Novena to St. John of the Cross

Day 1

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 of the Cross

Opening prayer:

O glorious St. John of the Cross, Mystical Doctor, who loved Christ crucified above every consolation, come to my aid as I begin this novena. Teach me to seek God alone, and obtain for me the grace I now ask through your powerful intercession. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 1: Seeking God alone

From his youth John desired one thing only: to belong wholly to God. He teaches us that the soul finds peace not in many goods but in the single-hearted pursuit of the Lord above all things. Like the psalmist who sought one thing, to dwell in the house of the Lord all his days, John gathered every longing into one. The restless heart, said Augustine, finds no rest until it rests in God, and John staked his whole life on that truth.

O glorious St. John of the Cross, who from your youth sought God alone above every passing good, obtain for me a heart no longer scattered among many desires. Gather all my longings into one, that I may seek the Lord with my whole soul and at last find in Him the peace the world can never give. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to desire God above every created thing.

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 of the Cross, who passed through the dark night and was set ablaze by the living flame of love, lead me along the narrow path of faith. Detach my heart from all that is not God, and let me rest at last in Him who is my All. 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.