Day 4: Novena to the Sacred Heart

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Let us pray to the Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ who sent forth the Holy Ghost as the first gift of his love. 

 God, in the beginning, your Holy Spirit hovered over the waters. In the wake of our redemption, it wrapped the Virgin Mary in its shadow, grew the Heart of her Son within Her chest, and filled it with love. May your Holy Spirit come unto us and pour Your love into our hearts. 

 Through Christ our Lord, Your Son, Who lives and reign in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen

 From the Gospel of John 7,37-39

 "On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, "let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of living water will flow from within him'. He said his in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified."

Meditation

 We can place our hopes in the Heart of Christ. His Heart is the salvation of those who believe in him. 

The Lord, who on the eve of His passion asked the Apostles to trust Him - "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God; have faith also in me." (John 14: 1) - asks us today to trust him entirely. He asks this of us because he loves us: His heart was pierced, His hands and feet were nailed for our salvation.

Whoever believes in Christ and in the power of his love, renews within themselves the experience of Mary Magdalena, as shown in the paschal liturgy: "Christ, my hope, is risen!"

Let us then seek refuge in the Heart of Christ! He offers us the eternal Word (cf Mt 24,25), an endless love, a perpetual friendship, and His everlasting presence (Mt 28,20).

Closing Prayer

 O God, Your Son didn't reject Thomas for his lack of faith: instead, He allowed him to touch His hands and side. Lord, we know our faith is frail, we pray that You may make it stronger. Through Christ Your Son, who sits by your throne, bearing the glorious scars of his wounds, now and forever. Amen.

Pray the Sacred Heart Chaplet. Here's how to proceed:

  • Begin with the following prayer on the Crucifix (written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, or St. Thomas of Aquinas): 

'Soul of Christ, sanctify me/Body of Christ, save me/Blood of Christ, inebriate me/Water from the side of Christ, wash me/Passion of Christ, strengthen me/O Good Jesus, hear me/Within your wounds, hide me/Permit me not to be separated from you/From the wicked foe, defend me/At the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you/That with your saints I may praise you forever and ever. Amen.

  • On the large beads say:

'O sweetest Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may ever love you more and more.'

  • On the small beads say:

'Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love.'

  • At the end of each decade, say:

'Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation'. 

  • Upon completing the chaplet, say:

'May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be blessed, adored and praised with grateful affection, at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time.'

Community prayer

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, To you I consecrate and offer up My person and my life, My actions, trials, and sufferings, That my entire being may henceforth only be employed In loving, honoring and glorifying you. This is my irrevocable will, To belong entirely to you, And to do all for your love, Renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease you. I take you, O Sacred Heart, For the sole object of my love, The protection of my life, The pledge of my salvation, The remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, The reparation for all the defects of my life, And my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be you, O Most Merciful Heart, My justification before God your Father, And screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, But placing my entire confidence in you, O Heart of Love, I hope all from your infinite goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist you. Imprint your pure love so deeply in my heart That I may never forget you or be separated from you. I beseech you, through your infinite goodness, Grand that my name be engraved upon your Heart, For in this place all my happiness and all my glory, To live and die as one of your devoted servants. Amen.

Thank you! 42 people prayed

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6

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Novena to the Sacred Heart

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