For Private Use

Preparation: Recollect yourself in God. Take a few moments to relax, and in your mind sit in your favourite church in the presence of the exposed Blessed Sacrament - just as Blessed Elizabeth loved to do. Reflect on Abbé Perreyve's words: "A Christian is a person to whom God has entrusted every other person".

†   In the Name of the Father. and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.

Opening prayer. O Blessed Elizabeth, transparent channel of Love before the Face of God, remember your promise that if we recollect ourselves at the Feet of Jesus, you will be with us; I/ we humbly ask that you will pray with us, and intercede for us, in this novena of prayer for our brother/ sister who is sick. Console them now, from your place among the Blessed of Heaven, as you consoled your sick friends ici-bas when in Carmel. Pray with us now the words of love,which you so often prayed then: "Lord, the one that You love is sick".

Reflections; "May Jesus thus bind us together and may He consume us in the flames of His Love."(1)
"There is no wood like that of the Cross for lighting the fire of Love in the soul." (2)

O Blessed Elizabeth! In your great love of God, You were always so close to the needs of your friend's. Now that you are in Heaven, before the Face of the Lord, Please intercede with Him for the needs I/ we ask you.

(mention these silently)
pray: Our Father; Hail Mary; Glory Be to the Father.

Teach us how to abide, in Love and Faith, with the Holy Trinity in the depth of our soul. Teach us how to radiate God's Love among men and women, in our everyday life, just as you did yourself, so that we may be a praise of God's glory.(3)

Blessed Elizabeth, please intercede with the Master for the favours which I/ we petition in this Novena: if it be His Holy Will; and if not, then ask Him to grant our brother/ sister those graces they stand most in need of.

Blessed Elizabeth pray for them; and all who invoke your aid.
Blessed Elizabeth pray for them; that they may appease the Divine Justice and obtain a favourable judgement.
Blessed Elizabeth pray for them; that they may be admitted into the company of the Blessed, to rejoice in the presence of God for ever.

Prayer to The Most Holy Trinity.
Trinity whom I adore, calm and changeless mystery!
I hide within Your life, "You in me, and I in You."
Make my soul Your dwelling place, Your heav'n on earth, Your home of rest,
May I never leave You alone. But keep me there in living faith.

Word of God, eternal Sound, I give all to learn from You,
Through darkest poverty I will cling to Your embrace.
Praise of Glory I shall be. Oh, Star of mine with lustrous beams.
Fascinate me with Your light, And hold me fast within "my Three".

Dove of Love, consuming Fire, form in me His mystery,
For Him, the Word of God, I will be humanity.
Father mine, look down on me, and see in me Your only Son.
Oh, my Life, my Joy, my All; You are "my Three" my Trinity.(4)

Closing prayer. Almighty God, Jesus accepted our sufferings that we might know the virtue of patience in human sickness. I/ We beseech You hear these prayers which I/ we offer for our sick brother/sister. May all who suffer pain, illness, or disease realize the great Love God has for them and know that they 'share' the Cross on which Christ suffered for our salvation. I/ We make this prayer through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

†   In the Name of the Father. and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.

<<<<0>>>>

(Printer-friendly version of the prayers at:      www.ponybit.org/eliztrin/sick.html )

Permission to use copyright quotations listed is acknowledged with deep gratitude.

(1). L106, and (2). L138, .... from ‘The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity’, Volume 2 translated by Anne Englund Nash, Copyright © 1995 by Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites ICS Publications, 2131 Lincoln Road, N.E. Washington, DC 20002-1199, U.S.A www.icspublications.org.

(3). Carmel de Dijon-Flavignerot, France
(with slight changes in translation approved by the Carmel.)

(4). Words by Sr Mary Jo Loebig, OCD of the Eldridge Carmel, Iowa, USA. Copyright: Eldridge Carmel 2002 © Reproduced by kind permission of Sr Loebig, and the Eldridge Carmel. The music may be found at
http://showcase.netins.net/web/conexion/musicddd.html