EFFICACIOUS NOVENA TO SAINT STANISLAUS, BISHOP & MARTYR – DAY 9 (FOR FINAL PERSEVERANCE AND A HOLY DEATH)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Help is in the Name of the Lord, 

Who made Heaven and Earth.

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

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Opening Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, You granted to St. Stanislaus, your faithful bishop and martyr, the grace to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel and to give his life in defence of justice and righteousness. Grant that through his intercession, we may receive the grace we seek during this novena. Strengthen our faith, deepen our hope, and increase our charity, that we may live courageously in the light of Your Gospel till the end. (Add your personal intention). We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Scriptural Reading, Life, Examples & Legacies (Part 9)

2 Timothy 4:7–8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day.”
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Meditation: Every journey has an end. Every life, no matter how long or brief, must one day meet its conclusion. But the question that confronts every Christian soul is not merely when or how we will die, but how we are living now in preparation for that final encounter with God. The desire for a holy death is one of the most ancient and sincere petitions of the Church, found even in the Litany of the Saints: “From a sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O Lord.”

The Church does not glorify death, but she prepares her children to die well. To die in friendship with God, in the state of grace, reconciled with others, and fortified by the sacraments – this is the grace we seek today. Not everyone will be granted the time or awareness to “get things right” at the end. That is why the saints teach us: Live each day as if it were your last—not in fear, but in readiness.

St. Stanislaus, more than most, was prepared. His whole life was a continuous offering to God, marked by fidelity, vigilance, prayer, and courageous action. His death came suddenly and violently while he stood at the altar, offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In that moment, sword and sanctuary met, and the bishop sealed his witness with blood. Yet he was not caught off guard. His soul was ready. His conscience was clear. He died as he had lived: in union with Christ. The martyrdom of St. Stanislaus reveals something profound – that the Christian who perseveres in faithfulness to the end will not be defeated, no matter how death comes. The world may see a life cut short, but heaven sees a crown gained.

Today, let us pray for the grace of final perseverance: that we may remain faithful to God until our last breath. We pray also for those nearing death – the elderly, the terminally ill, the dying in hospitals or in secret corners of the world. May they be accompanied by loved ones, attended by the sacraments, and comforted by the hope of eternal life. We remember those who died unprepared or unreconciled, and we commend them to God’s mercy. Let us also examine how we live: Are we in the habit of regular confession? Do we pray daily? Are we detached from sin, from grudges, from spiritual laziness? Are we actively loving God and neighbour?

A holy death is not the fruit of chance, it is the harvest of a life lived in grace. Through the intercession of St. Stanislaus, may we fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith. And when our time comes, may we go forth not in fear, but in peace, welcomed by the Lord who calls us home.

Litany of St. Stanislaus:

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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, devoted shepherd, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, fearless witness to truth, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, martyr of the altar, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, defender of justice, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, humble and obedient servant, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, intercessor for the Church, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, protector of the oppressed, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, faithful in prayer, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, patron of Poland, pray for us.
St. Stanislaus, model for bishops, pray for us.

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, O glorious St. Stanislaus, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Concluding Prayer

O Lord, grant us the grace to live and die in Your friendship. May our lives be a continual offering to You. Through the intercession of St. Stanislaus, may we be found worthy to enter Your heavenly kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Shalom!
Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Seminário Padre Pedro Magnone, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?