Saint Jude
(The patron of desperate cases)
INTRODUCTION
The Catholic Church recognizes many saints. And by imitating their virtues and asking their intercession we cannot help being drawn closer to God. We have a long list of Saints from which to choose, and are encouraged to have special devotions to those whom we feel can help us most.
There is a spiritual union between the Saints in Heaven, the Faithful on earth, and the souls in Purgatory, for we are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ. Surely, then we should not hesitate to invoke the Saints who are indeed close friends of God. They know our needs and our necessities and will not hesitate to ask God to help us. Their friendship with God means much to us, if we but make use of it In this Novena we are going to make a special friend of St. Judoe for we feel that he can help us in a very special way.
LIFE OF ST. JUDE
St. Jude Thaddeus was one of the twelve Apostles, and Author of the short, but very forceful, Epistle of St. Jude
Cleophas and Mary of Cleophas, the parents of St. Jude, were very holy people. Cleophas was martyred by the Jews. Also many miracles were associated with St. Jude's mother, Mary of Cleophas, after her death.
Having been chosen by our Lord as an Apostle, St. Jude worked with untiring zeal and devotion.
One of the most remarkable miracles performed by St. Jude was the cure of the King Abagaro, of Edessa, who suffered from leprosy. As a consequence not only the King himself but also most of his subjects were converted to Christianity.
Tradition tells us that the King of Edessa sent word to our Lord asking Him to come and cure him of his leprosy. The King even sent an artist to bring back a picture of Christ. So great was the faith of the King that our Lord impressed the image of His Sacred Countenance on a cloth and entrusted it to St. Jude to bring to the King of Edessa and cure him.
St Jude, together with St. Simon, labored in many distant fields, including Persia. At that time there were a great number of social evils in Persia. St. Jude and his companion worked ceaselessly until the people put aside their evil ways and embraced the Christian way of life. Once more those who had come to scoff, remained to pray
Everywhere preaching the Gospel of Christ, St. Jude met with tremendous success. In fact, so great was this success that the enemies of Christ put St. Jude to martyr's death.
Statues to St. Jude usually show him holding a club-the instrument with which he suffered martyrdom.
His body rests in St. Peter's Basilica, in Rome. As far back as 1548 the then Pope- Paul III granted a plenary indulgence to all who visited his tomb on October 28th, the Feast day of St. Jude.
We can learn much from St. Jude. His zeal and devotion in spreading the great Christian virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, cannot but leave a deep impression on us, beckoning us to imitate him. No problem was too difficult for him to undertake, for he placed unlimited faith in Christ and the Power of Prayer.
St. Jude, helper in desperate cases, pray for us!
Prayer of Trials
Most holy Apostle, St, Jude, faithful servant of Jesus the name of the traitor who delivered the beloved Master into the hands of His enemies, has caused thee to be forgotten by many but the Church honors and invokes thee universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things despaired of. Pray for me, who am so miserable; make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded to thee, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings, particularly (here make your request) and that I may praise God with thee and all the elect forever.
I promise, O blessed St. Jude to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor thee as my special and powerful patron, and to do all in my power to encourage devotion to thee. Amen
May the most just, most high and most adorable Will of God be in all things done, praised and magnified, forever and ever. Amen.
Novena Prayers
May the most Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, loved, in all the tabernacles until the end of time. Amen.
St. Jude pray for us and hear our prayers. Amen.
Blessed be the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Blessed be the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Blessed be Saint Jude Thaddeus in all the World for all eternity
O Glorious Apostle, St. Jude Thaddeus, true relative of Jesus and Mary, I salute thee through the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus! Through this Heart, I praise and thank God for the graces He has bestowed upon thee, I implore thee through this Heart to look down upon me with compassion. Oh, despise not my poor prayers; let not my trust be confronted! To thee God has granted the privilege of aiding mankind in the most desperate cases. Oh , come to my aid, that I may praise the mercies of God! all my life I will be grateful to thee and will be thy faithful client until I can thank thee in Heaven. Amen.
Blessed Apostle with confidence we invoke thee! (Three Times)
St. Jude, Help of the Hopeless, aid me in my distress! (Three Times)
Pray for us, that before death we may expiate all our sins by sincere repentance and the worthy reception of the holy sacraments. Pray for us that we may appease the Divine Justice and obtain a favorable judgement. Pray for us, that we may be admitted into the company of the blessed to rejoice in the presence of our God forever.
Let Us Pray
Glorious Apostle, martyr and relative of Jesus, St. Jude Thaddeus, who didst spread the true Faith among the most barbarous and distant nations; who didst win to the obidience of Jesus Christ many tribes and peoples, by the power of His holy word, grant I beseech thee, that from this day I may renounce every sinful habit, that I may be preserved from all evil thoughts, that I may always obtain thy assistance, particularly in every danger and difficulty and that I may safely reach the heavenly country with thee, to adore the Most Holy Trinity---the Father, Son and Holy Ghost---forever and ever. Amen
