Sacred Heart Novena

Here we present another Novena to the Sacred Heart, that was originally created collaboratively by Sacred Space and Messenger Publications. A novena is a nine-day prayer for which we typically set an intention or bring a particular petition before the Lord. Naming your desire to God helps you to clarify and focus. The origin of the idea of praying for a special intention for nine days is very attractive and worth thinking about – it comes from the alleged length of time that Mary and the eleven remaining disciples spent praying together in the upper room, waiting for the Spirit to come upon them at Pentecost. In our imitation of them in these nine days, we’ll surely be in good company, especially with Mary, the one who shows us what our attitude in prayer should be: she always trusted, despite confusion; she continued to hope, despite the seeming darkness. The disciples were a small community of ordinary people with fragile yet hopeful trust, of insecurities and limitations, yet deep desire within their hearts. In short, they were probably very much like ourselves at the beginning of this novena.

On each day of the novena, try to have a few quiet moments with yourself or with others to reflect on the scripture passage. 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 end with the Novena Prayer and include in it any intention you would like to make.

‘The Lord waits to be gracious to you!’ Our God is a gracious God and will attend lovingly to your prayer over these nine days. While God knows the special grace you may be asking for in this novena, it is right that you ask Him for it. In prayer, we give our attention, our desire and our time; that is our contribution to the encounter: God does the rest.

Meeting the Lord

Try to set aside some regular time each day for your prayer. When you are settled in your prayer chair/space, draw up another chair for the Lord, and imagine Him gazing at you lovingly and humbly, as Saint Teresa of Avila says.

If you are sick and in bed, invite him to sit beside you in the visitor’s chair. You can spend time on this mutual gazing; it is consoling to gaze at someone who looks at you with great love. Next, read the scripture text for the day slowly. Then ask the Lord to read it to you. Hear the tone of His voice, see His facial expression. He is speaking to you. Chat with Him, as one friend would chat with another – as Saint Ignatius of Loyola puts it. Chat about what? About what He has read to you, about your relationship with Him, your daily affairs, your hopes and fears, the persons and situations that you worry about. Imagine Him responding to you.

At the end, don’t just drift out of your prayer: say goodbye to your Guest, thank Him for coming, and plan together when to meet again.