Novena to St. Therese (Day 1)

Day 1 — The Little Way of Spiritual Childhood St. Therese, the Little Flower, please pick me a rose from the heavenly garden and send it to me with a message of love. Ask God to grant me the favor I thee implore, and tell Him I will love Him each day more and more. Prayer: Dearest St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, you said that you would spend your heaven doing good upon the earth. Your trust in God was so firm that you were willing to be forgotten in heaven if that would do more good for souls on earth. O Little Flower of Jesus, you have shown yourself true to your promises. You, who have said, "I will let fall from heaven a shower of roses," grant me today the roses that I need. St. Therese, help me to believe, as you did, in God's great love for me, so that I may imitate your "little way" each day. O glorious St. Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and counsel mankind, I implore your miraculous intercession. So powerful are you in obtaining every need of body and soul, our Holy Mother Church proclaims you a "Prodigy of Miracles, the greatest Saint of modern times." Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition and to carry out your promises of spending heaven doing good upon earth, of letting fall from heaven a shower of roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. Therese, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea to be made known everywhere, and I will continue to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.