St. Louis IX Novena - Day 5 - Justice and Reform

Louis sent investigators through his kingdom to hear complaints against his own officials. We pray for honest judges and for the courage to set wrongs right.

Almighty and just God, Thou lovest righteousness and hatest injustice.

We thank Thee for the desire Thou didst give Saint Louis to establish justice among his people and reform abuses within his kingdom.

Saint Louis, thou didst recognize that good intentions alone are not enough.

Justice must be embodied in laws, judgments, institutions, customs, and the conduct of those who exercise power.

When thou encountered abuses, thou sought to correct them.

Thou desired that the powerful and the weak alike should receive justice.

Pray for judges, lawmakers, rulers, executives, employers, military officers, and all whose decisions affect the lives of others.

Pray for me that I may recognize injustice even when correcting it is inconvenient.

Protect me from favoritism, dishonesty, corruption, resentment, and the temptation to impose one standard upon others while excusing myself.

Give me prudence to distinguish genuine justice from anger disguised as righteousness.

Where God has entrusted systems, organizations, people, money, or authority to my care, help me leave them better ordered than I found them.

May I build rather than merely criticize.

May I reform rather than merely complain.

May I judge others according to truth, while remembering that I myself will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Saint Louis, obtain for me a profound love of justice governed always by charity.

Traditional Prayer to Saint Louis IX

O holy King Saint Louis, worthy son of our Holy Father Saint Francis and patron of the Third Order, intercede for me with our Heavenly Father.

Obtain for me the grace to follow in thy footsteps, to be always a dutiful child of Saint Francis, and to observe exactly, all the days of my life, that holy rule which thou loved so ardently and kept so faithfully.

Be my guide and protector, so that I may never stray from the path of virtue, but increase daily in holiness and perfection, and finally merit to be numbered among the chosen ones of our Seraphic Father in Heaven.

Amen.

This prayer comes from the Franciscan Third Order tradition, of which St. Louis is patron.

Litany of Saint Louis IX, King of France

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Saint Louis, King of France, pray for us.
Saint Louis, scion of devout parents, pray for us.
Saint Louis, constant protector of the children of God, pray for us.
Saint Louis, steadfast teacher of piety, pray for us.
Saint Louis, true model of Christian virtue, pray for us.
Saint Louis, faithful confessor of Christ, pray for us.
Saint Louis, kingly bearer of humiliations, pray for us.
Saint Louis, defender of the Faith, pray for us.
Saint Louis, lover of the Holy Cross, pray for us.
Saint Louis, devoted servant of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us.
Saint Louis, faithful son of Holy Mother Church, pray for us.
Saint Louis, courageous soldier of Christ, pray for us.
Saint Louis, model of Christian kings, pray for us.
Saint Louis, tender father of thy people, pray for us.
Saint Louis, lover of justice, pray for us.
Saint Louis, friend of peace, pray for us.
Saint Louis, defender of the poor, pray for us.
Saint Louis, protector of widows and orphans, pray for us.
Saint Louis, generous giver of alms, pray for us.
Saint Louis, servant of the sick, pray for us.
Saint Louis, comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Saint Louis, kind friend of enemies, pray for us.
Saint Louis, ardent lover of God, pray for us.
Saint Louis, rapt in prayer to God, pray for us.
Saint Louis, example of penance, pray for us.
Saint Louis, conqueror of thy passions, pray for us.
Saint Louis, despiser of worldly pride and honor, pray for us.
Saint Louis, pilgrim for the Holy Land, pray for us.
Saint Louis, patient in captivity and adversity, pray for us.
Saint Louis, constant in suffering, pray for us.
Saint Louis, persevering unto death, pray for us.
Saint Louis, crowned with eternal glory, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, Saint Louis.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Our Father

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

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

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Closing Collect

O God, Who didst exalt blessed Louis, Thy Confessor, from an earthly realm to the glory of Thy heavenly Kingdom, grant, we beseech Thee, through his merits and intercession, that we may be made heirs of the King of kings, Jesus Christ, Thy Son.

May we imitate Saint Louis in faith, courage, justice, charity, purity of life, fidelity to duty, and love of Thy Church, so that after serving Thee faithfully on earth we may rejoice with Thee forever in Heaven.

Through the same Christ our Lord.