O beautiful flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, holy and singular, who did bring forth the Son of God, ever still remaining a pure Virgin, assist us in our necessity.
Oh Star of the Sea, help and protect us.
Show us that thou art our Mother.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,
pray for us.
Amen
Day 1
*Pray the Flos Carmeli
I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.
Hosea 2:14
Mary, Queen of Carmel, take us to the places where God spoke to your heart. Teach our hearts to soften, to open as yours did, that we might hear what the Lord has to say in that tender voice of his. Clear our minds of their scurrying, and help us to be still. Lead us, gentle star, into the deepest depths of quiet and peace by your side. Draw us into the Heart of Jesus.
Spend a quiet moment with Mary now. Walk with her in silence the craggy path to the peaks of Mt. Carmel overlooking the sea. A gentle breeze flutters her veil. Watching, you realize the breeze is a voice speaking to you, that it is the Holy Spirit. What does the Spirit say to you as it ruffles your hair and kisses your face?
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us.
Day 2
*Pray the Flos Carmeli
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.
Isaiah 35:1
In you, Mary, the Word was treasured as you meditated in your heart, and in you the Gospel blossomed abundantly. Your soul and your body were miraculously fruitful. In your humble simplicity the Spirit crowned you with splendor and glory beyond our understanding. But when I see you, Mary, you are quiet and smiling- your ornaments all within. Teach us to adorn ourselves with humility and simplicity. Draw us after you by the scent of your flowers of the heart, warmed by the sun that is the Lord’s joy shining on us.
Spend a quiet moment with Mary now. She is walking in a field of wildflowers. Catch up to her. She is picking flowers and filling the hem of her mantle with them. She motions to you and you offer her the bottom of your shirt for the overflow. She smiles and begins to fill the pocket you made for all these flowers. You have to sit down so she can fill your lap too. Lift some to your face and breathe in their scent.
Mary, beauty and glory of Carmel, pray for us
Day 3
*Pray the Flos Carmeli
Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.
Mark 3:33-35
Mary, you leapt to do the will of God at every sign of it with the love and trust of a little child, with the courage of a warrior bold. You were not only the physical Mother of the Lord, you were his spiritual mother and sister as well. You not only pondered the word of God given to you, but acted on it. Always you “arose and went with haste” wherever the Spirit called you. Teach us to listen, ponder, pray and to act on God’s word to us as you did unfailingly.
*Spend a quiet moment with Mary now. She puts a plate of food in front of you; bread, lentils and dates perhaps. She sits down to eat with you. As you bless the food together, you think, “Let us eat the bread of the will of God.” She smiles at you. You know you will have everything you need to do just that. And this is really good food, too.
Mary, Mother of the Word, pray for us.
Day 4
*The Flos Carmeli
God lives. I am standing in his presence. – The Prophet Elijah . (See 1Kings 17:1)
Mother of Carmel, you tended the fire of continual awareness of God’s presence in your heart daily as you swept the floor, made dinner, worked in the fields, held your Child, shopped in the market, loved and served the people around you. Open our hearts to perceive God within us, and in our daily lives; among the pots and pans, in the work we do daily, in the stolen moment of quiet, in the breaths before sleep. Help us come into the glow of constant contact with God you lived in within you and around you. Teach us the Practice of the Presence of God (Brother Lawrence)
*Spend a quiet moment with Mary now, tending the hearth, keeping the fire burning brightly, talking with her about this and that. Feel the fire’s warm glow on your face. She leans her head on your shoulder.
Mother in whose heart we live, where we find our Beloved, pray for us.
(St. Maryam of Jesus Crucified said, “I live in the Heart of my Mother. There I find my Beloved.”)
Day 5
*The Flos Carmeli
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
Habakkuk 2:20
Mary you were the temple of the Lord in a unique way. How beautifully you show us the truth that we who love Jesus are his temples too. Help us to make time to be alone and silent before God in the temple of our hearts with the One who we know loves us. (Teresa of Avila) As you did, let us cherish the Lord within us, love him, know him, listen to him, silently speak to him, look at him and let him look at us.
Take Mary’s hand now and allow her to lead you gently to your inner Temple where Jesus waits. Be there for a moment.
Mother of Divine Love, pray for us.
Day 6
*Pray the Flos Carmeli
I have set myself in silence and peace,
as a little child has rest in in it’s mother’s arms,
even so my soul.
Psalm 131: 2
Oh Mary, the lowly handmaid, the simple girl who loved God in your littleness, teach us to be little too. Help us to be humble in your easy, joyful way. Help us to be free to run lightly in God’s paths, to laugh easily, to dance without thinking, to be happy in his world that is so beautiful, and vast. The world around us is sign of his creative love, a glimpse of the Kingdom to come we are helping to make present by being little and humble in the arms of Jesus.
Spend a quiet moment playing with the little Mary a game you loved as a child. Let her throw her arms around you then. Hug her back.
Child Mary, little, humble and free, pray for us.
Day 7
*The Flos Carmeli
As Elisha watched, [Elijah being taken up to Heaven] he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two. Elisha also took up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.…
2 Kings 2: 12-14
Holy Mother and Queen of Carmel, your Scapular is your prophetic mantle over our shoulders, a sign of our consecration to you, our silent devotion to you all though the day and during the night when we sleep figuratively wrapped in it’s protection.. The Brown Scapular is your hand on on our shoulder as we travel the Royal Road of prayer, and in the good works you lead us to. Help us to go forward with courage, to stand confidently as your children; seeing as you see, loving as you love, and serving from the heart. Help us to live as worthy sons and daughters of so wonderful a Mother.
*Spend a moment with Our Lady now. Lay your scapular in her lap and let her kiss it and put in on you again over your head and shoulders.
Mary, spiritual daughter of Elijah the Prophet, pray for us who wear your Scapular.
Day 7
*The Flos Carmeli
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galations 6:2
Mary, in Carmel you are not only Mother and Queen, you are our sister and friend. Friends bear one another’s burdens. We know that you have always helped us bear our burdens and that you hear our sorrows. We want you to know we are here for you too. Share with us the sorrows of your loving heart, your concerns for your children. We know you always lead people to your Son, that you love us all, that human cruelty breaks your heart terribly. Help us to care about all that you care about, to listen to you, and to do something to help you in your mission to humanity, to be your kindly hands in this world where there is so much hate and indifference. Help us to find joy in all that you take joy in, the good things people do, the beauty to be seen, the love that is there in everything.
*Spend a quiet moment with Mary. Sit with her at her kitchen table maybe with tea or coffee. Ask her what she wants to tell you about. What does she say? Maybe today you can act on one of her concerns.
Mary, our friend and Sister, pray for us.
Day 8
Pray the Flos Carmeli
Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17:3-6
Mary, as Elijah did, you allowed the Lord to protect and take care of you, to take care of everything. You hid in the heart of God, drinking deeply from the stream of Divine Love. With you let us learn to hear the still, small voice of God, to let him care for us when we are afraid of the consequences of doing as he asks us. Remind us that when we hear him and respond, he will give us all that we need every time, just as he did for Elijah and for you.
*Spend a quiet moment with Mary now. Watch her as she fills a clay jar with water from the stream. It’s a sunny balmy morning. Birds are singing. You can hear the brook flowing. She brings you the water to drink. Drink deeply.
Mary, help of Christians, and Mother of Mystics, pray for us.
Day 9
Like a cedar in Lebanon I grew tall,
like a cypress on Mount Hermon;
I grew tall like a palm tree in Engedi,
like rosebushes in Jericho;
Like a fair olive tree in the field,
like a plane tree beside water I grew tall.
Like cinnamon and fragrant cane,
like precious myrrh I gave forth perfume;
Like galbanum and onycha and mastic,
like the odor of incense in the holy place.
I spread out my branches like a terebinth,
my branches so glorious and so graceful.
I bud forth delights like a vine;
my blossoms are glorious and rich fruit.
Come to me, all who desire me,
and be filled with my fruits.
You will remember me as sweeter than honey,
better to have than the honeycomb.
Those who eat of me will hunger still,
those who drink of me will thirst for more.
Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who serve me will never go astray.
Sirach 24:13-22
Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel, you are all of this and more to us, our beauty, our joy, our wisdom, our love for you an incense offered to the Lord who loves you even more than we can. Today we consecrate ourselves to you, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. We dedicate our lives to God’s beauty and glory, and to yours. We belong to you, to your Son, to light and life and love. We want to spend our lives in the sweet companionship of your Spirit.
*Spend a quiet moment with Mary now. She is luminous in loveliness, as if she were made of light. You kneel before her. Closing your eyes, to pray, then opening them to see her again, you realize you are next to her in the kitchen. She is chopping vegetables. Join her. Stay with her all day.
Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel, our Sister the Throne of Wisdom, pray for us.
Note: I will add to this novena daily until I have reached 9 days. Mary, Immaculate Conception is the Patroness of the United States
Novena Intention:
For the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, for the protection of all who are unjustly detained, and for the conversion of our nation toward justice, compassion, and truth.
Day 1: Mother of the Lowly
Scripture:
“He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.”
—Luke 1:52
Reflection:
Holy Mary, you yourself fled as a refugee to Egypt. You know the fear of the innocent pursued by the powerful.
Today, we ask you to look upon your child, Kilmar Abrego Garcia—torn from his family and unjustly (mistakenly) sent to a gang prison in El Salvador infamous for its human rights abuses. Intercede for him that justice may be done swiftly and mercy shown boldly.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, hold Kilmar close under your mantle, in the crossing of your arms, safe in your Immaculate Heart. Protect him in that terrible place. Give hope to his wife and children. By your prayers may the light of the Holy Spirit of wisdom, courage, fortitude, righteousness and compassion SHINE into every courtroom, agency, and hardened heart. Inspire those in power to act with courage. And guide us, your children, to build a nation that defends the dignity of every life. Mary pray with us that the mighty will be humbled and the lowly lifted up.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Patroness of the United States,
pray for us
Day 2 Mother of Immigrants and Refugees
Scripture
When an immigrant resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress them. The foreigner who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the immigrant as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:33-34
Reflection
Mary, you carry the hope of the refugee deep in your heart. You understand their desperation, how hard it is to leave community, family, and ones country behind. You always did what you had to do for Jesus, impelled by your love for him and for us too who are all your children.
Please forgive us as a nation, for how we have treated our brother, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. We bring Kilmar and his family to you , as well as all others unjustly detained and imprisoned. Draw them all into your Immaculate Heart full of tenderness and the protective love of a mother. Intercede for their release.
Intercede for the hard of heart, the stubborn, the arrogant and the cruel. May the Holy Spirit blow through their lives upending their schemes and granting them the highest of graces; repentance and humility. May those opposed to justice receive a strong desire to right their wrongs.
By the flames of the Holy Spirit that burn in your heart, Holy Mother, illumine every place and person handling this case and others like it with Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
.
The Memorare
Remember, O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your assistance, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, Our Mother. To you we come, before you we kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer them. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Day 3 Mother of the Accused
Scripture
But Suzanna cried aloud, “Eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be:
you know that they have testified falsely against me.Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things for which these men have condemned me.”
The Lord heard her prayer.
Daniel 13:42-44
Reflection
Mother, the night your Son was betrayed and arrested, falsely accused, beaten, mocked and tortured, your heart felt every blow even if you could not see them. As his mother you wished you could take the abuse yourself instead of him. You prayed for him, burying your tear stained face in the Father’s chest.
Pray for Kilmar, for all of the unjustly detained and imprisoned now, for whom your Son gave his face to slapping and spitting with no resistance. Intercede for his release, intercede for his family and everyone fighting for him. Give them all strength and hope during this terrible time. Protect him in that terrible prison. He is your little son. Give him a mother’s presence.
Kontakion 4 (an Orthodox hymn to Mary)
A tempest of many misfortunes … doth beset me, and no longer can I endure its ragings.
But as Thou art the merciful mother of my Savior and God, lift up Thy hands to Thy Son,
beseeching Him to regard the bitter sorrow of my heart
and to raise me up from the abyss of despair, who cry to Him.
Day 4, Mother of Mercy
Scripture:
One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, and immediately, blood and water poured out.
John 19:34
Reflection
Holy Mother, you stood at the foot of the Cross of your Son, your immaculate heart pierced through with trauma and grief. You suffered with your Son in profound solidarity and compassion. Help our entire nation to grow in compassion. May our leaders have their hearts opened and no longer mock empathy, but repent and receive mercy themselves. May the love and mercy expressed in the outflow of blood and water from Jesus’ side, be deeply received by each of us. Mother, by your pierced heart, by your sorrow and faithfulness, by your willingness to stand at the side of the condemned come what may, urge us to rise up and join you in standing with those who suffer. Show us how to bring the mercy of your Son, the love he bears each of us, to everyone. May the love and sacrifice of the Lord, his mercy and grace, comfort Kilmar, and all of the unjustly detained and imprisoned and their families today.
Salve Regina
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Day 5, Mother of those who Mourn
Scripture
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
Reflection
Oh Mary Desolate, let us comfort you and make reparation to you for all you have suffered by loving and standing for those who are unjustly imprisoned, torn from their families and communities, mourned by their friends. Teach us to stand with you in standing for them and those who mourn them. May we offer you sweet solace in our friendship and solidarity with you and your Son today, with prayer and acts of service. In sitting with you in silent hope, may we be sitting with them as well just as you do. May Kilmar and all the unjustly imprisoned and detained feel uplifted and supported by you and by us. To this we dedicate this day.
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Day 6
Mother of the Risen
Scripture
For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Luke 1:49
Reflection
Mary who can imagine your joy when your Son was returned to you? When all of life had been restored by his resurrection? How beautiful the whole world looked to you! How beautiful the face of your Son glorified. You probably wanted never to stop holding him. I bet you wanted to cook him all of his favorite foods. You would not have been able to keep your eyes off him, even though your sight of him was blurred by your joyful tears.
By the joy your heart knew that day, intercede for other mothers, wives, children, desperately wating for the return of their sons, their husbands, their fathers. Intercede for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to his home and family. Pray for all of the unjustly detained and imprisoned that they may be brought home soon. Pray for our country as we spiral into disregard for the lives of immigrants and the rights and dignity of all of the marginalized. Mother of the risen, help us to rise. Help us grow in justice, righteousness and compassion. Let us reflect the Heart of your Son, and the love of your Immaculate Heart in our lives.
Regina Coeli
Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia
for the Son whom you merited to bear alleluia
has risen as he said, Alleluia
Pray to God for us, O Virgin Mary, Alleluia
For the Lord is truly risen alleluia
Day 7 Mary,Mother of the Church and Queen of Apostles
Scripture
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus.
Acts 1:14a
Mother of the Church and Queen of Apostles, intercede for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to take a strong clear stand on behalf of migrants and refugees, and in defense of the poor and all who stand to be harmed by this administrations policies and actions. lift your kindly hands to your Son, on behalf of Kilmar Abreago Garcia all the others who are unjustly imprisoned or detained, all who are afraid now. Obtain the release of the prisoners, the conversion of those who would oppress. Your Son did not give us a spirit of fear, but of the power of love. He gives us courage. Remind us, especially Church leaders and government leaders, that when we speak up, we are not to worry what we are to say; it will be the Spirit of Our Father speaking through us. In the spirit of Pope Francis, let us be brave on behalf of the powerless.
Prayer by Pope Francis for our world in danger
O Mary, our Mother, we come again here before you. You know the sorrows and struggles that weigh heavily on our hearts in this hour. We lift our gaze to you, immerse ourselves in your eyes, and entrust ourselves to your heart.
You, too, O Mother, have faced difficult trials and human fears, but you were courageous and bold. You entrusted everything to God, responded to Him with love, and offered yourself without reservation. As the intrepid Woman of Charity, you hurried to help Elizabeth, promptly addressing the needs of the couple during the Wedding at Cana; with steadfastness of heart, on Calvary you illuminated the night of sorrow with the Easter hope. Finally, with maternal tenderness, you gave courage to the frightened disciples in the Upper Room and, with them, welcomed the gift of the Spirit.
And now we beseech you: heed our cry! We have need of your loving gaze that invites us to trust in your Son, Jesus. You who are ready to embrace our sorrows, fly to our aid in these times oppressed by injustices and devastated by wars, wipe the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, awaken us from the stupor that has darkened our path, and disarm our hearts from the weapons of violence, so that the prophecy of Isaiah may quickly be fulfilled: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not take up sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4).
Turn your maternal gaze upon the human family, which has lost the joy of peace and the sense of fraternity. Intercede for our world in danger, so that it may cherish life and reject war, care for those who suffer, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and protect our Common Home.
We invoke you for the mercy of God, O Queen of Peace! Transform the hearts of those who fuel hatred, silence the din of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that brews in the heart of humanity, and inspire projects for peace in the actions of those who govern nations.
O Queen of the Holy Rosary, untie the knots of selfishness and disperse the dark clouds of evil. Fill us with your tenderness, uplift us with your caring hand, and grant us your maternal caress, which makes us hope in the advent of a new humanity where “… the wilderness becomes a garden land and the garden land seems as common as forest. Then judgment will dwell in the wilderness and justice abide in the garden land. The work of justice will be peace…” (Isaiah 32:15-17).
Day 8 Mary, Throne of Wisdom
Scripture
God of my ancestors, Lord of mercy,
you who have made all things by your word
And in your wisdom have established humankind
to rule the creatures produced by you,
And to govern the world in holiness and righteousness,
and to render judgment in integrity of heart:
Give me Wisdom, the consort at your throne.
Wisdom 9: 1-4a
Reflection
Mary, today we bring the justices of our Supreme Court to you, upon so much of what happened next for Kilmar and all others unjustly detained or imprisoned, depends. Give them wisdom and just judgement in what they decide to do in the face of this administrations’ delays, denials and defiance, lies and various distractions. Give them fortitude and inner strength, a clear understanding of what is at risk for our country if they allow the president and his administration to defy court orders.
You are the Throne of Wisdom, who brought us the Son of God. You are the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, who is the power of love, the giver of life, the inspiration of wisdom. Your Immaculate Heart is filled with intelligence as well as tenderness, courage and love. Intercede for us, for Kilmar, and our courts, especially our Supreme Court.
Prayer
Come Holy Spirit,
Come by means of the powerful Intercession
of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary,
Thy well -beloved spouse.
Day 9 Mother of the Americas
Scripture
”Behold your mother.” John 19:26
Reflection
Mary Mother of the Americas, and Patroness of the United States, pray for us. We ask this because this is about so much more than Kilmar alone. This is about our country’s slide into a competitive autocracy style of government where human dignity is disregarded. We appeal to your motherly protection, to your goodness and love of all people. Intercede for our nation which risks becoming a cruel and oppressive one.
We fervently and with great trust on this last day of our novena, commend to you our battered democracy. We bring to you with trust in your special love of the persecuted victims of injustice, your little son Kilmar Abrego Garcia and ask you to raise your sweet face to your Son, to ask for Kilmar’s release, for his safety and freedom, and that of all those unjustly detained or imprisoned. Please do not stop interceding for us and for them until our request is granted. Your Son said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice for they shall be filled.” We are here to be filled with his blessing then. Let us not be disappointed.
Traditional Prayer
to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary
O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children, we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today,
“We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us.”
St. Teresa teach me how to find Jesus within myself where you say he is enthroned in the center of my heart. Show me how to go within, to see his beauty, know his tenderness. You overcame impediments from the world, and reluctance of your own, to seek him and keep him company with growing love and joy. Lead me in the first steps onto the Royal Road of prayer meant for me, so that I may walk in the glow of your lamp held high to light my way.
Pray now a slow, attentive Our Father.
Day 2 The Sacred Humanity of Jesus
“Never set aside the Sacred Humanity of Christ. To do so is to lose your anchor.”
We are not Angel spirits as St. Teresa pointed out. We are human. We need a hug. We need to know that Jesus had and has hands and feet, had to blow his nose sometimes, that he sweated over his work, that his feet were often dirty in his sandals from all that walking he did, that he cried, that he laughed that he needed his friends as well as time alone. He knows all the stars by name but he also knows and cares about every tear we shed. He is glory beyond glory but when he takes our hands we can feel that they are work roughened and warm. You can trace your thumb along the deep scar in his palm.
Let yourself be captured by his eyes; dark and lovely. Ask him now: Jesus be real to me.
Day 3: Friendship with Christ
“It is a great thing to have experienced the friendship of Jesus Christ, because the friendship of His Majesty is full of love and reward.”
St. Teresa’s spirituality is rooted in friendship with Jesus, which implies intimacy, informality, and mutuality. She cautioned us not to be irreverent toward the Lord. She often called him “Your Majesty” when she spoke to him. At the same time she had a complete trust in his love and regard for her as his friend, his dear friend, a friend he trusted and loved to be with. She loved him back in a deeply personal way. She strove to bring her loving attentiveness to his presence into all that she did throughout the day, and to make time to be alone with him in conversation or sweet silence.
Jesus no longer calls us servants but friends. Try thinking of him as the Friend who you know loves you and who you love back.
Make friends with Jesus. Teresa says the best way to start is to ask him humbly for his friendship.
Here he is. Ask him now.
Day 4: Come into the castle of your soul
“I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond or of very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions.”
“The door of entry into this castle is prayer and meditation.”
Oh Teresa what a beautiful vision you had of what I look like inside and Who lives there!
Help me to find my way to the Lord within. Show me how to open the beautiful doors of my heart to see the One I love so intensely. I want to sit at his feet. I want to be in his arms against his Sacred Heart listening to its beating.
Call to me Lord, draw me, help me to love you truly, to be all yours, to listen to you, know you, to walk through the rooms of the castle seeking your hand.
Let me hear your voice and see your face for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful.
Day 5 Solitude and silence
”Settle yourself in solitude, and you will
come upon him in yourself.”
“Silence is God’s first language.”
Sometimes Jesus went off by himself to be alone and to pray. How much more do we need to do the same, to go into our inner room, close the door on the outside world with its sights and sounds and interruptions for a time.
Teresa talked about this as recollecting the senses and bringing them within ourselves like bees returning to the hive to make honey.
Let’s find time to be alone today in quiet, even for a few minutes, to go within ourselves where Jesus waits.
Greet him by the name you most love to call him.
Do you have anything you need to say to Jesus? Does he say anything to you?
Maybe you have a conversation with him.
Now sit with him in silence in a comfortable kind of way, the way friends do.
St. Teresa pray for us that we will come to love silence and solitude where we can be alone with God.
Day 6 Talking to Jesus
“But above all things, I want to impress upon you that, when we are speaking to him, we should look at him and remain in his presence, and not turn our backs upon him.”
Have you ever heard the rosary being prayed in church and thought it kind of sounded like an auction underway? It’s so easy to slip into vain repetition – meaning not paying attention to what we are saying or to Whom we are speaking. If the Lord is our friend we want to look at him when we talk to him, to know what we’re saying to him. To be attentive and not mechanical it’s important to slow down, and make conscious contact rather than reciting a formula. Jesus is here wanting us. He is the Friend, the Brother, a Father, our Spouse. St. Teresa advised us to speak to him one way and at other times another. She wants us to speak from the heart whether with our words or with silent love.
Speak to the Lord today, either in the words of a set traditional prayer, your own words, or in quiet attentiveness. In all of these keep the eyes of your soul on him, present within you, listening to you and loving you.
Day 7 Determined determination
St. Teresa you faced so many trials along the path of your spiritual life. Sometimes you laughed at threats like the Inquisition being suspicious of your work and ways. Other times like when a spiritual director thought your prayer experiences were from the devil you cried and you wanted to die and were afraid to be alone.
But God blessed you all the more with the consolations you were told to reject.
At times you even gave up prayer, feeling unworthy.
You dealt with other people’s fears and resentments toward you, opposition and obstacles. Somehow you accomplished all that the Lord asked of you. Once you knew what it was to pray with satisfaction, and once you truly knew the presence and love of God you were unwilling to ever give up prayer again.
You urged us on, reminding us that life is like one night at a bad inn and the prize, Christ himself was worth anything at all we could go through to get to him. You called this single minded persistence determined determination. Pray for us as we make our way inward and ultimately to Heaven, that we will proceed with “determined determination” as you did. Lead us straight into the Heart of Jesus.
Day 8 Holy Mary
It seems to me that there is no better teacher for prayer than the glorious Virgin.”
”Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
Mary had a listening heart, attentive to every sign of God’s will and inspiration. Immaculately conceived and free from spiritual impediment she had a clarity of perception and relationship with God. She had one great visitation by the Angel Gabriel but we have no record of any visions and extraordinary signs she received otherwise. Mary live by faith as we do, living an ordinary life that was nevertheless quietly extraordinary.
In her heart she pondered and treasured the Word of God himself within herself, then in his daily presence, and remained United with him just as much in spirit as he began his ministry.
Teresa assimilated Mary’s spirit of contemplation, cherishing the Lord within, remaining attentive and united to him at all times. This is why Teresa’s Order of Discalced Carmelites sees Mary as Mother. Sister and Queen, and our primary devotion to her is meditation in the heart, contemplative prayer, perceiving God as within ourselves.
Oh beautiful Flower of Carmel, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, ever still remaining a pure Virgin, assist us in our necessity! Show us that thou art Our Mother! Our Lady if Mt. Carmel, pray for us. .
Day 9 Love
”Amor saca amor.” Love draws out love.
Prayer leads us into union with God and union with God fills us with love, his love becoming ours. Teresa taught us that we should “make many acts of love.” She knew that love was active and effective, more than emotion it blossomed into friendship and service and compassion. The love of God is transformative and the more we pray the more we see that love of others deepens our prayer and prayer deepens the love with which we serve and our desire to serve.
Not only that but prayer becomes almost indistinguishable from love. Prayer becomes love and love becomes prayer.
St. Teresa pray for us and lead us into the depths of love with God. Brighten our way along the Royal Road of the spiritual life. Help us to truly know the Lord we love and live for. Remind us that love is both the means and the goal of this journey. We wish you a happy feast day and we pray for all the intentions you have for the Church, for priests, for the sanctification of the people of God, that Jesus will have the best and trustiest of friends and that we will be among them, that he will be followed and loved and praised and known by all of us. In your special honor we ask all of this of the Lord and in the sweet Name of Jesus.
St. Teresa pray for us. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us.
“Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.”
– “Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”
Come, Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy well beloved spouse.
. Oh Comforter with Mary let us travel the world by our prayer of the heart, touching the faces of those who weep, whispering to every soul, “Love is here.” that they may truly experience Divine Love in a conscious way. Sweep over the world with a mighty creative wind bringing peace and Mary’s kiss everywhere your inspiration is most needed. Pour out your power and love with the grace to receive it, to radiate You as Mary does.
Day 2
“Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge
of the glory of the LORD,
as water fills the sea.” Habekkuk 2:14
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Thy well beloved spouse
Immersed in the pure heart of Mary let us pray her soul’s deep longing “May the knowledge of God fill the earth as water fills the sea.” As the moon draws the ocean tides may Mary’s prayer and love draw the Spirit to rest on her children gently urging us nearer and nearer to God. May we be pure of heart and blessed with the vision of the Lord.
Day 3
“Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19 1-4a
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary they well beloved spouse.
Mary you are the Throne of Wisdom and the Star of Evangelization. So filled were you with the Holy Spirit your presence refreshed the souls and brought light to the eyes of those who came into contact with you. In your sweet simplicity and inner strength you made anyone who spoke with you feel in themselves a measure of your faith. Though your dusty and calloused feet were firmly planted on the earth there was a quiet mystery about you, something bright though unseen. People who came near you wondered where the gentle calming breeze that stilled their anxious minds could have come from. As we live in your presence today may we sense you near and smile.
Day 4
“…the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness,
self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22-23a)
Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.
Mary by your prayer for us and our commitment to you may our hearts fully flower with the fruits of the Spirit. May the inflow of God engender the effortless outflow of his will, which is always love, into the world through us in our thoughts words and actions. May we know your easy laugh, your joyful smile, your grounded-ness in the continual awareness of the presence and movements of the Holy Spirit. May we experience the peace only God can give.
Day 5
“It was revealed to them that
they were not serving themselves
but you,
when they spoke of the things that have now been told you
by those who have preached the Gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven.
Even angels long to look into these things.”
1 Peter 1: 12
Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immacukate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.
Mary let us live in your heart, the shrine of the Holy Spirit, that we might serve others authentically, experiencing Jesus in the help we give as you lived in his presence taking care of him. In your quiet way you visited the sick, tended the dying, assisted at births, watched the other women’s children for them when they needed a hand. You cared for everyone you met and smiled at every human face. The work you did for others must have carried a sense of liturgy in each movement you made because of your attentiveness and the prayerful quality of your presence. Make us aware oh Mary, of the beauty of what we do, maybe especially the most simple things, that all might be alive in love, each humble task done in the Spirit.
Day 6
“When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and ublessed is vthe fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of wmy Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:40-43)
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy well beloved spouse.
Mary we want to hear your voice, to know the Lord is with you, to recognize his presence. We want to you to come to us, Mother of Our Lord, our Queen Mother. Come and stay with us, talk to us, pray with us, help us around the house and in our struggles too when we need you most. Bring the Holy Spirit in your wake and sing to us your song oh Mary, of you vision of the Gospel. Help us to joyfully follow your Son without compromise. Allow us to praise you oh Sacred Virgin, with the inspiration of the Spirit who overshadowed you and brought the Lord Jesus to us. Hail Mary…
Day 7
“Commit thy way unto the LORD.” – Psalm 37: 5
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary they well beloved spouse.
Our Lady of Good Counsel, in union with the Holy Spirit you guide us in all our ways. Be with us in all of our discernment and each desire of our hearts to keep us in the will of the Lord. Obtain for us the Holy Spirits’ gift of Counsel that we may be truly wise and always move with the nudges of the Holy Spirit and to be willing to let go of our own ways and expectations, open to those of the Spirit just as you were so bravely, Holy Mother.
Day 8
And when we pray Do we listen to the Silent Wind? And if we pray Will we listen for the Silent Wind? And when we pray Is our hand against the Silent Wind? And if we pray Will we breathe in the Silent Wind?
Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thy well beloved spouse.
Do we Blessed Mother? Do we listen to the Silent Wind that swept you off your feet, asked everything of you and gave you a life, an eternity beyond anything anybody could possibly dream in the most glittering of dreams? Oh Mary May we never turn our hands against the Spirit of God but instead learn to open ourselves, to be still and receptive and ready for anything, to have our lives filled with impossible colors of richness and beauty even though we often must suffer. Even suffering will contain great meaning and carry us deeply into the Heart of Jesus and his mystery if we can become lighter and more movable by the Silent Wind, embracing all as you did.
Day 9
“[They] devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus.” Acts 1:14a
Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, they well beloved spouse.
Holy Spirit, you came once again to Mary, now as Mother of the Church, the family of believers gathered around her. As St. Therese said she wanted to be, Mary was and is “love in the Heart of the Church.” Come Holy Spirit and make us so. In union with Mary may we be love within the Church, to heal, strengthen, to sanctify, to love and evangelize under your guidance and with your inspiration. Open the way before us, illuminate the darkness of this world beleaguered, of the Church longing for her Bridegroom to come to her, let us be a light to all who need your grace and peace and Divine LOVE.
We have reached the end of our novena and now we wait in prayer with Mary Mother of the Church for your mighty wind, your tongues of fire sent to enlighten and enliven us, to teach us all things, to reveal your love. Come, Holy Spirit.
You Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3
St. Joseph living in glory your work is not done but is different! Now you have tremendous ability to share that glory and love and fullness of joy with us as well. And so we entrust ourselves to you as an understanding father who is also the terror of demons, the tender protector, the universal teacher and master of prayer and the Christian life. We want what you have. We want to live and work and laugh with Jesus and Mary every day. We want to die in their arms. We want to be with you and with them in Heaven. We are so happy it is your Solemnity; the Solemnity of your beautiful life, of you in your heavenly glory and you as amazing intercessor. We bless you St. Joseph and we thank God for you and so does all of Heaven. You have our love as small as our hearts are sometimes. May God make our hearts mighty to love as you did, as you continue to do. Intercede for us with your Son. Remain with us today in a special way. Amen.
Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. (Psalm 116:15)
St. Joseph, your death was beautiful and tender. Your passing filled the room with love; your love, the love of your family, the love of God.
Joseph the dreamer, the worker, the father, the husband, the prophet, the protector, the meaning of your life settled with intense clarity on those who kept watch at your side and on everyone who ever knew you, flooding the hearts of them all. Help us when our time comes to leave this world, to have fulfilled our purpose, to have loved God and every human being he sent our way, to have lived with Jesus and Mary daily that we may also die in their arms and ultimately reach heaven in the company of the angels and saints, to be forever in the Heart of the Father, inhabiting his House filled with wonder. St. Joseph, Patron of a holy death, pray for us as we honor you. Pray for us always.
God of my fathers, Lord of mercy, you who have made all things by your word and in your wisdom have established man to rule the creatures produced by you, to govern the world in holiness and justice, and to render judgment in integrity of heart:
Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne, and reject me not from among your children: for I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws.
Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men, if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem.
Now with you is Wisdom who knows your works and was present when you made the world; who understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is conformable with your commands.
Send her forth from your holy heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her that she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is your pleasure.
For she knows and understands all things, and will guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her glory.” (Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11)
St. Joseph I can only imagine how overwhelming the prospect of being a father to Jesus the Son of God would have been for you. And Mary would have said, ”Joey you were made for this! God will give you everything you need!” And you believed. You were a strong good and kind man, humble and wise. Wisdom was with you, beautiful father. All the love and the example you gave Jesus made him able to do what he came to do and be what he came to be. Today we ask you also to be a father to each of us. And we thank you for every hug, every talk, every lesson, every game you played with Jesus when he was growing up, and most of all for just being there and filling his life with your love.
“Orare est Laborare, Laborare est Orare—to pray is to work, to work is to pray” – St. Benedict
St. Joseph you knew this and it was your way of life, your “skin religion” to pray by hand, to instill love into all you did. For you concentration on your work was consecration of your work as you lived continually aware of the presence of your God, and of Jesus and Mary’s physical presence with you.
You taught Jesus your trade and way of life and prayer, the dignity love and beauty of work.
Teach us your special brand of the practice of the presence of God, of the holiness of work and how it changes the world as we dedicate it to you in ways we can’t imagine. Be with us in our daily work and help us to bless our fellow human beings with our work and prayer, our ora et labora. We pray with you for all who work, especially those who do hard labor. May their burdens be lightened today. May they find joy in their prayer and work. Amen.
“12 So Jesse sent for him. He had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go ahead, anoint him. He is the one.” 13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. The Lord’s Spirit came over David and stayed with him from that day on. Then Samuel left for Ramah.”
St. Joseph, Son of David, I bet when you were growing up the stories from the Torah you loved best were the stories of King David your ancestor. God told the Prophet Samuel that God does not choose as we do but sees the heart. You were poor but descended from a humanly unlikely king who was nevertheless after God’s own heart. He was little and yet mighty. His greatest gifts were from within. You could relate to that. Your boyish heart must have longed for adventure. Little did you know what adventure and danger and helping to save the world you were in for, and what joy you would find in ordinary life and the work of your hands, the love that surrounded you, the privilege you alone were given. You really were royalty. 👑 Help us to keep in mind our beautiful crowns as children of God and to love this day in quiet joy.
Bethany Hang Out 