Novena to St. Augustine

Day 4

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. Augustine

Opening prayer:

O God who made the heart for Yourself, hear me through the intercession of St. Augustine, who sought You long and far before he found You within. Grant me the courage of his conversion and the fire of his love, that my restless heart may come to rest in You. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 4: Take up and read

Weeping in a Milan garden, torn between his old life and the call of grace, Augustine heard a child's voice chanting 'Take up and read.' He opened St. Paul, read of putting on Christ, and was finally freed from his former self. He teaches us that grace can break through in a single decisive moment after years of resistance, and that God often waits at the very edge of our despair to speak the word that sets us free.

O converted St. Augustine, freed in a single hour by the voice of God, obtain for me the grace to hear and obey His call when it comes. Make me attentive to the words He sends, ready to surrender my old self, that the moment of decision may find me willing and unafraid. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to recognize and obey God's call when it comes.

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:

St. Augustine, who turned from the love of the world to the love of God, obtain for me the grace I now implore and a heart wholly given to the Truth. Late may I have loved You, O Beauty ever ancient and ever new, but let me love You without end. 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.