In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introduction
With St. Augustine we say “You have made us for Yourself O Lord, for you alone our God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
As we begin our novena to our Father St. Augustine we pray for the grace to interiorize his spirit, on our journey towards our inner self. We reflect on who we are and where we are going, as Augustinian Religious and devotees in the context of our time. Move by the spirit of Augustine’s restless pursuit for truth, let us pause and allow these questions to touch our awareness.
What motivates me to continue searching for God?
Having found Him, how do I make Him ___alive in my relations to people I live with?
(Short Reflection)
Reading: From the Book IF AUGUSTINE WERE ALIVE
If there is one thing that Augustinian emphasizes over and over again in treating of the search of God, it is that we must begin by going with ourselves. The keyword is WITHIN. There will find truth, light, joy in Christ Himself. There we will be heard when we pray; there we will love and worship God. But while this within signifies the very depths of our being. This is only the first stage of the journeys Augustine urges us to keep moving on even to what is beyond ourselves, to the source of our inspiration and light to God Himself. Augustine would tell us, “Do not go outside yourself, but turn back within, truth, dwells in the inner man; and if you find your nature given to frequent change, go beyond yourself. Move on, then to that source where the light of reason itself receives its light. (End of the reading – Some moments of silence)
LITANY IN HONOR OF SAINT AUGUSTINE
Lord, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
God the Father of Heaven
Have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the World
Have mercy on us
God, the Holy Spirit
Have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God
Have mercy on us
Mary, Mother of Jesus
Pray for us
Mary, Mother of Consolation
Pray for us
Mary, Mother of Good Counsel
Pray for us
St. Augustine, bright star of the Church
Pray for us
St. Augustine, filled with zeal for God’s glory
Pray for us
St. Augustine, dauntless defender of the truth
Pray for us
St. Augustine, the triumph of divine grace
Pray for us
St. Augustine, on fire with the love of God
Pray for us
St. Augustine, so great and so humble
Pray for us
St. Augustine, prince of bishops and doctors
Pray for us
St. Augustine, father of monastic life
Pray for us
St. Augustine, holiest of the wise and wisest of the holy
Pray for us
Pray for us St. Augustine
That may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
ALL: You have made for yourself O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. We ask you to bless our restlessness in our search for you will live in our lives, and in the events confronting us. Finding you, may we be faithful to you God of history, faithful to Christ our Lord and Savior, faithful to the Church and her teaching and faithful to our particular state of life which we have chosen to serve you. This we ask of you loving Father, through Christ our Lord and through the intercession of Saint Augustine, our Father. Amen.
http://www.rcam.org/novena-guide/246-novena-to-our-father-saint-augustine
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