Novena to St. Therese

Day 7

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. Therese

Opening prayer:

Dearest St. Thérèse of Lisieux, you promised to spend your heaven doing good upon earth. Your trust in God was complete. Teach me your Little Way of confidence and love, present these petitions to the Lord, and obtain for me the grace to love Him more each day. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 7: Trust through dryness and suffering

In her last months Thérèse passed through a thick darkness of faith, tempted against the very hope of heaven, while tuberculosis wasted her body. Yet she clung to God in the night, choosing to believe and to love when she felt nothing. She offered her trial for unbelievers, sitting at their table in the dark. Her witness teaches us to hold fast to Jesus precisely when He seems most hidden.

Prayer for today:

St. Thérèse, you were faithful to God even in the night of faith, even unto death. When my prayer feels dry and God seems far, help me to keep believing and loving in the dark. Let me rely on His providential care in every hardship, especially the most painful. Amen.

Today's intention:

For perseverance and trust in times of darkness and trial.

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. Thérèse of Lisieux, Little Flower and Doctor of the Church, obtain for us the grace to do small things with great love, to trust Jesus in every trial, and to make our whole life an offering to His Merciful Love. Let fall upon us your shower of roses, and pray for us now and at the hour of our death. 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.