Montfort’s direction for this phase
230. They shall spend the third week in knowing Jesus Christ. They may read and meditate on what we have said of him, and say the prayer of Saint Augustine, which is placed toward the beginning of this second part. They may, with the same saint, say and repeat a hundred and a hundred times a day: Noverim te: Lord, that I may know you! or else, Domine, ut videam: Lord, that I may see who you are! They shall recite, as in the preceding weeks, the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave maris Stella, and shall add every day the Litany of Jesus.
St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary §230. Our complete English edition.
True Devotion to Mary, paragraphs 65–67
This optional reading accompanies the phase; Montfort’s preparation instructions above remain the guide.
65. Nevertheless, my lovable Master, the greater part of the learned, in punishment for their pride, would not turn souls further away from devotion to your holy Mother, nor instill more indifference toward it, than if all that I have just said were true. Keep me, Lord, keep me from their sentiments and their practices, and give me some share in the sentiments of gratitude, esteem, respect, and love that you have with regard to your holy Mother, so that I may love and glorify you all the more, as I shall imitate and follow you more closely.
66. As if until now I had said nothing in honor of your holy Mother, grant me the grace to praise her worthily: Fac me digne tuam Matrem collaudare, despite all her enemies, who are your own; and let me say aloud to them with the saints: Non presumat aliquis Deum se habere propitium qui benedictam Matrem offensam habuerit: Let that man not presume to receive God’s mercy, who offends his holy Mother.
67. To obtain from your mercy a true devotion to your holy Mother, and to inspire it in all the earth, make me love you ardently, and receive to that end the burning prayer that I offer you with Saint Augustine and your true friends (tom. 9, operum meditat.): “Tu es Christus, pater meus sanctus, Deus meus pius, rex meus magnus, pastor meus bonus, magister meus unus, adjutor meus optimus, dilectus meus pulcherrimus, panis meus vivus, sacerdos meus in aeternum, dux meus ad patriam, lux mea vera, dulcedo mea sancta, via mea recta, sapientia mea praeclara, simplicitas mea pura, concordia mea pacifica, custodia mea tota, portio mea bona, salus mea sempiterna... “Christe Jesu, amabilis Domine, cur amavi, quare concupivi in omni vita mea quidquam praeter te Jesum Deum meum? Ubi eram quando tecum mente non eram? Jam ex hoc nunc, omnia desideria mea, incalescite et effluite in Dominum Jesum; currite, satis hactenus tardastis; properate quo pergitis; quaerite quem quaeritis. Jesu, qui non amat te anathema sit; qui te non amat amaritudinibus repleatur... O dulcis Jesu, te amet, in te delectetur, te admiretur omnis sensus bonus tuae conveniens laudi. Deus cordis mei et pars mea, Christe Jesu, deficiat cor meum spiritu suo, et vivas tu in me, et concalescat in spiritu meo vivus carbo amoris tui, et excrescat in ignem perfectum; ardeat jugiter in ara cordis mei, ferveat in medullis meis, flagret in absconditis animae meae; in die consummationis meae consummatus inveniar apud te. Amen.” [You are Christ, my holy father, my loving God, my great king, my good shepherd, my only master, my best helper, my most beautiful beloved, my living bread, my priest forever, my leader to the fatherland, my true light, my holy sweetness, my straight way, my resplendent wisdom, my pure simplicity, my peaceful concord, my whole safeguard, my good portion, my everlasting salvation... Christ Jesus, lovable Lord, why have I loved, why have I desired, in all my life, anything besides you, Jesus my God? Where was I when I was not with you in mind? Now, from this moment, all my desires, grow warm and flow out into the Lord Jesus; run, you have delayed long enough until now; hasten to where you are going; seek him whom you seek. Jesus, let him who does not love you be anathema; let him who does not love you be filled with bitterness... O sweet Jesus, may every good sense fitted for your praise love you, delight in you, admire you. God of my heart and my portion, Christ Jesus, may my heart faint away of its own spirit, and may you live in me; may the living coal of your love glow hot in my spirit and grow into a perfect fire; may it burn continually upon the altar of my heart, may it seethe in my inmost marrow, may it blaze in the hidden depths of my soul; and in the day of my consummation may I be found consummate with you. Amen.] I have wished to set down in Latin this admirable prayer of Saint Augustine, so that those who understand Latin may say it every day, to ask for the love of Jesus, which we seek through the divine Mary.
St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary §§65–67. Our complete English edition.
The prayers for this phase
Days 27–33: seek knowledge and ardent love of Jesus Christ. Continue the Litany of the Holy Spirit and Ave Maris Stella, adding the Litany of Jesus each day. Montfort also recommends the prayer he gives with Saint Augustine in True Devotion 67; it is supplied below as a recommended prayer. Repeat during the day: “Lord, that I may know Thee!” and “Lord, that I may see!” Continue your accustomed Rosary.
The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer.
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, Thou Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us.
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us.
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us.
Spirit of faith and hope, have mercy on us.
Spirit of holy fear and love, have mercy on us.
Spirit of peace and joy, have mercy on us.
Spirit of patience, longanimity, and goodness, have mercy on us.
Spirit of continency and chastity, have mercy on us.
Spirit of humility and mortification, have mercy on us.
Spirit of life and salvation, have mercy on us.
Spirit of all virtues and graces, have mercy on us.
Spirit of the children of God, have mercy on us.
Teacher and Governor of the Catholic Church, have mercy on us.
Searcher of human hearts, have mercy on us.
Consoler of the afflicted, have mercy on us.
Strength of pious souls, have mercy on us.
Crown of all saints, have mercy on us.
Joy of the angels, have mercy on us.
Light of the patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Inspirer of the prophets, have mercy on us.
Wisdom of the apostles, have mercy on us.
Victory of martyrs and confessors, have mercy on us.
Purity of virgins, have mercy on us.
Be merciful: spare us, O Holy Spirit.
Be merciful: graciously hear us, O Holy Spirit.
From the spirit of heresy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From the spirit of blasphemy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all sin and temptation, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From impugning the known truth, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From presumption of God’s mercy, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From despair, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From envy, malice, and ill-will, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From obstinacy in sin, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all sloth and indifference in the service of God, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From all bad and impure thoughts and desires, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
From everlasting death, deliver us, O Holy Spirit.
We sinners, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst exalt the Catholic Church, enlighten her pastors, and sanctify her members, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst grant us the grace never to offend Thee, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst increase in us devotion and resignation to the will of God, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst infuse in us zeal, meekness, and love, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst sanctify all our thoughts, words, and actions, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst cleanse our hearts and make them Thy dwelling, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst preserve our body and soul, as Thy temple, from all stain, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst confirm us in Thy grace, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst enlighten the erring and bring them back to the true fold, we beseech Thee to hear us.
That Thou wouldst take us all into the company of the elect, we beseech Thee to hear 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, O Lord.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Manual of Adoration (1897); English text with limited wording updates.
Prayer after the Litany of the Holy Spirit
Let us pray.
We beseech Thee, O Holy Spirit, descend with Thy light and consolation lovingly into our souls, enlighten our understanding, and consecrate the hearts which Thou hast sanctified as Thy temples. O Holy Spirit, come and bring us God’s blessing and peace; console us and all the afflicted, encourage and strengthen the weak; instruct and support the wavering; rouse the sinners to penance, and enkindle in their cold hearts the fire of divine love and a filial confidence in Thee, that all men, in peace and joy, may thankfully praise and adore Thee, together with the Father and the Son, one God, world without end. Amen.
Manual of Adoration (1897); prayer following the litany.
Ave Maris Stella · Hail, Star of the Sea
Hail, Star of the Sea, loving Mother of God, and ever Virgin, blessed gate of heaven.
Receiving that Ave from Gabriel’s mouth, establish us in peace, reversing the name of Eve.
Loosen the bonds of the guilty; bring light to the blind; drive away our evils; ask for us every good.
Show thyself a mother: through thee may He receive our prayers who, born for us, willed to be thy Son.
Virgin without equal, meek above all others, make us, freed from sin, meek and chaste.
Grant us a pure life; prepare a safe journey, that, seeing Jesus, we may rejoice together for ever.
Praise be to God the Father, glory to Christ Most High, and to the Holy Spirit: one honor to the Three. Amen.
Traditional Latin hymn; English rendering for The Marian Way.
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.
Jesus, brightness of eternal light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, King of glory, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Sun of justice, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lovable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, admirable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, mighty God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the age to come, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Messenger of great counsel, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of chastity, have mercy on us.
Jesus, lover of us, have mercy on us.
Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us.
Jesus, author of life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, pattern of virtues, have mercy on us.
Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our refuge, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the poor, have mercy on us.
Jesus, treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, good Shepherd, have mercy on us.
Jesus, true light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us.
Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us.
Jesus, our way and our life, have mercy on us.
Jesus, joy of angels, have mercy on us.
Jesus, King of patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Master of apostles, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Teacher of evangelists, have mercy on us.
Jesus, strength of martyrs, have mercy on us.
Jesus, light of confessors, have mercy on us.
Jesus, purity of virgins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, crown of all saints, have mercy on us.
Be merciful: spare us, O Jesus.
Be merciful: graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.
From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Jesus.
From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Jesus.
From everlasting death, deliver us, O Jesus.
From neglect of Thy inspirations, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy birth, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy infancy, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy most divine life, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy labors, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy agony and Passion, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy cross and abandonment, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy sufferings, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy death and burial, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy Resurrection, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy Ascension, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy institution of the most holy Eucharist, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy joys, deliver us, O Jesus.
Through Thy glory, deliver us, O Jesus.
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 Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who didst say, “Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you”: grant us, we pray, as we ask, the affection of Thy most divine love, that we may love Thee with all our heart, with our words and deeds, and never cease from Thy praise.
Make us, O Lord, have everlasting fear and love of Thy holy Name, for Thou never leavest without Thy governance those whom Thou dost establish firmly in Thy love. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
English rendering of the historical Latin litany.
Also recommended by Montfort
Prayer for the Ardent Love of Jesus
Thou art Christ, my holy Father, my loving God, my great King, my good Shepherd, my only Master, my best Helper, my most beautiful Beloved, my living Bread, my Priest for ever, my Guide to the homeland, my true Light, my holy Sweetness, my straight Way, my radiant Wisdom, my pure Simplicity, my peaceful Concord, my complete Protection, my good Portion, my everlasting Salvation…
Christ Jesus, lovable Lord, why have I loved, why have I desired throughout my life anything besides Thee, Jesus my God? Where was I when my mind was not with Thee? Now, from this moment, all my desires, grow warm and flow forth into the Lord Jesus; run, ye have delayed long enough; hasten toward your goal; seek Him whom ye seek. Jesus, let him who does not love Thee be anathema; let him who does not love Thee be filled with bitterness…
O sweet Jesus, may every good affection worthy of Thy praise love Thee, delight in Thee, and admire Thee. God of my heart and my portion, Christ Jesus, may my heart lose its own spirit, and mayest Thou live in me; may the living coal of Thy love grow hot within my spirit and grow into a perfect fire. May it burn continually upon the altar of my heart, glow in my inmost marrow, and blaze in the hidden depths of my soul; and on the day of my completion may I be found perfected with Thee. Amen.
Prayer traditionally attributed to Saint Augustine, quoted by Montfort in True Devotion §67; English rendering for The Marian Way.
Close in prayer.
We pray to You, Lord Jesus, by the fifteen mysteries of Your life, death, Passion, and glory, and the merits of Your holy Mother, to convert sinners, to aid the dying, to deliver the souls in purgatory, and to give us all Your grace to live well and die well, and Your glory to see You face to face and to love You throughout eternity. Amen.
St. Louis de Montfort · The Secret of the Rosary · First Method, final prayerPrayer sources and translation notes
Days 27–33: seek knowledge and ardent love of Jesus Christ. Continue the Litany of the Holy Spirit and Ave Maris Stella, adding the Litany of Jesus each day. Montfort also recommends the prayer he gives with Saint Augustine in True Devotion 67; it is supplied below as a recommended prayer. Repeat during the day: “Lord, that I may know Thee!” and “Lord, that I may see!” Continue your accustomed Rosary. Read Montfort’s direction.
The Sign of the Cross
Traditional formula; Holy Spirit matches the site’s prayer register.
Ave Maris Stella · Hail, Star of the Sea
Traditional Latin hymn; fresh English rendering for The Marian Way. All seven stanzas are included; Ave and Eva retain the hymn’s contrast between Mary’s welcome and Eve’s disobedience.
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Complete historical English text from Manual of Adoration (1897), pages 235–238. “Holy Ghost” is rendered “Holy Spirit”; capitalization, punctuation, and the spelling of counsel are regularized, and printed response abbreviations are expanded.
Prayer after the Litany of the Holy Spirit
Complete prayer printed immediately after this litany in Manual of Adoration (1897), pages 238–239, with the same limited spelling and register changes.
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Fresh English rendering of the historical Latin litany, including all 38 invocations of Jesus, 21 petitions for deliverance, and both concluding prayers.
Prayer for the Ardent Love of Jesus
Fresh English rendering of the complete Latin passage quoted by Montfort in True Devotion 67. Montfort attributes it to Saint Augustine; that traditional attribution is retained without asserting modern authorship verification. The two ellipses are already present in Montfort’s quotation.
An optional memory aid saved on this device. You may read any day at any time.
The preparation follows St. Louis de Montfort’s directions in True Devotion to Mary §§227–233. The readings are his words in our English translation. Their day-by-day selection and the first twelve days’ prayer selection are this companion’s arrangement; Montfort does not assign a separate reading for each day.