Novena to St. Philip Neri

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. Philip Neri

Opening prayer:

O glad St. Philip Neri, my glorious patron, who didst set Rome on fire with the joy of the Gospel, look kindly upon me as I begin this novena. Thy heart was wide with love and light with holy mirth; win for me a cheerful and humble heart like thine own, that I may serve God with gladness all the days of my life. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 5: Self-mockery and the flight from honor

Philip dreaded honors and shunned every mark of respect. When people knelt as he passed or sought to kiss his hand, he would cry, 'Get up! Get out of my way!' To smother any rising fame he would play the fool — walking out with half his beard shaved, wearing absurd clothes, reading a joke-book aloud as if it were holy. He turned vanity to laughter and made humility wear a smile. He shows us that the surest cure for pride is to laugh gently at oneself.

O humble St. Philip, who didst hide thy holiness beneath foolery and flee the praise of men, deliver me from vanity and the hunger to be esteemed. Teach me to make light of myself, to take correction without resentment, and to find a secret joy in being small and unnoticed before God. Amen.

Today's intention:

For freedom from vanity and the love of human praise.

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 St. Philip, whose heart the Holy Spirit enlarged and set aflame, present my petitions to the Lord thou didst love so dearly. Teach me to delight in God, to think little of myself, and to lead others to Him by kindness rather than by harshness, until heart speaks to heart with thee in the joy of heaven. 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.