Novena to St. Anthony the Abbot

Day 5

10 min

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Novena to St. Anthony the Abbot

Opening prayer:

O glorious St. Anthony, who left all things to seek God alone in the silence of the desert, draw us away from the distractions that scatter our hearts. Teach us to thirst for God above every passing thing. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 5: Endurance in penance

Through long fasting, nightly vigils, hard manual labor, and sleep upon the bare ground, Anthony disciplined his body to serve the spirit. He did this not from contempt for the body but to free his soul for God. His ascesis teaches us that self-denial, when joined to love and not to vanity, makes the soul strong and supple in the hand of its Maker.

O Saint Anthony, who tamed your body by penance to set your soul free for God, obtain for me the grace of holy self-denial. Let me deny myself not from harshness but from love, that the flesh may serve the spirit and the spirit may serve the Lord. Make me strong and faithful in small daily sacrifices. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace of self-denial and penance.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

Holy father Anthony, valiant soldier of Christ, obtain for us courage in temptation and constancy in prayer. May we, with you, fight the good fight to the end and rejoice forever in the presence of God. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.