Holy Souls Novena, Day 9

We attended mass this morning at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL, on our way to the Gulf Coast for a family wedding. The priest spoke about how what the holy souls in Purgatory crave most from us are masses offered for them. They cannot pray for themselves and depend on us. Unlike us, they can't join themselves in spirit to any Mass being celebrated anywhere. They need us to take them with us to Mass.

So, take the souls with you to Mass today.

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(Act of Faith:) My God, I believe in You, because You are Truth itself; I firmly believe the truths revealed to the Church.
(Act of Hope:) My God, I hope in You, because You are infinitely good.
(Act of Love:) My God, I love You with all my heart, and above all things, because You are infinitely perfect; and I love my neighbor as myself, for the love of You.

MEDITATION FOR THE NINTH DAY, SAT. NOV 2
DIVINE MERCY
Everything.  Everything from our salvation, to our power to intercede for each other, to our ability to love…all is due to the Divine Mercy of Jesus.  And so on this final day of the novena, on the feast of All Souls, we shall meditate on the Source of all Goodness.  All souls, whether in Heaven, or awaiting Heaven in Purgatory, or fighting in the trenches on Earth…all are wrapped up in the infinite mercy of God.  This meditation on Divine Mercy is from “I Believe in Love”:  “You must believe in the love of Jesus for you.  Love calls for love.  How do you give Jesus love for Love? Before all and above all by your confidence in Him.  We must have confidence, not in spite of our miseries, but because of them, since it is misery which attracts mercy.  Oh, this word, mercy—misericordia—“miseris cor dare,” a Heart which gives itself to the miserable.  Meditate on this word.  It was this Merciful Heart that St. Paul spoke of when he wrote, “Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (2Cor 12:9)”  This is the Merciful Heart of the father welcoming back the prodigal son with overflowing joy.  This is the Merciful Heart that melted at the humble confidence of the good thief on the cross and swept him away to Paradise.  Most tender Heart of Jesus, it is with humble and unshakeable confidence in Your Love that we pray:


DE PROFUNDIS (Ps. 130)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication:

If You, O Lord, mark iniquities,
Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness,
that You may be revered.

I trust in the Lord;
my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel wait for the Lord.
For with the Lord is kindness,
and with Him is plenteous redemption;
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.


DIVINE MERCY PRAYER
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Thy dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.  For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the holy souls in Purgatory.  Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed for whom we offer this novena, rest in peace. Amen.