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How to Pray the Novena
This Novena Prayer ends on Friday 3 June 2016, the
Feast of the Sacred Heart.
You may pray the Novena privately or in the family,
in a religious community or with your neighbours or friends.
A Novena prepares us over a short period of time to receive the graces
of God special to a feast.
In the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the grace we pray is to know
personally the love of God in the Heart of Christ.
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NOVENA PRAYER (to be said each day)
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Lord Jesus Christ, you have said, 'Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you'. I come to you in faith and trust, in love and hope. Let me know your closeness to me and your care of me and for all who are dear to me.
My intention for this Novena is dear to me and I know that what is important to me is important to you. Hear my prayer (mention your intention); grant what I ask, and may I always trust that in all that happens in life, you will be close to me as my friend, guide and saviour. And so, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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Day 1 - Thursday May 26 - God's Surname: Mercy
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Lk. 1:78-79)
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| Reflection: |
'My middle name is mercy' - that might be God's slogan. It's the first gift he wants to give. Let him give it to you. Let mercy be spelt bigger than shame, guilt, fear, and all that keeps us from loving ourselves and others.
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| Quote |
'True religion, by contrast, means welcoming the revelation of God who is father and who has cared for every one of His creatures, even the smallest and most insignificant in peoples' eyes.' Pope Francis, 31 January, 2016.
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| Prayer: |
God, you are slow to anger and rich in mercy. Thank you! Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 2 - Friday May 27 - A God's Joy: Mercy Given
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. (Lk. 15:10).
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| Reflection: |
We say a person may have turned a corner after a bad time. Somehow he or she can live a better life. Everyone else is happy too. So God is happy when any of us turns a corner like that.
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| Quote |
'We celebrate the Year of Mercy, in which the whole Church is invited to concentrate on the heart of the Gospel. We are called to bring the balm of God's merciful love to the whole human family, binding up wounds, bringing hope where despair so often seems to have the upper hand.' Pope Francis, Message to IEC Philippines, 2016.
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| Prayer: |
God, you are slow to anger and rich in mercy. Thank you! Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 3 - Saturday May 28 - God's Joy: Mercy Received
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
But while the son was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. (Lk. 15:20)
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| Reflection: |
Was the son embarrassed at his father's love - hugging him like that in front of everyone? Maybe he let his guard down and was just happy to be so well received!
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| Quote |
'I am always struck when I reread the parable of the merciful father, who with patience, love, hope and mercy, had never for a second stopped thinking about (his wayward son), and as soon as he ses him he runs out to meet him and embraces him with tenderness, without a word of reproach.' Pope Francis, 7 April 2013.
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| Prayer: |
Open my heart Lord to feel your mercy, my ears to hear your word of mercy and my eyes to see your face of mercy. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 4 - Sunday May 29 - What is Mercy?
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. (Mt. 5:7).
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| Reflection: |
We wonder what mercy is. Some of the qualities of mercy include patience, joy, compassion, forgiveness, loving concern - it is the beating heart of the Gospel and of the Chruch.
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| Quote |
'In the parables of mercy, we find the core of the Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a force that overcomes everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation through pardon.' Pope Francis, 11 April, 2015.
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| Prayer: |
Help me, Lord, to be merciful in ways your heavenly Father is merciful. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 5 - Monday May 30 - Mercy for Self
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
The blind man cried out, 'Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.' (Mk. 10:48).
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| Reflection: |
We hear the command of the Lord to be merciful, compassionate, understanding to others. We can do this only insofar as we are merciful to ourselves.
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| Quote |
'He always has patience, patience with us, He understands us, He waits for us, and He does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to Him with a contrite heart. "Great is God's mercy," says the Psalm.' Pope Francis, 17 March, 2013.
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| Prayer: |
Help me, Lord, to look kindly on my sins! Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 6 - Tuesday May 31 - Mercy Brings Hope
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
I do not condemn you. (Jn. 12:12)
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| Reflection: |
In moments when we feel ashamed, guilty, and empty; at moments of loss and bereavement, we need to hear words that do not condemn us.
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| Quote |
'How much wrong we do to God and His grace when we speak of sins being punished by His judgement before we speak of their being forgiven by His mercy. We have to put mercy before judgement, and in any event God's judgement will always be in the light of His mercy.' Pope Francis, 8 December, 2015.
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| Prayer: |
Give me, Lord, the hope always of your forgiveness. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 7 - Wednesday June 1 - Mercy is Tender
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. (Mt. 23:37).
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| Reflection: |
Tenderness is not weak help. It is like the love of the parent watching over a sick child all night, or a son/daughter watching over an elderly parent. This is strong love.
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| Quote |
'Tenderness! But the Lord loves us tenderly. The Lord gives us His love with tenderness. The Lord loves us in these two ways, and this is a powerful love, because closeness and tenderness reveal the strength of God's love.' Pope Francis, 7 June 2013.
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| Prayer: |
Help me, Lord, to look kindly on myself and others. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 8 - Thursday June 2 - Mercy in Action
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
When they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. (Mk. 1:29-31).
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| Reflection: |
A simple illness, but like us all, she wanted to get better, and hoped it wouldn't get worse. Jesus knew the others were worried. He healed her, a typical event in a day of Jesus.
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| Quote |
'In the corporal works of mercy we touch the flesh of Christ in our brothers and sisters who need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, visited.' Message for Lent, 2016.
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| Prayer: |
May we respond to his call to share with others, especially with the poor and forgotten of our world, the gift of divine mercy which we ourselves have received. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer. |
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Day 9 - Friday June 3 - Heart of Mercy
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Mt. 9:36).
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| Reflection: |
Crowds often brought the best out in Jesus. He wanted the best for them, so he taught them, or fed them, and wanted to guide them into the personal love of his Father.
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| Quote |
'When we go looking for Him, He sought us out first. He is always ahead of us, He's waiting for usin order to receive us in His heart, in His love ... He gives us joy and takes us on life's journey like a child, by our hand.' Pope Francis, 27 June, 2014
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| Prayer: |
Jesus, Son of the father, give me a heart of compassion like your own. Amen.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer.
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