Novena for the Resurrection

O Jesus, who didst confound all Thine enemies by clothing in glory and splendour that Body which had been the victim of the cruelty of man, give me grace to die to myself that I may rise again with Thee, and after Thy likeness lead a new, divine, immortal life: new, by change of conduct, divine by the generosity and purity of my love, immortal by perseverance in well doing. Work in my heart, O Lord, this happy change; make me pass from death to life from darkness to light, from a life full of imperfections to a life perfect and worthy of Thee. Make me go on from light to light, from virtue to virtue, till I come at last to Thee, O God of virtue, source of all life, and of all light. To Thee also I turn, O Holy Virgin, who hadst the greatest share in the sufferings and the glory of thy Divine Son; deign to make me a partaker of that divine joy which thou didst feel on the blessed day of His resurrection. Dry my tears and free my heart from all oppressive sadness. Let thy risen Son enter into my heart, as through the closed doors, into the upper chamber. Let Him say to me, as to the Apostles, “Peace be to thee;” let Him show to me, as to Thomas, His sacred wounds; let Him abide with me continually, and never more depart from me.

TO THE GLORIOUS WOUNDS OF JESUS RISEN.

1. My risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy left foot, and pray Thee to give me grace to fly from all occasions of sin, and never more to walk in the way of iniquity which leads to perdition. Glory be to the Father, &c.

2. My risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy right foot, and pray Thee to give me grace to walk constantly in the way of Christian holiness till I come to the home of Paradise. Glory, &c.

3. My risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy left hand, and pray Thee to deliver me from all evil, whether to the body or the soul, and most especially from the unhappy fate of the wicked who shall stand at Thy left hand at the day of judgment. Glory, &c.

4. My risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy right hand, and pray Thee to bless my soul therewith, and after death to open to me the gates of Paradise. Glory, &c.

5. My risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy side, and pray Thee to kindle in my heart the fire of Thy love here, that I may hereafter love Thee eternally in heaven. Glory be, &c.

TO MARY.

Lastly, I pray thee, O Most Holy Virgin Mary, by thy great joy on seeing thy risen and glorified Son, to obtain for us the grace to rise also after our death to the eternal glory of Paradise. Hail Mary, (three times).

O Queen of sorrows! raise thine eyes.
See! the first light of dawn is there;
The hour is come, and thou must end
Thy forty hours of lonely prayer.

Hush! there is a silence in her heart,
Deeper than when St. Gabriel spoke,
And upon midnight’s tingling ear
The blessed Ave sweetly broke.

He comes! He comes! and will she run
With freest love her child to greet?
He came, and she, His creature, fell
Prostrate at her Creator’s feet.

He raised her up; He pressed her head
Gently against His wounded side;
He gave her spirit strength to bear
The sight of Jesus glorified.

From out His eyes, from out His wounds,
A power of awful beauty shone;
Oh, how the speechless Mother gazed
Upon the glory of her Son!

She could not doubt: ’twas truly He
Who had been with her from the first,
The very eyes, the mouth, the hair,
The very babe whom she had nursed.

Her burden o’er the desert sands,
The helpmate of her toils;—’twas He.
He by whose death-bed she had stood,
Long hours beneath the bleeding tree.

What bliss for us that Jesus gives
To her such wondrous gifts and powers;
It is a joy, the joys were hers,
For Mary’s joys are doubly ours!