UT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my fupplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt obferve iniquities: Lord, who fhall endure it? For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and because of thy law I have waited for thee, O Lord. My foul hath relied on his word: my foul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Ifrael hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy: and with him there is plenteous redemption. And he fhall redeem Ifrael from all its iniquities. V. Give them eternal rest, O Lord. Ry. And may perpetual light shine upon them. 124 T NOVENA OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER. HIS Novena commences on the 4th, and ends on the 12th March which is the anniversary of the canonisation of St. Francis Xavier by Pope Gregory XV. in the year 1622. The performance of this Novena confifts in devoting each of the nine days to prayer and good works to the glory of Almighty God, and in honour of his fervant St. Francis Xavier; with the fervent hope and defire of obtaining from God through his merits, whatsoever we may afk, provided it be conducive to our falvation and to the good of our fouls: or if fuch be not his divine pleasure, that this faint may be inftrumental in procuring for us fome grace and benefit more in accordance with the will of God. Litany of St. Francis Xavier. Holy Mary, Holy Father Ignatius, Veffel full of Divine grace, Pray for us. Enemy of infidelity, Chofen inftrument of the Eternal Father for the advancement of the Divine glory, Faithful follower and com- Cure of the lame, Help of the fhipwrecked, Health of the fick, Protector in time of plague, famine and war, Subduer of demons, Life of the dead, Whom the winds and the Refuge of the miferable, Splendour of the Eaft, Tabernacle of incorrup tion, Pray for us. Treasury of Divine love, Glory of the Society of Jefus, Xavier, most poor, Xavier, moft chafte, Xavier, most watchful for the fafety of thy neighbour, Xavier, moft zealous for God's glory, and for the good of fouls, Angel in life and manners, Patriarch in affection and care for God's people, Prophet in gift and fpirit, Apostle in dignity and merit, Doctor endowed with the gift of tongues in preaching to the Gentiles, Martyr through thy defire of dying for Christ, Confeffor in virtue and profeffion of life, Virgin in body and mind, Thou, in whom we reverence through the Divine goodness, the merits of all the Saints, Pray for us. Lamb of God, who takest away the fins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takeft away the fins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takeft away the fins of the world, Have mercy upon us. Christ hear us. Chrift graciously bear us. Lord have mercy upon us. 7. Pray for us, St. Francis Xavier. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Chrift. Let us pray. LORD God, who didft vouchfafe by the preaching and miracles of St. Francis Xavier, to join unto thy Church the countries of the Indies, grant we beseech thee, that we who reverence his glorious merits, may also imitate his example. Through Chrift our Lord. Amen. LORD Jesus Christ, true God and true man, my Creator and my Redeemer, for thy fake, and because I love thee above all things, I am truly forry for having offended thee: I firmly purpose never again to fall into fin, to fhun all occafions of offending thee, to confefs my fins, to perform the penance that shall be enjoined me, and to make reftitution and fatisfaction, wherever it shall be due from me. For the love of thee, I forgive all my enemies; to thee I offer up my life, my actions, and my fufferings, in fatisfaction for my fins; and I trust in thy infinite goodness and mercy, that thou wilt forgive me, through the merits of thy precious blood and paffion, and that thou wilt also give me grace to amend my life, and to persevere in thy fervice unto my death. Amen. OST glorious St. Francis Xavier, Apoftle of the Indies, if that which I defire to obtain by performing this Novena, be for the glory of God and for thy honour, do thou intercede for it with our Lord; if otherwife, do thou obtain for me fome grace more conformable to his divine will, by which I may the more furely promote thy honour and benefit my own foul. L ORD God of the Angels, to whom thou doft commit the guardianship of men, I offer unto thee the merits of these heavenly fpirits, and thofe of thy fervant St. Francis Xavier, who alfo was called an angel for his purity, and because he preserved men from many spiritual and corporal dangers. I beseech thee to grant me that purity of foul and body, which thou didst confer on this thy holy Apostle, and that particular grace which I beg in this Novena, to thy greater honour and glory. Amen.* L THE SECOND DAY. ORD God of the Archangels, to whom thou doft entrust the most weighty concerns of thy glory, I offer unto thee the merits of these most diligent fpirits, and those of thy great fervant St. Francis Xavier, whom thou didst make the minister of thy glory, and to whom thou didst recommend the fpiritual welfare of innumerable fouls. I befeech thee to grant that I may perform those duties which thy moft holy will hath impofed upon me, and also that I may obtain that particular grace, which I beg of thee in this Novena, to thy greater honour and glory. Amen. THE THIRD DAY. ORD God of the Principalities, through whom thou doft thee the merits of these most zealous fpirits, and those of thy fervant St. Francis Xavier, who, not only by himself, but also by his difciples and followers, enlightened and converted many provinces and kingdoms, and in them innumerable souls, inftructing, teaching and commanding. I beseech thee to grant me the zeal of this holy Apostle, and the particular petition I make in this Novena, to thy greater honour and glory. Amen. * This prayer is different for every day of the Novena. |