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lmighty and  eternal  God! With lively  faith and reverently  worshiping  Thy  divine Majesty, I  prostrate  myself  before  Thee  and  invoke with  filial  trust  Thy  supreme  bounty  and mercy. Illumine the  darkness  of  my  intellect with a  ray  of  Thy  heavenly  light  and  inflame  my heart  with  the  fire  of  Thy  divine  love,  that  I  may contemplate the  great  virtues  and  merits  of  the saint in  whose  honor  I  make  this  novena,  and  following his  example  imitate,  like  him,  the  life  of Thy  divine  Son.

Moreover, I  beseech  Thee  to  grant  graciously, through the  merits  and  intercession  of  this powerful Helper,  the  petition  which  through him I  humbly  place  before  Thee,  devoutly  saying, "Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven." Vouchsafe graciously  to  hear  it,  if  it  redounds  to Thy  greater  glory  and  to  the  salvation  of  my  soul. Amen.