Journey with St. Angela

15/01/2021

Journey with St. Angela

st. Angela MericiTo prepare for the feast of St. Angela Merici, our foundress, celebrated on 27 January we are happy to share a novena with you. The novena was prepared by our two novices from the European Novitiate based in Rome: sr Margareta and sr Thérèse.

Each day you will be invited to pray with a picture and a quotation. We will look at different aspects of the life of Angela, to see how she is present in our lives and in the whole world through the ages.

 

Journey with St. Angela in PDF »

st. Angela Merici

Day 1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Ps 19,1)

 “Your holy Name be blessed above the sands of the seas, above the drops of the waters, above the multitudes of the stars.” (Rule, 5.26)

 

► Today take time to contemplate the beauty of God’s creation.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 2

“We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfilment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.” (Heb 6, 11-12)

“Therefore, my sisters, I exhort you, or rather I beg and entreat you all, that having been thus chosen to be the true and virginal spouses of the Son of God, you be willing first of all to recognize what such a thing implies, and what a new and astonishing dignity it is. Then that you strive with all your might to remain as you are called by God, and to seek and desire all the ways and means necessary to persevere and make progress to the very end.” (Rule, prologue 7-10)

► Today consider Angela’s spousal relationship with Christ and her perseverance.

 

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 3

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom 8, 35.37)

 “Let them have Jesus Christ as their only treasure” 
(Fifth Counsel 43).

► Today take time to think about being simpler in your life. Like Angela turn your eyes inward and listen to the voice of the Beloved.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 4

“Behold, Lord, I come to do your will.”                     (Responsorial Psalm)

“Must have a firm intention to serve God in this way of life. And then: that she must enter joyfully and of her own will” (Rule, 1 chap 2-4) 

►  Today contemplate Angela’s joy and how God’s will became Angela’s will.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 5

“They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” (Heb 8,11) 

 “So now, all of you kindly be attentive, with great and longing heart” 
(Rule, Prologue 32)

 

►  Today take time to pray for vocations so that the spirit of Angela will continue to spread through all the world.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 6

“Let us praise you, Lord, with voice and mind and deed: and since life itself is your gift, may all we have and are be yours.” (Psalter week 2, Saturday, concluding prayer) 

And always let your principal recourse be to gather at the feet of Jesus Christ, and there, all of you, with all your daughters, to offer most fervent prayers. (Testament, Last legacy 3-4)  

 

►  Today take some time in silence at the feet of Jesus.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 7

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.” 
(Ps 25, 4-5)

 “Through prayer one beseeches from God the grace of the spiritual life. Therefore one needs to pray always with spirit and mind on account of the constant need for God's help” (Rule, Chapter 5)

►   As Angela, let Mary accompany you on our spiritual journey to get closer to God and his beloved Son. Make a special prayer to Mary through a song or a prayer that you like.

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 8

“Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.” (Responsorial Psalm)

“Pray to him, humble yourselves under his great power, because, without doubt, as he has given you this charge, so he will give you also the strength to be able to carry it out, provided you do not fail for your part. Act, move, believe, strive, hope, cry to him with all your heart, for without doubt you will see marvellous things, if you direct everything to the praise and glory of his Majesty and the good of souls.” (Counsels, prologue 16-18)

►  Today contemplate Angela’s action united with her contemplation and her union with Christ.

 

 
st. Angela Merici

Day 9

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Rom 12, 9-12)

 “And if, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice” (Testament 11, 2).

►  With Angela do not be afraid of the future. 
What can I do differently today “according to times and circumstances?”

 
st. Angela Merici

Prayer

„O my Lord, my only life and hope,
I pray that you deign to receive 
this most vile and impure heart of mine,
and burn away its every affection and passion 
in the fiery furnace of your divine love.
I pray that you receive free will, 
every act of my own will, 
which itself, because it is infected by sin, 
does not know how to discern good from evil.
Receive my every thought, word and deed, 
everything that is mine 
finally, both interior and exterior. 
All this I lay down as an offering
 at the feet of your divine Majesty.
And I pray that you deign to receive it 
even though I am unworthy of this.
Amen!“