In order to prepare for the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June, while honoring His Mother Mary during this month of May, we offer this Novena to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
DAY ONE: WOMAN OF FAITH
Scripture:
” I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.”(Lk1:26-38)
Reflection:
Fr Chevalier in honouring Mary with the new title Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, wanted to express all the aspects of the relationship between Jesus and his mother, “the one chosen by God to play a special role in Salvation History.She accepted her role personally in faith.”(1)”By faith she accepted the mystery of her Son. By faith she became the first disciple of Jesus. By her active faith in the Person and Mission of Jesus she became the Mother of the Church.” She was ever the faithful virgin. We learn from her life of faith.
Meditation:“The aspect of Mary’s life that receives most attention in the Scriptures is her faith. Her relationship with Jesus deepened because of her grow-ing faith. The ‘Constitution on the Church’ (n.58) says, ‘The Blessed Virgin Mary advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the Cross.’ Abraham is called ‘Father of our faith’ because of his faith in God. Mary could well be called ‘the Mother of our faith’ because of her deep faith in Christ.”
Time for quiet reflection:Let us seek Mary’s help to deepen our appreciation of the gift of faith and how to live it in our daily life.
Prayer:
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, you are our mother.
You are blessed for your firm believing, for your trust in the will of Him whom
you loved with all your heart. Lead us, Mother, in the way of faith,
so that we too may believe and be blessed by your Son. (4)
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
Woman of faith, pray for us.
Source:http://www.sacredheart.org.au/pdf/Novena%20Booklet%20Final.pdf
DAY TWO:
WOMAN OF SERVICE
Scripture
:
“Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in
the hill country of Judah. She went into Zachariah’s house and greeted
Elizabeth.” (Lk 1:39
–
45)
Reflection
: Fr Chevalier wrote, “The Angel had greeted Mary as ‘full of grace’.
The Saviour of the world dwells in her womb, and in the goodness of his Heart has
already chosen her to dispense his gifts.
In answer to the plans of his divine Heart the Blessed Virgin does not hesitate to un-
dertake a long and difficult journey. ‘She leaves with haste’, says the holy Gospel.
No matter that the road she has to take is mountainous. The love in the Heart of Jesus
urges her on; she does not want to cause any delay. Weariness is nothing for her; the
will of God is everything.”(5)
Meditation
: Though it had just been announced to Mary that she was to be the
mother of the Messiah, she selflessly travelled to visit Elizabeth who was pregnant at
an advanced age. She thought of others and generously reached out to Elizabeth in her
need.
Time for quiet reflection:
Each of us can be a good neighbour by simple acts of
kindness. Let us ask Mary to help us see and act on such possibilities.
Prayer
:
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, may we learn to give of ourselves in the
service of our sisters and brothers. Help us to be formed in the spirit of your Son.
Pray for us, so that we might follow his example of loving service,
shown in his readiness to help anyone in need.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
Woman of Service, pray for us
DAY THREE: WOMAN OF JOY
Scripture:“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.” (Lk 1:46-56)
Reflection:When Mary visited Elizabeth, she responded to her cousin’s greeting with the wonderful song of joy: “My soul glorifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.” Fr Chevalier, truly caught up in Mary’s joy, invites us to share in this joy: “It is to you, Mary the Ark of God, the wonder of all ages, that the eyes of all are turned. And so all generations will proclaim you blessed.However, later this experience of joy for Mary was tempered with the insight of Simeon the prophet in the temple, with this ominous glimpse into the future: ‘Behold this Child is set for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign of contradiction, and your own soul will be pierced by a lance.’”
Sorrow in the midst of joy –Mary is truly one of us, for that is our lot too.
Meditation:Mary’s Magnificat, her song of praise, focuses on the great source of true joy, openness to God’s call to her. If we really want to be fully happy, we too, should welcome God’s call to us. We see what God has done through Mary, a simple, poor young woman from a poor country. Nothing is impossible to God; be glad and rejoice.
Time for quiet reflection:Let us reflect with Mary on the gifts of God which have brought joy into our lives, e.g. family, faith, friends and the beauty of creation… Is our presence in our family, group or community giving or creating joy in others?
Prayer:Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, let our joy abound from a life centred on the love of Jesus and of others. May we always give joy to those we meet. As evangelised people, may we promote happiness and joy in the world so often full of bad news.Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Woman of Joy, pray for us.
DAY FOUR: WOMAN OF THE FAMILY
Scripture:“Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Lk 2:39-52)
Reflection:Fr. Chevalier wrote: “What joy, peace, unity and happiness was experienced within the Holy Family. In this home Jesus obeyed Mary and Joseph. Here he grew in wisdom and age and grace. From his childhood Our Lord could have made his way in the world, but he did not want to. He preferred to live forgotten, silent, apart; and to do this up to the age of thirty in a family. Our daily life, hidden in God, is a great source of grace if lived without complaint, if passed in carrying out our daily duties, if accepted in a spirit of faith.” The Church, the family of God, desires that we, too, grow “in wisdom and age and grace,” and good family life is a powerful means to attain this.
Meditation:Mary was a mother and she had to look after her family in all sorts of circumstances: in her home, as a refugee, when her Son was on the road, and above all at the foot of the Cross. She has a mother’s awareness of the difficulties we are experiencing; she is anxious to help, without being intrusive. She showed that in the life of her Son, and she shows it now to all of us.
Time for quiet reflection: Mary knew family life and its needs. Let us now speak to her about ours.
Prayer: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, you formed a loving family. You were united in prayer, work and enjoyment. It was in this home that you, Jesus, increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and people. From here you set out on the greatest mission of all time.May parents in our day be supported by your example and prayer –Jesus, Mary and Joseph. May our children be well cared for, and not be aborted, abandoned or abused.Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Woman of the Family, pray for us
DAY
FIVE:
WOMAN OF
THE
POOR
Scripture:
“Jesus went into the synagogue and stood up to read.
‘The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He sent me to bring the good news to the poor.’” (Lk 4:16
–
22)
Reflection:
“Mary was deeply imbued with the spirit of the ‘poor of the Lord’,
who in the prayer of the Psalms awaited from God their salvation, placing all their
trust in him. ‘The Lord will always hear those who are in need.’ (Psalm 69:33)
She understood that God heard the cry of the poor. She witnessed this in the life of
her Son, who was born in a stable, lived among simple people and preached the good
news to the poor.”(8)
Meditation:
Mary of Nazareth belonged to a poor and needy people. Her heart was
full of humble trust. She did not trust in money, powerful friends, land or education.
She was totally dependent upon God whose love she trusted.
Time for quiet reflection:
We, too, have needs, both spiritual and temporal. Let us
ask Mary to help us to identify them, bring them to Jesus, and be sensitive to the needs
of others.
Prayer:
Mary of Nazareth, draw us to trust the love of your Son, first of all by
acknowledging that without him we can do nothing.
It is Jesus who said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” (Matthew 5:3)
Help us to be confident in coming to your Son with our needs and those of all for
whom we pray.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
Woman of the Poor, pray for us.
Petitions and Thanksgivings of the week a