The nine-day period between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost was the original "novena". Hence, the many different novenas practised in the Church have a biblical prototype, from which they take their origin, meaning and justification as a prayer of the Church.

"Together they devoted themselves to prayer". As we reflect on this community at prayer, some special features attract our attention. First of all, Luke's reference to the community at prayer comes after the names of the Apostles. Hence, all prayer is apostolic in that it unites us more closely with Jesus and his original community of Apostles. Hence, too, prayer must always be ecclesial: flowing from the Church and drawing us towards the Church. Prayer that carries us away from the Church can never be truly Christian prayer.

This ecclesial dimension is then reinforced by attention to the presence of Mary, Mother of Jesus, she is now Mother of the Church because she has accepted from her son his new "Annunciation" from the Cross. Like the Apostles, Mary received a mission from Jesus. Truly Christian prayer will never draw us away from Mary, nor will it create false images of her, images inconsistent with her twofold vocation of motherhood: Mother of God and Mother of God's holy people, the Church.