Charles Belmonte - Novena Prayers to Saint Josemaria Escriva

NOVENA PRAYERS

TO SAINT JOSEMARA

ESCRIV DE BALAGUER

Charles Belmonte

Entrance Song

Refrain St.Josemaria

Child of God the Father

Priest of Jesus Christ

Instrument of the Holy Spirit.

I You gathered around Jesus

His family of people

From all nations

Listening to the voice of God. (Refrain)

II Help me to sanctify myself

In the ordinary circumstances

Of daily life

In the middle of the world. (Refrain)

All : In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the HolySpirit. Amen.

Leader : Brothers and sisters, as children of God and ofour Blessed Mother we are gathered here to honor the memory of St. JosemaraEscriv de Balaguer. We desire to learn from him to love God and to obey Hisholy will as perfectly as he always did.

Firstof all, let us ask our Father-Gods mercy and pardon.

All : Merciful Father,

you sent your beloved Son

to redeem us by his passion, death andresurrection

and to give us new life in the Holy Spirit.

By this, you make us your children

and give us our Christian vocation,

a vocation to seek personal sanctity

and to love one another in Christ.

How many times in the past

I have forgotten this sublime dignity!

I have sinned against you, Father,

and against my brothers and sisters.

I am heartily sorry for my sins.

Grant me your forgiveness.

I firmly resolve with the help of your grace,

to confess my sins, to do penance

and to amend my life. Amen.

From the Writings ofSt. Josemara

Read the passage assignedfor each day of the Novena.

Considerations

Read the passageassigned for each day of the Novena.

Scriptural Reading

You may read theindicated passages from the Bible.

Prayer of the faithful

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy onus.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hearus.

God the Father of heaven.

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, redeemer of the world.

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God.

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary.

The response for the rest is

Pray for us.

Holy Motherof God.

Mother ofChrist.

Mother ofthe Church.

Mother ofdivine grace.

Saint Joseph , teacher of interiorlife.

SaintJosemara, Founder of Opus Dei, a way of sanctification in ordinary work.

Saint Josemara, model of sanctity for priests.

That we maygrow in love and veneration for the Eucharist.

That Holy Communion may always be the nourishment and strength ofour souls.

That we maynot lose Gods friendship forever by unrepented sin. Prayfor us

That we may seek Christs forgiveness frequently in the sacramentof Penance.

That we may be filled with the zeal of the Holy Spirit and becomecourageous witnesses of Gods love.

That we may be meek and humble of heart as Jesus was.

That we may remind ourselves of Gods presence often during theday.

That we may be aware that God is talking to us, his children, inthe events of daily life.

That we may pray daily, talking to God always as our Father.

That we may keep away from temptation with the help of His grace.

That we may reverence our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit.

That we may forgive those who wrong us.

That we may remove resentment toward them.

That we may have constant concern for the spiritual life ofothers.

That we may be delivered from the desire of being preferred toothers.

That others may be praised while we pass unnoticed.

That we may grow in concern for those who suffer.

That we may work to achieve a fairer distribution of materialgoods.

That we may share our talents with others, especially the lessfortunate.

That the Holy Spirit may sanctify the Pope, the bishops and theclergy.

That we may be blessed with many priestly vocations.

That we, the lay people, may grow in sense of responsibility tomake Christian principles present wherever we are. Prayfor us

That we may die in peace, comforted by the hope in the Risen Lord.

Let us pray in silence for other intentions. (Silence)

We fly to yourpatronage, Holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities,but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin.

Pray forus, O Mother of God.

That wemay be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Prayer for each day

Read the prayer assignedfor each day of the Novena.

Aspiration

Read the aspirationassigned for each day of the Novena. You may repeat it during the day.

Prayer for SaintJosemaras intercession

O God, through theBlessed Virgin Mary, you granted countless graces to your priest St. Josemara,choosing him as a most faithful instrument to found Opus Dei, a way ofsanctification in daily work and in the fulfillment of the ordinary duties of aChristian. Grant that I may also learn to turn all the circumstances and eventsof my life into opportunities to love you and to serve the Church, the Pope andall souls with joy and simplicity, lighting up the paths of the earth withfaith and love. Through the intercession of St. Josemara grant me the favor Irequest ... (heremake your request). Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Sancta Maria Sedes Sapienti, Ancilla Dmini.

Ora pro nobis.

Holy Mary, seat of Wisdom, handmaid of the Lord.

Pray for us.

Recessional Song

Refrain St.Josemaria

Child of God the Father

Priest of Jesus Christ

Instrument of the Holy Spirit.

III Give me patience and strength

To respond generously

To the demands of

My Christian vocation. (Refrain)

IV Teach me to love Mary

My dear sweet Mother

And to rely always

On her protection and care. (Refrain)

Lyrics:C. Belmonte

Music:J. Gaela

FIRST DAY

THESANCTIFICATION OF WORK

From the Writings of St.Josemara

What I have alwaystaught, over the last forty years, is that a Christian should do all honesthuman work, be it intellectual or manual, with the greatest perfectionpossible: with human perfection (professional competence) and with Christianperfection (for love of Gods Will and as a service to mankind). Human workdone in this manner, no matter how humble or insignificant it may seem, helpsto shape the world in a Christian way. The worlds divine dimension is mademore visible and our human labor is thus incorporated into the marvelous workof Creation and Redemption. It is raised to the order of grace. It issanctified and becomes Gods work, operatioDei, opus Dei. (Conversations,no. 10)

Considerations

Saint Josemaraconstantly taught, with the example of his entire life and with his word, thatthe great path of sanctification for men and women consists in accomplishing oneswork imitating Jesus Christ.