Novena to the of

Sacred Heart of Jesus Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Opening :

O saving Victim, open wide The gate of heav’n to us below, Our foes press on from ev’ry side; Your aid supply, your strength bestow.

O Salutaris Hostia Quae caeli pandis ostium: Bella premunt hostilia Da robur, fer auxilium. Amen.

Then:

Tantum ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernui, Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui; Praestet fides supplementum, Sensuum defectui.

Genitori Genitoque Laus et jubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio. Amen.

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Leader: O Divine Jesus who has said, "Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you," behold us prostrate at your feet. Animated with a lively faith and confidence in the promises dictated by your Sacred Heart, we come to ask your aid. From whom shall we ask, O Jesus, if not from you, whose heart is an inexhaustible source of all graces and merits? Where shall we seek, if not from the treasury which contains all the riches of your love? Where shall we knock, if not at the door of your Sacred Heart, through which God himself comes to us and through which we go to God? To you, O Heart of Jesus, we have recourse. In you we find consolation when afflicted, protection when persecuted, strength when overwhelmed with trials, and light in doubt and darkness. We firmly believe that you can bestow on us the graces we implore, even though it require a . You have only to will it, and our will be answered. We humbly acknowledge that we are not worthy of your favors, O Jesus, but this is not a reason for us to become discouraged. You are the God of compassion, and you will not refuse our contrite and humble hearts. Look upon us with mercy, and your compassionate Heart will find in our weakness a pressing reason for granting our petitions. And yet, O Lord, whatever may be your decision with regard to our requests, we will never cease to adore, love, praise, and serve you. Accept, O Lord, our act of perfect submission to the decrees of your Sacred Heart, you who live and reign with the Father and the , One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Leader: Let us now make an Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ:

All: Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before your altar. We are yours, and yours we wish to be; yet to be more surely united with you, behold, I freely consecrate myself today to your most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known you; many too, despising your precepts have rejected you. Have mercy on us all, most merciful Jesus, and draw us to your Sacred Heart. May you be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you. Grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. May you be King, O Jesus, of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and the unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd. Grant, O Lord, to your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm. Give peace and order to all nations and make the earth resound from pole to pole with a single cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to You be glory and honor forever!

Amen.

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DAY SEVEN (APRIL)

All: O Divine Savior, according to the words of Holy Scripture, you are in truth our Advocate before the Heavenly Father. You have freely taken this office upon yourself, and you unceasingly exercise it with faithful and loving zeal for all who trust in you. Your obedient love for the Father is so great that He will never refuse any favor you ask. He always hears you, as you yourself once testified at the grave of Lazarus. Filled with this faith and with confidence in your compassionate Heart, I come to you to plead my cause. I have offended your Father and have called down the anger of his Majesty upon me. I am heavily indebted to His Divine Justice and have nothing with which to repay the debt. I fear therefore the curse of eternal punishment. Besides all this, I am sorely in need of divine assistance, and only the power of the Father can help me. For the salvation of my soul, I fervently implore this grace!

May this grace come to me from the riches of your Father, O Jesus, my beloved Advocate--from your throne in heaven, to your Father and to my Father, to your God and to my God--reconcile me with Him! Repay my debts out of the infinite treasury of your merits and obtain for me assistance in my present trials, and grant me the grace I need so much.

In the "Our Father" you gave us a with which I will now approach the Father. Accompany me now, and with the fervor and power of your most Sacred Heart as my mediator, pray with me, Lord: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

O Lord, hear and answer the prayer which I now present to the Father in your Name. (Here pause and make your request)

Leader: O Sacred Heart of Jesus… All: Have mercy on us!

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The of the Sacred Heart (Leader in bold; people’s response in italics.)

Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. of Heaven, have mercy on us. , Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy , One God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, obedient to death, have mercy on us.

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Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, Victim for our sins, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in You, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in Whom the Father was well pleased, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, of Whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke You, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints, have mercy on us.

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Lamb of God, You who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, You who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, You who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine.

Leader: Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers You in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Your mercy, grant forgiveness in the Name of the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.

Leader: Let us pray an Act of Reparation to Our Savior’s Sacred Heart

ALL: Lord Jesus Christ, you loved us so much that you suffered and died for our salvation, and yet we have not loved you as we might have, nor served you in our neighbor as we could have. We now offer you our every thought, word, deed, in union with your Passion and Cross. Join our humble acts of reparation to the perfect sacrifice which you ceaselessly offer to the Father in every and in the silence of the Tabernacle. Unite our entire lives to your Sacred Heart in reparation for the committed against your Holy Name and in reparation for the profanation of the and for the sins of the whole world. Amen.

Leader: Let us pray for the Souls in Purgatory

All: O Divine Heart of Jesus, grant, we beseech you, to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of faith to those who do not know You, and Your blessing to me and my loved ones. Amen.

Leader: O Sacred Heart of Jesus… All: Have mercy on us!

Closing Hymn: Holy God, we praise thy name; Hark, the loud celestial hymn; Lord of all, we bow before Thee; Angel choirs above are raising; All on earth, Thy scepter claim, Cherubim and Seraphim, All in heaven above adore Thee. In unceasing chorus praising, Infinite thy vast domain, Fill the heavens with sweet accord; Everlasting is thy reign! Holy, holy, holy, Lord!

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The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary for those devoted to His Sacred Heart:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life. 2. I will establish peace in their families. 3. I will console them in all their troubles. 4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death. 5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection. 9. I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored. 10. I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts. 11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced. 12. The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.

Our Lord appearing to Saint (1647-1690) and revealing to her His Sacred Heart.

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