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How to pray to the Novena
This Novena is for the nine days leading to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, on June 27.
These are some help for making the Novena to the Sacred Heart privately, in your family or any other group.
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 for is to know personally the love of God in the Heart of Christ.
Read the reflection and meditate slowly, pausing when something strikes you. A prayer takes up the theme of the day, and you end with the Novena Prayer (on the right).
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NOVENA PRAYER
TO THE SACRED HEART |
Lord Jesus, the needs of your people open your heart in love to each of us. You
care for us when we are lost, sympathize with us in loneliness and comfort us in mourning; you are closest to us when we are at our weakest. You love us most when we love ourselves least; you forgive
us most when we forgive ourselves least; you call us to spread your love in whatever way we can.
Lord Jesus, your heart is moved with compassion when we are suffering, when we need your help and when we pray for each other. I ask you to listen to my prayer during this novena, and grant what I
ask. . . (make your request). If what I ask is not for my own good and the good of others, grant me always what is best for me, that I may build up your kingdom of
love in our world. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I place all my trust in You.
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AN OPEN HEART
(Day 1 & 2 June 19 & 20) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. I have not come to call the virtuous to repent, but outcasts' (Lk. 5:31).
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| Meditation: |
Jesus reveals to us that we all have the same Father in heaven who calls us to live together as brothers and sisters in justice and love. That is why he ignores the taunts of his enemies and extends the hand of friendship to the outcasts of his time, such as tax-collectors, prostitutes and lepers.
His action invites us, even at the risk of criticism, to befriend the outcasts of our day, especially those who have been branded as socially deviant - such as drug addicts and criminals - and all those who have been left behind by the tide of affluence and become the jetsam of society - like the pitiful hordes of refugees and displaced persons who roam our world.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, may I always show my gratitude for your gifts by keeping a place in my heart for those who are rejected and despised.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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SOURCE OF HELP
(Day 3 & 4 June 21 & 22) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Peter got out of the boat and walked across the water towards Jesus, but noticing the strong wind he took fright and began to sink. Save me, Lord!, he cried. Jesus reached out and held his hand' (Mt. 14:29).
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| Meditation: |
Peter proceeds safely across the water until that fateful moment when he allows himself to be distracted by the fierce wind and mountainous waves. Overcome by fear, he takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to sink.
Have we not done the same at times? Allowing ourselves to be intimidated by the menacing waves of secularism. Losing heart amidst the tide of hostility against the Church. Forgetting, all too quickly, the assurance given to us by Jesus: 'I have overcome the world'.
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| Prayer: |
Save me, Lord, from the shapeless spectre of anxiety that clouds my vision and leads my feet astray. When times are turbulent, help me to keep my eyes on you. And when times are perilous, hold me in your arms.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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SOURCE OF TRUTH
(Day 5 June 23) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Jesus appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him. And he said to them: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Take no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals' (Lk. 10:1,4).
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| Meditation: |
The Church continues to raise up missionaries who bring the Good News to distant parts. These are generous men and women who spread the light of the Gospel by living the life of Christ: trusting in poverty to give them credibility; enduring hardship and sometimes rejection; preferring to serve rather than be served and, therefore, adapting themselves to the local cultures and working under the guidance of native leaders.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, help us share in the great enterprise of our missionaries by supporting them generously and remaining faithful to your teaching.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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SOURCE OF LIGHT
(Day 6 June 24) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'The blind man said to Jesus, Master, let me see again. Jesus said to him, Go, your faith has saved you. At once his sight returned and he followed Jesus along the way' (Mk. 11:52).
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| Meditation: |
As soon as the blind man's sight is restored his eyes rest on the person of Jesus and his search is over. He wants nothing more. He has found a new purpose in life and commits himself to Jesus. From now on he is content 'to seek first the kingdom of God, knowing that everything else will be added'.
Sometimes, in the confusion of life, it is hard to see the way forward, to see what is important and what is not important, to discern what is right from what is wrong. Like Bartimaeus, we need the gift of sight so that we can see things in perspective and keep our priorities right.
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| Prayer: |
We have been called to see Christ in our neighbour and to find God in all things. Help us Lord, to be faithful to that calling.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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BREAD OF LIFE
(Day 7 June 25) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood, live in me as I live in them, and I will raise them up on the last day' (Jn. 6:54-56).
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| Meditation: |
The sacrament of the Eucharist gives us food for our journey through life and draws us into closer union with God by enabling us 'to have in us the mind and heart that is in Christ Jesus'. It gives us the grace to see things as Jesus sees them and to feel for people in the same way as Jesus does. It transforms our vision and values so that we can then go forth and collaborate with others in the transformation of our world, bringing peace to those who are broken by violence, relief to those who are crushed by injustice and hope to those who live in despair.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, may my prayer always lead to action, my faith issue in justice, and my love for you show itself in the service of others.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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WELL OF COMPASSION
(Day 8 June 26) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'There was a woman in the crowd who suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years. She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak and her bleeding stopped at once' (Lk. 8:43-44).
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| Meditation: |
It is heard at times to avoid feeling discouraged. We try to keep our spirits up but we get weighed down by worries that have shadowed our steps for years. Or, again, we try hard to change but we see little sign of improvement; the same old failings are still there like the creaking steps in the stairs.
It could be that this Gospel story is meant for us. Jesus' compassionate response to the persistent woman assures us that our efforts are not in vain and that our prayers will not go unanswered.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, you urge us to keep asking and you promise that we shall recieve. Help me to trust you and never lose heart in your mercy.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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FOUNT OF JOY
(Day 9 June 27) How to pray to the
Novena
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| Scripture: |
'You are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy' (Jn. 16:22).
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| Meditation: |
Joy flows into our hearts from a sense of God's presence in our lives and his activity in our world. His union with us is as close as that between a vine and its branches. His action in our world is as hidden and effective as that of leaven in dough. Despite the many evils that beset our society, his plan continues to unfold so that 'for those who love God, all things work together for good.'
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| Prayer: |
Help me, Lord, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to labour and not to seek reward, knowing that the joy of your friendship is enough to sustain me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart. |
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