Love of Charity-Novena Prayer to St. Emilie de Rodat-Foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family

For St. Emilie, love of Charity was central to her life.  A deep and passionate love of God has to express itself in love for others: for those with whom we live, for our neighbours, and for the poor and needy.

 Let us listen to St Emilie’s own words:

 “Our Charity must be practical and reach out to all.  We are all brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.  Our charity must be the proof…. It must not only be extended to the neighbourhood or to our pupils; rather, our charity should extend to all people across the seas in a way that everyone has a place in our hearts and share in our prayers and good works.”

 “Charity is kind, good and therefore seeks to serve.  The kind heart feels the need to do good and be helpful to all…. We should not spare ourselves in trying to please our neighbour; we should always do more than is asked of us; all that we do for God will be given back to us a hundred fold.”

 “Blessed are the merciful, that is, those who endure patiently their neighbour’s weaknesses and faults; those who share their troubles and sorrows; those who help others as much as they are able.  In short, the merciful are those who are all things to all people.  Those who act in this way will have mercy shown them.”

 “You will experience faults of character or people you simply cannot like.  Consider these with clam and peace…. Bear with others as you would want them to bear with you if you were in their place….. Perfect harmony should reign among the Sisters.  This is achieved by tolerating one another, bearing with one another; it requires constant attention – this is perfect charity.”

 “One thing we shall particularly recommend is to maintain a close union by the practice of a lively charity, so that you support with peace and gentleness the faults of one another, so that each of our houses is the image of the house of Nazareth.”

 “I implore you, love one another; you do it already, do it even more for love never says enough.”

 

Prayer to St Emilie

St. Emilie, you who said with the words of the Apostle Paul: “Above all, charity”, help us know how to love those with whom we live, and all people deeply.  Rooted in Jesus Christ may our homes and communities radiate His love.

You also said: “Let your charity cross the seas”, be with us, so that in our everyday lives we become missionaries, witnesses of God’s love wherever we are.  Help us be sensitive to the voice and to the silence of all those who are ‘far away’.

St Emilie, pray for us.