Blessed Marie Rivier Novena 2021
Presentation of the Novena 2021
MARIE RIVIER, A FACE TO DISCOVER
The word ‘discover’ invites us to a dynamic attitude, an unending search. There is always something missing, something that strongly challenges us to go beyond, that never leaves us at a standstill. We must move forward without losing our enthusiasm, with the freshness of the heart and the breath of the Spirit that comes from above, wherever we are, in the morning, at midday, or in the evening of our life.
There is also the word “face“. One’s face is what best defines a person. It is unique, different, singular, we recognize it among many others. Marie Rivier’s face is reflected in different ways for those who love her, who admire her, who discover the beauty of her heart, the wisdom of her words, the witness of her life and her commitments!
I invite you to pray this novena with the enthusiasm and the wisdom of your heart, with much love and faith. Marie Rivier is a living invitation to live our vocation and mission in the Church and in the world in a joyful and faithful way.
Mother Maria dos Anjos Alves, pm
9° day
A face to discover
8° day
A face to discover
7° day
A face to discover
6° day
A face to discover
Fifth day
A face to discover
Fourth day
A face to discover
Third day
A face to discover
Second day
A face to discover
FIRST DAY:
Marie Rivier, a joyful woman with a charitable heart
“Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me,” Jesus said. Marie Rivier incarnates this Word by her spirit of charity: “Open your hearts; she would say, “be generous, then you will know true joy“.
WORD OF GOD: 1 Cor 13: 1 - 8
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Reflection:
My dear daughters, your charity should shine forth in all your words and deeds; it should be the motivating force behind all you do. Charity should make you generous; that is, it should lead you to forget yourselves so as to think only of the tasks that have been entrusted to you and of the spiritual and bodily needs of those under your care. That should be the distinctive spirit and characteristic of all the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. Your charity should be all-embracing, holy and divine, like God’s love for souls; there should be nothing merely human in it. It should exclude having a special fondness for one person; rather, it should extend equally to everyone, since everyone has a right to it as to a common good. It should encompass all the spiritual distress and bodily sufferings of others. Therefore, open your hearts; be generous and behave in such a way that each one is convinced that you love her dearly and that you look down on no one. (Marie Rivier’s Last Instructions and Final Words of Advice, p.28)
