A Prayer to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin for Parents and Spouses - 

"to remain in joy and Christian hope"

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, today we turn to you in prayer. By fulfilling the duties of your state in life and practicing the evangelical virtues as spouses and as parents, you have modeled for us an exemplary Christian life.

May the example of your unwavering trust in God and your constant willingness to surrender all the joys, the trials, the sorrows and sufferings that filled your life encourage us to persevere in our daily challenges and to remain in joy and Christian hope. Amen.

[courtesy of Father Jean-Claude Lange, from the Web site of Sainte-Therese parish in Metz, France.  Translated by Mary Davidson, OCDS]

 A Litany of Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin

 Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, hear us.

Jesus Christ, graciously hear us.

God, our Heavenly Father, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

 
Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who placed your faith and your hope in the Lord, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who lived your marriage in faithfulness, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who bore many children, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who taught all your children the Christian faith, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who desired sanctity for yourselves and your children, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who offered your children to the Lord, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who lost four children at a young age, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who worked with your hands, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who practiced an ardent charity, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who received your strength from the daily Eucharist, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who prayed faithfully each day, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who shared the concerns of the missions of the Church, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who always placed your confidence in the Virgin Mary, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who have known suffering and illness, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who now contemplate in Heaven the Adorable Face of God, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, watch over our families.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, protect our families.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, intercede for our families.


Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
 
Pray for us, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Prayer for the Canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin

God of eternal love, you give us Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Therese, as an example of holiness in marriage.  They remained faithful to you and your commandments in all the duties and trials of life. They desired to raise their children to become saints.  May their prayers and example help Christian family life to blossom in our world today.  If it be your will, grant us the graces we ask you now through the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, and let them be counted among the saints of your Church.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

[This litany to Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin appeared on the Web site of Sainte-Therese parish in Metz, France, where Louis and Zélie have been the instruments of a profound spiritual renewal.  My thanks to Father Jean-Claude Lange, the pastor of this parish, for permission to translate the litany into English and to post it at "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway" in honor of the fifth feast of Louis and Zélie. I thank my co-worker, Mary Davidson, OCDS, for the translation].

Day 9 of the novena to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin prepared for Sainte-Therese Parish in Metz, France.  Used with the permission of Fr. Jean-Claude Lange and translated by Mary Davidson, OCDS for "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway."  Please join me in thanking them.

  Ninth Day

Consecration

“But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name” (John 1: 12).

Consecration to Mary

"I choose you today, O Mary, in the presence of all the heavenly court, for my Mother and my Queen. I consecrate to you, with full submission and love, my body and my soul, my talents and possessions, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future. I give to you a full right to dispose of me and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to your good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and eternity. Amen.”

St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort)
 
Reflection:

Since our baptism, do we constantly call to mind that we are bathed in the anointing of the Lord, incorporated into Christ? Do we remember that through the Sacraments, we receive the blessing of the Father? “Jacob called his sons and said: ‘Gather around, that I may tell you what is to happen to you in days to come.’….. He blessed them and “to each he gave a suitable blessing” (Genesis 49: 1, 28). God gives each person what she or he needs in his or her state in life when it is needed, as a mission, a healing, a conversion.

In anticipation of this meeting and in this time of formation, let us take refuge in the bridal chamber of the spouses of Heaven. We are united to Christ in the Trinitarian life by Love:

“May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; may you be rooted and grounded in Love” (Ephesians 3: 17).

So let us stand up and, face to face with our God, proclaim our faith! Let us be receptive to the Holy Spirit, so that the blessing of the Father may flow over us like a saving, merciful dew. We thank you, Father, for our hope that we can receive You into our hearts and that we may be worthy to carry You there always.
 
Final Meditation:

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, consecrated in the heart of the family of Nazareth, teach us the desire of consecration. Amen.

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, we ask you for consecration for ourselves, our family, and all families of the world. Amen.

Blessed Zelie Martin, through St. Thérèse, give to us the love of life. Amen.

Blessed Louis Martin, King of your family, through St. Thérèse, teach us the family liturgy where we may be called priest, prophet, and king. Amen.

Our Father…..

Hail Mary….. 

Closing Prayer:

"God Our Father,

I thank you for Louis and Zelie Martin,

a couple united in faith, giving the witness of an exemplary Christian life

through the exercise of the duty of their state in life

and the practice of the evangelical virtues.

In the education of a large family,

through trials, mourning, and suffering,

they generously expressed their trust in You

and their submission to Your will.

Deign to grant, O Lord, the graces that I seek,

in the hope that the father and mother of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

will one day be proposed as models for today's families for the entire Church. Amen."

Imprimatur

This novena with Louis and Zelie Martin can be distributed among individuals and groups who wish to use it for inspiration.

Monsignor A.M. LEONARD
Bishop of Namur
September 21, 1998

________________________________

Note: families who want to learn more about Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin are encouraged to read the book "A Call to a Deeper Love: The Letters of the Parents of St. Therese, 1863-1885," which contains not only the letters of Louis and Zelie but also an introduction, historical background, invaluable notes, a groundbreaking chronology, and other helps to understanding this family.

An excellent help to praying as a family as the Martin family did is the ever-new classic "Prayers for the Domestic Church," with an array of simple and lovely blessings, prayers, and rituals for many moments in the lives of individuals and families.  I recommend it.

Day 8 of the novena to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin prepared for Sainte-Therese Parish in Metz, France.  Used with the permission of Fr. Jean-Claude Lange and translated by Mary Davidson, OCDS for "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway."  Please join me in thanking them.

Main altar at St. Pierre's Cathedral, Lisieux.  Donated by Bl. Louis Martin

EIGHTH DAY

The House of the Father

“One day within your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. The threshold of the house of God I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:11)

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our hearts take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O Comforter, to Thee we cry,
Thou heavenly gift of God most high,
Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

Praise we the Father and the Son
and Holy Spirit with them One;
and may the Son on us bestow
the gifts that from the Spirit flow.

(Veni Creator Spiritus)

Gospel Reading:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not, would I have told you
that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”

(John 14:1-4)

Reflection:

God is constant in his love. In the hope of the faithful love of our Father, let us understand His gentleness; let us come to His Mercy. And if the sweetness of the love of Christ is reserved for the house of the Father, then let us create in our homes the experience of hope. Let us sing, dance, and praise. Why not create in our homes the clean, light atmosphere reminiscent of the homes of Nazareth, of Alencon, of les Buissonets: “Let us raise our hands to the Triune God. My prayer rises before Thee as incense and my hands as the evening sacrifice.” (Vespers)

Imagine Blessed Louis Martin in his workshop, his eyes sparkling like jewels--did he not contemplate the splendor of the heavenly Jerusalem? At the end of his life, as he donated the Eucharistic altar in the Church of St. Pierre in Lisieux--did he not make a Tabernacle in the Father's house, as Mary was for Jesus? Louis Martin managed his affairs as a good father, a prince or a shepherd. He reminds us of the words: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock” (Matt. 7:24). The smell of the Homeland is like perfume from the house of the Father. Be happy that you recognize the Father's house: “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

St.  Thérèse says as well: “Lift up your eyes towards Heaven, and you will see on thrones of honor a father, a dear mother, that will give you great happiness.” Return to the Homeland. Dare to take the path of childhood by following the way of Mary. Dare to live this Gospel way, remembering that we are made in the likeness of God and keeping before us the image of the Heavenly Jerusalem. This way of childhood can take us back in time, to before our first sins. Let us ask Him to teach us the Divine Will.

For Meditation:

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, teach us the way of childhood, the way of purity, which brings us back to the Father's House. Your family can lead us into the mystery of a God who has the tenderness of a mother.

Daily Prayer: Our Father; Hail Mary; Our Father

"God Our Father,

I thank you for Louis and Zelie Martin,

a couple united in faith, giving the witness of an exemplary Christian life

through the exercise of the duty of their state in life

and the practice of the evangelical virtues.

In the education of a large family,

through trials, mourning, and suffering,

they generously expressed their trust in You

and their submission to Your will.

Deign to grant, O Lord, the graces that I seek,

in the hope that the father and mother of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

will one day be proposed as models for today's families for the entire Church. Amen."

Day 7 of the novena to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin prepared for Sainte-Therese Parish in Metz, France.  Used with the permission of Fr. Jean-Claude Lange and translated by Mary Davidson, OCDS for "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway."  Please join me in thanking them.

SEVENTH DAY

Abandonment in hope

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Prayer to the Holy Spirit:

 “Come, Holy Spirit; come Fire of Love, come Father of the poor; loving my wounds. Lord, You chose me from my tender childhood, and I can be called the work of Your love.” (St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus)

Reading:

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
all you who love her;

Rejoice with her in her joy,
all you who mourn over her

So that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast;

That you may drink with delight
at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the LORD:

I will spread prosperity over her like a river,
like an overflowing torrent,
the wealth of nations.

You shall nurse, carried in her arms,
cradled upon her knees;
As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

(Isaiah 66: 10-13)

Reflection:

In the home of Nazareth as in Alençon, there is room for a gentle and rewarding education. The sweet school of the Virgin Mary, like that of Thérèse, teaches us in Wisdom and Truth: "The truth will set you free." Free to love, but also free to recognize, to receive love, and to enjoy loving. We can recognize this love because it is a source of grace and healing.

Moreover, Louis and Zelie Martin give us a great example of faithfulness in prayer during time of trial. They are faithful to novenas and pilgrimages. St. Paul says, “How beautiful are the feet that carry the good news.” In her sickness, Zelie Martin abandoned herself in confidence during a trip to Lourdes. To have abandonment, to have confidence of healing: all our states of misery should feed on one or the other. What a mystery, what a treasure to discover!

In the school of Thérèse, we receive everything from Jesus through Mary. We receive the way of childhood, this beautiful childlike healing:

“Whatever you ask the Father in my name, I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. … Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him”

(John 14: 13, 23).

In this abandonment, Zelie Martin carried within her heart her nine children, consecrated to the Lord. In our innermost being, we must become willing to bear a new child: a child with the names of Love and Forgiveness.

For Meditation:

Blessed Zelie Martin, show us the path of Mary, the great way of childhood prophesied by Thérèse. Let us be reborn in the heart of Mary in confidence, setting aside our own strength.

Louis and Zelie Martin, teach us to abandon ourselves to the time and to the graces of the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Daily Prayer: Our Father; Hail Mary; Our Father

"God Our Father,

I thank you for Louis and Zelie Martin,

a couple united in faith, giving the witness of an exemplary Christian life

through the exercise of the duty of their state in life

and the practice of the evangelical virtues.

In the education of a large family,

through trials, mourning, and suffering,

they generously expressed their trust in You

and their submission to Your will.

Deign to grant, O Lord, the graces that I seek,

in the hope that the father and mother of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

will one day be proposed as models for today's families for the entire Church. Amen."