Holy Mother Church honors St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower, on October 3. She is well-known for her life of simplicity, her love of serving God, and her zeal for souls. The following prayer is a novena asking for the intercession of St. Therese. To end the novena on the vigil of her feast day, October 2, one should begin praying it on September 24.
"You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them."--St. Therese of Lisieux
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After the Special Prayer for each day, say the Concluding Prayers given at the end of the Novena. Thoughts for the day are taken from the words of the Little Flower.
Prayers to be said each day:
+ Holy Ghost, come and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Divine love. V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created. R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
+ Let Us Pray: O God, Who hast instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be ever truly wise and rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. O my God! I believe in Thee: do Thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in. Thee: do Thou secure them. I love Thee: teach me to love Thee daily more and more.
+ Then make an Act of Contrition.
+ Prayer: O Lord Who hast said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the virgin, blessed Therese, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.
SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR EACH DAY
First Day:
St. Therese, privileged Little Flower of Jesus and Mary, I approach thee with childlike confidence and deep humility. I lay before thee my desires, and beg that through thine intercession they may be realized. Did thou not promise to spend thy Heaven doing good upon earth? Grant me according to this promise the favors I am asking from thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: CONFIDENCE IN GOD. "We can never have too much confidence in the good God Who is so powerful and so merciful. We obtain from Him as much as we hope for. What offends Jesus, what wounds His Sacred Heart, is lack of confidence in Him. If you are nothing, do you forget that Jesus is everything? You have only to lose your nothingness in His Infinity and think only of loving Him."
Second Day: O dear little Saint, now that thou seest the crucified Jesus in Heaven, still bearing the wounds caused by sin, thou knowest still more clearly than thou didst upon earth the value of souls, and the priceless worth of that Precious Blood which He shed to save them. As I am one of those children for whom Christ died, obtain for me all the graces I need in order to profit by that Precious Blood. Use thy great power with our Divine Lord and pray for me. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: SIN. "The only grace I ask, O Jesus, is never to offend Thee. By love and not by fear, does a soul avoid committing the least voluntary fault. Yes, even if I had on my conscience a possible crime, I should lose none of my confidence; my heart breaking with sorrow should go and throw myself into the arm of my Saviour. The remembrance of my faults humbles and makes me afraid to rely on my strength. which is nothing but weakness."
Third Day: Dear Little Flower, make all things lead me to Heaven and God. Whether I look at the sun, the moon, the stars and the vast expanse in which they float, or whether I look at the flowers of the field, the trees of the forest, the beauties of the earth so full of color and so glorious, may they speak to me of the love and power of God; may they all sing His praises in my ear. Like thee may I daily love Him more and more in return for His gifts. Teach me often to deny myself in my dealings with others, that I may offer to Jesus many little sacrifices. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: THE USE OF GOD'S GIFTS. "How much benefit have I received from the beauties of nature, bestowed in such abundance. How they raise me to Him Who placed such wonders in this land of exile which is only to last a day. O sparkling nature, if I did not see God in thee, thou wouldst be naught but a great tomb. With Thy little hand which caresses Mary, Thou sustaineth the universe and bestow life; and Thou thinkest of me, O Jesus my little King. I do not wish creatures to have one atom of my love. I wish to give all to Jesus, since He has shown me that He alone is perfect happiness."
Fourth Day: Dear Little Flower of Carmel, bearing so patiently the disappointments and delays allowed by God, and preserving in the depths of thy soul an unchanging peace because thou didst seek only God's Will, ask for me complete conformity to that adorable Will in all the trials and disappointments of life. If the favors I am asking during this Novena are pleasing to God, obtain them for me. If not, it is true I shall feel the refusal keenly, but I too wish only God's Will, and pray in the words thou didst use, that it "may ever be perfectly fulfilled in me." Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: ABANDONMENT TO GOD. "I fear only one thing -- to keep my own will; take it, my God, for I choose all that Thou choosest. The only happiness here below is to strive to be always content with what Jesus gives us. I can demand nothing with fervor, except the perfect accomplishment of God's will in my soul. O my Beloved, I offer myself to Thee, that Thou may perfectly accomplisheth in me Thy holy designs, and I will not allow anything created to be an obstacle in their path."
Fifth Day: Little Flower of Jesus, from the very first moment of thy religious life thou didst think only of denying thyself in all things so as to follow Jesus perfectly; help me to bear patiently the trials of my daily life. Teach me to make use of the trials, the sufferings, the humiliations, that come my way, to learn to know myself better and to love God more. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: PATIENCE IN SUFFERINGS. "I do not fear trials sent by Jesus, for even in the most bitter suffering we can see that it is His loving hand which causes it. When we are expecting nothing but suffering, we are quite surprised at the least joy; but then suffering itself becomes the greatest of joys when we seek it as a precious treasure. Far from resembling those beautiful Saints who practiced all sorts of austerities from childhood, my penance consisted in breaking my self-will, in keeping back a sharp reply, in doing little kindnesses to those about me, but considering these deeds as nothing."
Sixth Day: St. Therese, Patroness of the Missions, be a great missionary throughout the world to the end of time. Remind our Master of His Own words, "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few." Thy zeal for souls was so great, obtain a like zeal for those now working for souls, and beg God to multiply their numbers, that the millions to whom Jesus is yet unknown, may be brought to know, love and follow Him. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: ZEAL FOR SOULS. "Let us work together for the salvation of souls. We have only the day of this life to save souls and to give them to the Lord as proofs of our love. I tell Jesus that I am glad not to be able to see, with the eyes of my soul, this beautiful Heaven which awaits me, in order that He may vouchsafe to open it forever to poor unbelievers. I cannot perform brilliant works; I cannot preach the Gospel or shed my blood. But what matter? My brothers work in place of me, and I, a little child, keep very close to the royal throne. I love for those who are carrying on the warfare. My deeds, my little sufferings, can make God loved all over the world."
Seventh Day: O little martyr of Love, thou knowest now even better than in the days of thy pilgrimage that Love embraces all vocations; that it is Love alone which counts, which unites us perfectly to God and conforms our will with His. All thou didst seek on earth was love; to love Jesus as He had never yet been loved. Use thy power in Heaven to make us love Him. If only we love Him we shall desire to make Him loved by others; we shall pray much for souls. We shall no longer fear death, for it will unite us to Him forever. Obtain for us the grace to do all for the love of God, to give Him pleasure, to love Him so well that He may be pleased with us as He was with thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: LOVE OF GOD. "I will love God alone and will not have the misfortune of attaching myself to creatures, now that my heart perceives what He has in store for those who love Him. What attracts me to the Kingdom of Heaven is the call of our Lord, the hope of loving Him as I have so desired and the thought that I shall be able to make Him loved by a great number of souls who will bless Him forever. When Christ said, 'Give Me to drink,' it was the love of His poor creatures that He, the Creator of all things, desired. He thirsted for love. Remember that the dear Jesus is there in the Tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone. Remember that He is consumed with a desire to come into your heart."
Eighth Day: Dear St. Therese, like thee I have to die one day. I beseech thee, obtain from God, by reminding Him of thine own precious death, that I may have a holy death, strengthened by the Sacraments of the Church, entirely resigned to the most holy Will of God, and burning with love for Him. May my last words on earth be "My God, I love Thee." Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: DEATH. "It says in the catechism that death is nothing but the separation of the soul and body. Well, I have no fear of a separation which will unite me forever with the good God. I am happy to die because I shall be able to help souls who are dear to me, far more than I can here below. Life is not sad; it is very joyous. If you say, "This exile is sad," I understand you. We are wrong to give the name "life" to something which will end; it is only to the things of Heaven that we should apply this beautiful name."
Ninth Day: Dear little St. Therese, by love and suffering while on earth, thou didst win the power with God which thou doth now enjoy in Heaven. Since thy life there began, thou hast showered down countless blessings on this poor world; thou hast been the instrument made use of by thy Divine Spouse to work countless miracles. I beg of thee to remember all my wants. Sufferings must come to me also, may I use them to love God more, and follow my Jesus better. Thou art especially the little missionary of love. Make me love Jesus more, and all others for His sake. With all my heart I thank the most Holy Trinity for the wonderful blessings conferred on thee, and upon the world through thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen.
Thought for the day: THE MISSION OF THE LITTLE FLOWER. "I do not intend to remain inactive in Heaven. I want to work for the Church and for souls. I have asked this of God and I am certain that He will grant my request. I will spend my Heaven doing good upon earth. This is not impossible, since the Angels, though always enjoying the Beatific Vision, watch over us. No, I cannot be at rest until the end of the world. I beseech Thee, O Jesus, to cast Thy Divine glance on a great number of little souls. I beg Thee to choose in this world a legion of little victims, worthy of Thy Love."
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray: Grant O Lord God, we beseech Thee that we Thy servants may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and through the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be freed from present sorrow and enjoy eternal gladness, through Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, Who didst inflame with Thy Spirit of Love, the soul of Thy Servant, Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love Thee and make Thee much loved. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
