Novena to St. Josemaría Escrivá

Day 8

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. Josemaría Escrivá

Opening prayer:

St. Josemaría, faithful priest and tireless apostle of holiness in ordinary life, intercede for us before the throne of God. You who saw the divine pathways hidden in the streets and workshops of the world, teach us to walk them. Obtain for us the grace we seek in this novena, if it be for God's glory. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 8: Cheerfulness and the cross

He taught that Christian joy is born not from the absence of suffering but from embracing the cross with love. Difficulties accepted for God become a source of deep and lasting peace, and the cross, once feared, is revealed as the throne of love. The saint of the ordinary smiled because he knew himself held by his Father. He spoke of finding joy at the very foot of the Cross, where sorrow turns to peace in the hands of God.

Lord Jesus, who turned the cross into the throne of love, teach me to embrace my daily crosses with joy. Through St. Josemaría, let my sufferings, accepted for love of You, become a source of deep peace and a cheerful witness to Your presence. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to carry daily crosses with cheerfulness and peace.

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:

O God, who raised up St. Josemaría to proclaim the universal call to holiness and the apostolic value of ordinary work, grant that through his intercession we may make our daily labor a continual prayer. May we serve You faithfully in the small duties of each day. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 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.