Novena prayer:
By the Voice of Thy Blood, O Jesus,
I would press Thee, solicit Thee, importune Thee.
Though Thou seemest to reject my supplications
I will not leave Thy bleeding feet until Thou hearest me.
Too many graces, too many mercies
flow from Thy Blood for me not to hope in its efficacy.
Then, O Jesus,
by the Precious Blood
seven times shed for the welfare of all,
by each drop of that sacred price of our redemption,
by the tears of Thy Immaculate Mother,
I implore Thee,
hear my earnest prayer.
(here specify your request)
O Jesus, during all the days of Thy mortal life
Thou didst console so many sufferers,
heal so many infirmities,
raise so often a sinking courage,
Thou wilst not fail to have pity
on one who cries to Thee from the depths of anguish.
Oh! No, it is impossible.
Another profound sigh from my heart,
and from the wound in Thy own
there will flow to me upon a wave
of Thy merciful Blood the grace so ardently desired.
O Jesus, Jesus,
hasten the moment when Thou wilst change my tears into joy,
my sighs into thanksgiving.
Holy Mary,
source of the divine Blood,
I implore thee not to lose this occasion
of glorifying the Blood which made thee Immaculate. Amen.
A story from the life of Saint Gemma follows. It is very timely for the situation we find ourselves in living amidst a secular culture. Let us take her example:
She was always praying for sinners, and often said to me: “You ought to pray for them also, because if you save a soul you will go to heaven.”My nephew Anthony who used to be at the Giannini Pharmacy found out that the water woman who brought water to our house was living in sin with a certain man. He therefore wanted to dismiss her there and then, but spoke of the matter only to Gemma and me. “Let me speak to her,”Gemma said . . “Why send her away without giving her time to reflect? Jesus did not send Mary Magdalen away, but received her kindly."
