June 3, 2015 Wednesday: Novena to the Sacred Heart begins Thursday, June 4, 2015
Novena to the Sacred Heart
The most Sacred Heart of Jesus! The burning Heart of God which pours forth His infinite love for us! It is perhaps the greatest of all the devotions, as it is centered in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. It is said to be St Padre Pio's favorite devotion and he recited the novena prayer below every day for all those who asked his prayers. Like many Saints, Padre Pio knew the power of the infinite love and mercy that comes forth from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This year (2015), the Church celebrates the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 12, and so this year the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins Thursday, June 4, 2015.
The origin of the idea of praying for a special intention for nine days comes from the 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 fragile yet hopeful trust, of confusion 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.
Brendan Comerford, SJ
http://novenas.sacredspace.ie/novena-to-the-sacred-heart
The most Sacred Heart of Jesus! The burning Heart of God which pours forth His infinite love for us! It is perhaps the greatest of all the devotions, as it is centered in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. It is said to be St Padre Pio's favorite devotion and he recited the novena prayer below every day for all those who asked his prayers. Like many Saints, Padre Pio knew the power of the infinite love and mercy that comes forth from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This year (2015), the Church celebrates the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 12, and so this year the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins Thursday, June 4, 2015.
The origin of the idea of praying for a special intention for nine days comes from the 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 fragile yet hopeful trust, of confusion 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.
Brendan Comerford, SJ
http://novenas.sacredspace.ie/novena-to-the-sacred-heart
