We still heard her murmur in a kind of chant: I am going to light, to life, to love! These were her last intelligible words.
Mother Germaine of Jesus
Prioress, Carmel of Dijon
In the weeks and months preceding her holy death, Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity left many precious messages for her mother, her sister, her prioress and sisters in Carmel, and her closest friends. These were messages of encouragement, gratitude, and of spiritual accompaniment and direction.
Saint Elizabeth even carefully recorded the notes of two private retreats to leave as spiritual testaments for her sister and her prioress. The saint was selfless in pouring out the ponderings of her soul through her pen so that others might benefit spiritually.
In this novena, we will read and reflect on nine of her messages. Some of these messages come from her own writings; others are recounted by her prioress, Mother Germaine of Jesus. All of her messages could be considered meditations on her last words: they are messages of light, life, and love.
Join us every day or any day to plumb the depths and soar to the heights of the spiritual legacy of Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity.
- Day 1 — I leave you my devotion for the Three
- Day 2 — Let yourself be loved
- Day 3 — Let us look at the Crucified
- Day 4 — Do not be discouraged, call me
- Day 5 — I leave you my faith
- Day 6 — I will pray especially for you
- Day 7 — We ought to pray for the dying
- Day 8 — Let us be praises of glory
- Day 9 — I am going to light, to life, to love
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elizabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our hearts.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father…
(pray slowly, “be aware that you are with Him”)
Glory be…
(three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
All scripture references in this novena are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America as accessed from the Bible Gateway website.
Don’t become discouraged and give up prayer, says St. John of the Cross. We offer varying novenas to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as novenas to St. Joseph, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, and St. Edith Stein.
Let us unite in prayer
Carmelite Quotes 