Novena to St. John the Baptist

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. John the Baptist

Opening prayer:

Glorious St. John the Baptist, voice crying in the wilderness, you prepared the way of the Lord with fearless preaching and a pure heart. As I begin this novena, obtain for me a spirit of repentance and a love of the truth. Help me to point others always to Christ. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 5: He must increase, I must decrease

When his own disciples grew jealous that the crowds now went to Jesus, John answered serenely, 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' He called himself the friend of the Bridegroom, rejoicing to hear His voice. He shows us the freedom of the soul that desires only God's glory and not its own, content to grow smaller as Christ grows greater in our lives and in the world.

O glorious Saint John the Baptist, friend of the Bridegroom, who rejoiced to decrease that Christ might increase, obtain for me deliverance from vanity and the craving to be seen, that I may seek God's glory alone and rejoice as He grows in my soul. Amen.

Today's intention:

For deliverance from vanity and the desire to be seen.

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. John the Baptist, who decreased that Christ might increase, teach me to seek not my own glory but His. Strengthen me to bear witness to the truth even at great cost, and to await the Lamb of God with a watchful heart. Intercede for me, that I may share one day in your joy. 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.