Trust and Abandon to God -Novena Prayer to St. Emilie de Rodat Foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family

DAY 4 -                                        13th September

 

St. Emilie relied on God for everything, abandoning herself to Him with an audacity that defied all human prudence, in a way that put the Gospel message into practice: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and everything else will be added unto you.”

Let us listen to what St Emilie has to say:

“By experience I have learnt that Providence is the surest of all resources, and when the project is God’s, it never fails.”

“In the beginning of the Congregation, I made a pact with the Good Lord: I asked Him to help me in all my material needs, that I would trust Him and that I would always help the poor when an occasion presented itself.”

“It pleased Divine Providence to provide for all our material needs…. We live from day to day… in crucial moments, in the beginning of the Congregation, we place all our trust in God and He never abandoned us.”

“Fear not, Divine Providence has storehouses unknown to the worldly.  Count on God and you will lack nothing.” “Trust yourself to God.  That is the way a soul advances in the way of perfection and what pleases Him most.” “Have courage.  A childlike confidence obtains everything.”

“Have an unlimited confidence in God.  Do not count on people; they are human and could let you down when you least expect it.  God will never let you down if you place all your trust in Him.  Use human resources, fully convinced that God alone can bless them.”

“Leave the future to Divine Providence who conducts and rules all things well…. The laws of Providence come before man-made law; we should always bow our head willingly when God dictates and not protest because God has His own views in all He does and allows.”

An entire abandonment and a confidence without limit, that is what God asks of the Sisters of the Holy Family.

“Ah!  How pleasing to God is a soul abandoned to His Divine Providence, who is not in the least worried about what will happen to her, living from day to day without anxiety about her fate which she has entrusted to God’s keeping with no thought but to please Him.”

Oh! My God.  I believe, I hope, I love and I abandon myself to You.”

 Prayer to St. Emilie

St. Emilie, the contemplation of the Holy Family of Nazareth gave you trust, abandonment, joy and strength. 

Obtain for us the grace, like you, to lead a life totally focussed on God in the service of our brothers and sisters.  Amen.

 St. Emilie, pray for us.