For Private Use

Preparation: Recollect yourself in God for a few quiet moments. Imagine that you are seated in your favourite church, near to the Blessed Sacrament which is exposed. Sr Elizabeth, in her illness, used to love being near to the Blessed Sacrament like this. Take a little while to reflect on her words: "I have found my Heaven on earth, since Heaven is God, and God is in my soul" (1)

†   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 humbly ask you to pray with me, and to intercede for me, in this novena of prayer for the cure of my sickness. Although I know that I am never alone, for God is always with me in the Heaven of my soul, to sustain me; help me to abandon myself as you abandoned yourself, into the arms of the One who is all Love.

Reflect on Sr Elizabeth's words to a sick correspondent:
Jesus "is always with you, be always with Him, through all your actions, in your sufferings, when your body is exhausted, remain in His sight, see Him present, living in your soul."(2)

O Blessed Elizabeth pray for me, that I may abandon myself, in complete surrender and trust, to Love. To be consumed by Love; to lose myself in Him whom I love; to forget self, especially in times of Dark Nights, when the feeling of a terrible void is barely sustainable. Support my petition to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Blessed Mother and mediatrix of all grace, for grace to look upon each trial as a proof of Love straight from her divine Son. I promise you, O Blessed Elizabeth, to be ever mindful of your loving assistance.
May I ask your intercession for these favours.

(mention these silently)
pray: Our Father, Hail Mary (thrice), Glory Be.

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

I will always honour you, and will do all in my power to encourage devotion to you.

Blessed Elizabeth, with confidence, I invoke your aid.
Blessed Elizabeth, with confidence, I invoke your aid.
Blessed Elizabeth, with confidence, I invoke your aid.

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.(3)

Closing prayer. Almighty, everlasting God, by whose leave I pay homage to the merits of Your saint Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, I pray that You will bestow upon me, at her intercession, the fullness of Your mercy for which I long. I make my 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.

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

(1). L122, 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). 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