NOVENA OF THE SACRED HEART

First Day A Day with Jesus of Nazareth 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’.[Jn1;38] Meditation: Because prayer is a 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’. 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

Second Day Jesus the Compassionate Friend 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 not the time to eat”. [Mk 6;31] Meditation; If we are so busy that we do not have even fifteen minutes each 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, Prayer; Lord , help us to hear you 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.

Third Day Jesus the Friend of Sinners 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 welcomed him joyfully’ [Lk.19;5-7] Meditation; In prayer, we come as loved and forgiven sinners to meet Jesus. He told us 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 Zacchaues, and changed their lives forever. Prayer; Lord, you come 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.

Fourth Day Jesus our Friend in Need Scripture; ‘Peter said to Jesus, “Lord if it is you, tell me to come to you cross the water’. Jesus said, Come” [Mt;28-29] 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. Prayer; Lord ,it is so hard for us to recognize 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. Help us to grow in trust of you. SACRED HEART OF JESUS,I PLACE ALL MY TRUST IN YOU.

Fifth day Jesus the One Who Invites. 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] 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 made for him. We need to take time out for prayer, 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 transform our lives. SACRED HEART OF JESUS, HELP US GROW IN PRAYER.

Sixth day Jesus the Patient Friend 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] 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. 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.

Seventh Day The God who lives within us. 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] 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! 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. SACRED HEART OF JESUS, INCREASE OUR FAITH

Eight Day Jesus invites us to stay with him in his passion. 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] 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. 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.

NINTH DAY Jesus invites us to our home in heaven 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] 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 fulfilment and happiness forever. Our prayer-life is meant to prepare us for this. 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 hoe life progress we seem to be making SACRED HEART OF JESUS, MAKE US READY FOR HEAVEN.

Novena Prayer Lord Jesus, your Sacred Heart is always open in love to each of us, and especially when we are suffering. To all who come to you seeking your help, and show your compassion and haling power. You care for us when we are lost, sympathize with us in loneliness and comfort us in mourning; you are closest to us when we are weakest. You reach out your hand to us when we stumble and have most need of your help. I ask you to listen to my prayer during this novena, and grant what I ask [make your request silently]. But if what I ask is not for my own good or that of others, grant me always what is best, that I may build up your kingdom of love in our world. Amen

I await you with open arms