Novena to Saint Ignatius
The tradition of praying for a special intention for nine days originates from the belief that Mary and the eleven remaining disciples spent nine days praying together in the upper room, waiting for the Spirit to come upon them at Pentecost. The disciples were a small community of fragile yet hopeful trust. They knew the chaos of confusion, yet were also stirred by a deep desire within their hearts to continue to follow Jesus and reflect his love in their own lives. In that respect, they were probably very much like ourselves.
We invite you to join us in praying this Nine Day Novena to Saint Ignatius Loyola. It is traditional to pray the Novena for a particular intention – to ask for what you desire from God. Pray for your own needs, those of your loved ones, or the needs of the world.
While praying for your special intention, it’s important to hold in your heart and truly believe that God knows what’s best for you, those around you and the world. This act of letting go and letting God, or let God’s will be done, regardless of our initial intention, is an act of true faith. As Saint Ignatius would say “Suscipe”, Take Lord, all that I am and have. Give me Your love and grace, for this is all I need.
The Novena can be said at any time of the year, but traditionally people prefer to say a Novena leading up to an important feast day or significant day in the life of a saint. With the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola being the 31st of July, you could start the first day of the Novena on the 23rd of July and conclude with the ninth day on the 31st of July.
Some other significant dates in the life of Saint Ignatius are his cannonball moment on the 20th of May (start on the 12th). His first mass at the Church of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome on the 25th of December (start on the 17th), and the founding of the Society of Jesus on the 27th of September (start on the 19th). Another alternative is to use a date that’s significant to you and start the Novena to Saint Ignatius nine days before that date.
Each day of the Novena is ordered in the following way::
- A few words from Scripture relevant to the theme of the day
- A brief description of some aspect of Ignatius’ teaching and its application to our lives in today’s world
- A reflection on which to ponder for a few minutes
- A personal prayer for the day
- A Novena prayer binds the nine days of this prayer journey together.
On each of the nine days, try to have a few quiet moments with yourself or with others to reflect on the scripture passage and the day’s brief summary of a specific teaching of St. Ignatius. Then, in your own time, move on to the reflection and think about what it might say to you today. Then pass on to the short prayer and make it your own. Always conclude with the Novena Prayer and include any intention you would like to make.
For a more extensive introduction to the life and teaching of St Ignatius, see also the link Saint Ignatius
