to separate
ourselves from His holy love. Obtain for us the favors we crave
and implore through your powerful intercession. Amen.
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