Praying Novenas

A Classic Tradition of Prayer in the Church
Praying novenas is a classic tradition of prayer in the Church.
It was based on that event when after Jesus' Ascension into
heaven, the apostolic community spent days in prayer awaiting
the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Praying novenas is likened unto that experience of awaiting
the gifts that the Holy Spirit had bestowed upon the apostolic
community - wherein they were given the courage to go forth to
the ends of the world and preach the Gospel of Christ.

Praying novenas involves praying for nine consecutive days
and is often associated with a devotion to the Lord, the
Blessed Mother or any of the angels and the saints. Although
praying novenas is one of the methods of practicing devotions,
it is not the only method of practicing Catholic devotions.

The method of praying novenas in practicing a devotion is
a way of entreating God for special intentions and favors
without forgetting that He really loves us and that He will
give us what is really best for us.

The official method of praying novenas often involves spiritual
preparation being made for a solemnity or specific liturgical
feast. To cite an example, in preparation for the feast of
the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a date
will be set for the praying of a novena in honor of her
Immaculate Conception. And usually it is set nine days before
the feast. Praying novenas for special occasions like this
usually involve the whole parish - especially if it relates
to the celebration of the patron saint of the parish.

Can Praying Novenas Be An Individual Spiritual Exercise?
Praying novenas can be an individual spiritual exercise. If
a Catholic would want to ask a special favor or would want
to petition the Lord for a special intention, then the most
popular way of doing so is undertaking the praying of a
novena in relation to his or her devotions. Usually, praying
novenas in this way requires the performance of other things:
such as going to Mass everyday during the nine days, going to
Confession, receiving communion, fasting or performing charitable
works or penitential acts. Today, praying novenas are simply
done by just reciting the prayers and going to Mass. If the
sins committed by the person doing the novena are not that
serious, then the act of going to communion is in a way already
a desire to reconcile oneself with the Lord. But it is required
that the communicant still go to confession when he has the time
and the opportunity.

The Benefits and Advantages of Praying Novenas
If what we pray with faith is done purely, sincerely and
accompanied with fasting and the practice of mercy, then
certainly, what we ask for in praying novenas will be granted
to us. It takes much faith, prayer, fasting and mercy to
obtain what we desire from the Lord. But in praying novenas,
let us not be caught and imprisoned in the "novena mentality"
- meaning that if we practice the method of praying novenas
and do all the formulaic prayers, we will 100% get what we
ask for. Praying novenas is not magic nor is it some kind
of gasoline station of God's graces - that when we pay with
the amount of words and prayers, we receive the amount of
corresponding graces. This is not the real meaning of
praying novenas. Rather, the deeper meaning of praying
novenas is to understand that what we are really praying
for is the changing of our willful and strongly determined
wills to that of one more docile to the will of God and
His Holy Spirit. If praying novenas were understood in
this light, then our spirituality will grow deeper and we
will see the wisdom of seeking God's will over what we
really want. Praying novenas thus is a spiritual exercise
of making us more attuned to God's holy will in our lives.
And when we do indeed get attuned to God's most holy will,
then for sure whatever we receive will be what we truly ask
for, what we truly want, and what we truly need. And this
goes not only for us but also for those in our families,
in our communities of friends and acquaintances and in
our places of work and parishes.

Dennis-Emmanuel Cabrera
December 26, 2004

Articles and Blogs
Praying the Rosary
Lectio Divina
Eucharistic Adoration
Retreats and Recollections
Spiritual Reading
Praying Novenas
Confession
Devotions
Communion

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