St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena 2022, Day 8: Love and abandonment

SCRIPTURE READING
Rev 22:1–5

The tree of life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

MEDITATION
Abandonment Is the Sweet Fruit of Love
PN52, Stanzas 1–3,6

Love is the name of this tree

There is on this earth
A marvelous Tree.
Its root, O mystery!
Is in Heaven….

In its shade
Never could anything cause pain.
One can rest there
Without fearing the storm.

Love is the name
Of this ineffable Tree,
And its delectable fruit
Is called Abandonment.

It gives me in this world
An ocean of peace.
In this deep peace
I rest forever…

PRAYER

St. Therese of the Child Jesus,
remember your promise to do good on earth;
send your shower of roses in abundance
on those who call upon you,
and obtain for us from God the graces
we are waiting to receive from His infinite goodness.

mention your intentions here

God our Father,
you have promised your kingdom
to those who are willing to become like little children.
Help us to follow the way of Saint Thérèse with confidence
so that by her prayers
we may come to know your eternal glory.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever. Amen.

All scripture references 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.

All citations from the poetry of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus come from The Poetry of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, translated by Donald Kinney, O.C.D., published in 1996 by ICS Publications, Washington DC. Available at https://www.archives-carmel-lisieux.fr/english/carmel/ (Accessed: 21 September 2022).

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