Thursday, June 18, 2015

St. John the Baptist Nativity Novena – Fourth Day


Novena in honor of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

June 18 – The Voice of one crying in the wilderness

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord; behold thy God!” Oh! in this world of ours grown now so cold, who can understand earth’s transports, at hearing these glad tidings so long expected ? The promised God was not yet manifested; but already have the heavens bowed down, to make way for his passage. No longer was he “the One who is to come, he for whom our fathers, the illustrious saints of the prophetic age ceaselessly called, in their indomitable hope. Still hidden, indeed, but already in our midst, he was resting beneath that virginal cloud compared with which, the heavenly purity of Thrones and Cherubim wax dim; yea, the united fires of burning Seraphim grow faint, in presence of the single love wherewith she alone encompasses him in her human heart, she that lowly daughter of Adam whom he had chosen for his mother. Our accursed earth, made suddenly more blessed far than yonder heaven so long inexorably closed to suppliant prayer, awaited only that the august mystery should be revealed; the hour was come for earth to join her canticles to that eternal and divine praise, which henceforth was ever rising from her depths, and which being itself no other than the Word Himself, would celebrate God condignly. But beneath the veil of humility where his divinity, even after as well as before his birth, must still continue to hide itself from men, who may discover the Emmanuel?


In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O glorious St. John the Baptist,

Greatest prophet among those born of woman, although thou wast sanctified in thy mother’s womb and didst live a most innocent life, nevertheless it was thy will to retire into the wilderness, there to devote thyself to the practice of austerity and penance; obtain for us of thy Lord the grace to be wholly detached, at least in our hearts, from earthly goods, and to practice Christian mortification with interior recollection and with the spirit of holy prayer.

St. John the Baptist, precursor of Christ, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, shining lamp of the world, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, angel of purity before thy birth, R. Pray for us.

O most zealous Apostle,

Who, without working any miracle on others,  but solely by the example of thy life of penance  and the power of thy word,  didst draw after thee the multitudes, in order to dispose them to receive the Messias worthily and to listen to His heavenly doctrine;  grant that it may be given unto us,  by means of the example of a holy life  and the exercise of every good work,  to bring many souls to God,  but above all  those souls that are enveloped in the darkness of error and ignorance  and that are led astray by vice.

St. John the Baptist, intrepid preacher of truth, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, voice crying in the wilderness, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, miracle of mortication and penance, R. Pray for us.

O Martyr invincible,

Who, for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, didst with firmness and constancy withstand the impiety of Herod even at the cost of thine own life, and didst rebuke him openly for his wicked and dissolute life;  by thy prayers obtain for us a heart, brave and generous,  in order that we may overcome all human respect and openly profess our faith  in loyal obedience to the teachings of Jesus () Christ,  our divine Master.

St. John the Baptist, example of profound humility, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, great defender of holy matrimony, R. Pray for us.

St. John the Baptist, glorious martyr of zeal for God’s holy law, R. Pray for us.

O God, we rejoice at the apostolate of Saint John the Baptist, though whom we came to know our Redeemer and King. Through his intercession we implore…

               (Mention your request)

We offer this prayer to Thee () God the Father, through Christ Our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God forever and ever. R. Amen.

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.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, Blessed art thou among 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.

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 will be forever. Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.




No comments:

Post a Comment