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How to Pray the Novena
This Novena is to help you prepare for the Feast of The Sacred Heart on 11 June, 2021. You may pray the Novena privately or with others - members of your family, neighbours or friends - over the nine days.
Read the scripture meditation slowly, pausing when something strikes you. A prayer takes up the theme of the day, and you end with the Novena Prayer. You may include in it any intention you like to make, for yourself or for others.
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CLOSING PRAYER (to be said each day)
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Lord Jesus, you have said, 'Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you'. I cometo 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. Amen.
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Day 1 - Thursday 3 June : A Day with Jesus of Nazareth How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'The two disciples said to Jesus, "Master, where do you live?" "Come and see," he replied, and they stayed with him the rest of that day' (Jn. 1:38).
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| Meditation: |
Because prayer is relationship of love, Jesus always leaves us free to respond or not. He asks each of us what it is we really want. To those who really want to find him, he says, 'Come, and meet me in real prayer, and open your hearts to me'.
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| Prayer: |
Lord Jesus, you are saying to each of us, 'Come, and see'. Help us to meet you truly in prayer, and to discover the joy of coming to know and love you. Teach us how to spend time with you every day.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, open our hearts to you.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 2 - Friday 4 June : Jesus the compassionate friend
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Jesus said, "Come away to some lonely place, and rest yourselves for a while," for there were so many coming and going that they had no time even to eat' (Mk. 6:31).
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| Meditation: |
If we are so busy that we do not have even fifteen minutes each day to feed our spirit in prayer, then we are too busy. Our human nature longs for the truth, beauty, and love that are in God, and for the joy and peace to be found in being with him.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, help us to hear your invitation to take time out each day to turn aside and rest in your company. Teach us to speak to you in our own words, and teach us how to listen to you in our hearts.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, stay with us always.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 3 - Saturday 5 June : Jesus the friend of sinners
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'When Jesus came to the spot he looked up and spoke to him, "Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am going to stay at your house today'. And he hurried down and welcomes him joyfully' (Lk. 19:5-7).
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| Meditation: |
In prayer, we come as loved and forgiven sinners to meet Jesus. He told us that he came to call sinners to repentance, and that he would give his life for love of them. He sought out their company, as he did Zacchaeus, and changed their lives forever.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, you came to invite sinners to be your friends. Help us to recognize our need for your healing and forgiveness. When you forgive, you also forget our sins. Help us to do the same for ourselves and others.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, heal us in body and spirit.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 4 : Sunday 6 June : Jesus our friend in need.
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water." Jesus said, "Come" (Mt. 14:28-29).
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| Meditation: |
It is especially when we are in difficulties that our prayer-life becomes a source of strength and peace for us. In every crisis we face, Jesus is bidding us come across the troubled waters to him. Through each event of our lives, our God is shaping us for a future of happiness.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, it is so hard for us to recognise you in the difficult times in our lives. Yet you are always there in the midst of them, ready to reach out your hand to hold and save us. Help us to grow in trust of you.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 5 - Monday 7 June : Jesus the one who invites.
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Martha went and called her sister Mary, saying, "The Master is here and wants you to come to him". Hearing this, Mary got up quickly and went to him' (Jn. 11:28-29).
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| Meditation: |
What a beautiful invitation to prayer this is! It is the same Master who is calling us now to come to him in prayer. In every human heart, there is a deep longing for God, because we are all made for him. We need to take time out for prayer.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, grant that our personal meetings with you in prayer may become the joy of our lives. Every moment spent in your company changes us slowly. Give us grace to allow you to love us, and to transform our lives.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, help us grow in prayer.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 6 - Tuesday 8 June : Jesus the patient friend
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
"Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him" (Rev. 3:20).
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| Meditation: |
It is true that from our earliest days Jesus has stood knocking at the door of our hearts, and will do so until the end of our lives, with infinite patience. It is never too late to open the door of our hearts and to invite him in.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, we do not understand why you love us so much and are so patient with us. It can only be because you are love itself, and so want only the joy and happiness of the beloved. Help us to open to you.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, help us to listen to you.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 7 - Wednesday 9 June : The God who lives within us
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'Jesus answered, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him" (Jn. 14:23).
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| Meditation: |
One of the main fruits of faithfulness in prayer is the gradual opening of our eyes, so that we learn to take Christ at his word. Very few Christians really believe that our God lives within hearts that truly seek him. How different our lives would be if we could accept this!
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| Prayer: |
Lord Jesus, help us truly to believe in your words. While on earth, your greatest happiness was to encounter real faith. Teach us in prayer how to recognize your presence within us, and how really to live our faith.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, increase our faith.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 8 - Thursday 10 June : Jesus invites us to stay with him in his passion
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
'And to all he said, "If any one wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and come, follow me." (Lk. 9:23)
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| Meditation: |
True friends do not desert each other in times of sorrow and trouble. Jesus invited his disciples to stay with him in his passion. By uniting our crosses with his, we can enter more deeply into his life, and become more like him.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, help us to pray each Friday on your passion and death, and so to stay with you in your real human suffering. Help us to realize that you are very close to us, especially in our times of suffering.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, stay with us in our suffering.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer. |
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Day 9 - Friday 11 June : Jesus invites us to our home in Heaven
How to pray the Novena
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| Scripture: |
"Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world" (Mt. 25:34)
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| Meditation: |
Jesus has promised to come and take us to heaven when our life's journey is over. We were made for a life of complete fulfillment and happiness forever. Our prayer-life is meant to prepare us for this.
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| Prayer: |
Lord, you gave your life, so that we could be with you in heaven forever. Help us to persevere in a life of heart-prayer, no matter how little progress we seem to be making.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, make us ready for heaven.
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| End: |
Say the Novena Closing Prayer.
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