Novena for our NFP Apostolate – Day 6
Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication
Proverbs:10-3,6,11,24,28,29,30,31;11-19,30
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry
Blessings crown the head of the righteous
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life
What the righteous desire will be granted
The prospect of the righteous is joy
The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous
The righteous will never be uprooted
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom
The truly righteous man attains life
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life
(John 14:6) Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We Adore You, O Christ, and We Bless You, Because by Your Cross You Have Redeemed the World
Contrition
Lord, you gave us your word in the holy scriptures, and you sent your son, Jesus, as the word made flesh. You came to give us abundant life. Yet we have not always turned to the scriptures as our daily bread and we have not received your son as our daily bread. And when we have read and received your word made flesh, we have often received it with hard hearts, without simplicity, without a confident and generous desire to become like you. And you could do no great miracles in us. (~Mt 13:58) Yet, despite our hardness of heart, despite our indifference, despite our reckless behavior, you wait for us, so very available, so ready, if we would but be like children.
Lord thank you, forgive me, help me more.
Lord you have given us great intercessors, thank you.
How can we know what St. Joachim our patron was like, when the scriptures tell us nothing about him? But they do, Jesus himself told us something about St. Joachim when he told us in the positive “every good tree bears good fruit” and in the negative “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine”. Could the mother of God then have come from other than a most righteous and virtuous couple? No, the fruit of righteousness is a Tree of Life. So Mary, the Mother of God…Jesus, who is our Way, our Truth, and our Life…would have been entrusted to the best parents. We can confidently request the intercession of St. Joachim, who desired the good of the people of God, of the whole human race, and of you and I, when he willed with his wife, St. Anne, the blessing of a child, and hoped against hope for our redeemer. Praise be to God for the cooperation of Saints Joachim and Anne with his divine plan. May they assist us in our marriages, and in our NFP ministry of strengthening marriages within the divine plan.
CCL’s family prayer:
Lord God, you called us into communion with you, whether in celibacy or in holy matrimony, to reflect your love in a life of service. In a world which has grown blind to the beauty of your creation, help us to live the love with fidelity and fruitfulness.
Send your Holy Spirit to give us the courage to speak the truth, and faith so that we are not discouraged.
We entrust the work of the Couple to Couple League to your care. Make us good stewards and credible witnesses. May we always be faithful to you.
We seek the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph, Sts. Joachim and Anne, and St. Gianna Beretta Molla. May they and all the communion of saints intercede on our behalf to Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life.
Amen.
We ask for the intercession of our patrons.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Sts. Joachim & Anne, pray for us.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Amen.
Education of the Virgin Giambattista Tiepolo 1732 Santa Maria della Fava, Venice