God. Implore their
intercession to obtain it. Meditate often on God's love for you, and
your heart will be enflamed with love for Him.

_Prayer_

O GOD of mercy and love, I thank Thee from all my heart for the
countless graces which Thy infinite love has bestowed on me. By the
ardent love which the Holy Helpers had for Thee, I implore Thee to
enkindle in my heart the flame of Thy love, so that I may remain in Thee
and Thou in me. Amen.

Litany and Prayers (located on the first day of the novena).

SIXTH DAY

The Virtue of Charity

Preparatory Prayer (located at the start of the novena).

MEDITATION

CHARITY is one of the fundamental virtues of the Christian religion. The
moral doctrine preached by Christ is comprised in the words: "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and
with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And
the second is like to this. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On
these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets"
(_Matt._ xxii. 37-40).

As in everything else, the Holy Helpers are our exemplars also in
charity. Charity consists in wishing well to our fellow-men, rejoicing
with the glad and sympathizing with the sad, doing good to all, excusing
their faults whenever possible, disclosing them only when necessary,
being friendly, indulgent, meek, and helpful toward them. We love our
neighbor if we succor the poor and distressed, if we harbor no envy for
the rich, if we esteem the just for their virtue, and hate--not the
sinner--but sin. We love our neighbor if we are not content with
harboring these sentiments in our heart, but show them by our actions.

PRACTICE

ENDEAVOR to exercise this charity according to the spirit of Christ. The
love of your neighbor must not be a sentimental affection; it must not
originate in casual qualities of character or rank, in inclination,
etc., but must have the love of God for its motive. We must exercise
charity toward all because God wills it, and in the manner in which He
wills it. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

_Prayer_

O GOD of charity, who dost will that I love my neighbor for Thy sake,
grant me the grace, through the intercession of the Holy Helpers, to be
animated with that spirit of charity which embraces all and excludes
none, which "is patient, kind, envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is
not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not h