My OperaChristian family prayer Praying a Novena
Thursday, May 6, 2010 2:52:02 AM
How do you pray a novena? The word Novena comes from the Latin word novem which means nine. So a novena is generally prayed for nine consecutive days " most often in preparation for a great feast day, or for a special prayer request or need.
Some novenas are prayed for nine consecutive weeks and the day of the week when it is prayed depends on the day associated with a devotion to a particular saint. For instance, a weekly novena to St. Joseph is usually done on a Wednesday since this is the day traditionally associated with devotions to him.
Some novenas are also spread over nine months, with each day of the Novena being on a First Friday. Likewise, there is an hourly novena which is prayed for nine consecutive hours such as the Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague.
There are also novenas which are not restricted to 9 hours, days, weeks or months. Some are 30-day novenas like the 30-day novena to St. Joseph.
Praying novenas has its reference in the Holy Bible. In Acts 1:14, Jesus told His followers to pray together in the upper room and so the apostles along with the Blessed Mother and other disciples of Jesus prayed for nine consecutive days until the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit or Pentecost.
Praying a novena is simple. Instructions are provided in novena prayer booklets and even online. Some are so simple that all you have to do is pray a short prayer, mention your prayer intention and pray it again the following day up to nine days.
Some novenas are long and contain various prayers. Usually, there is an opening prayer and different prayers each day or week. Some also incorporate the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary and Glory Be, Act of Contrition and other traditional Catholic prayers.
Because of its simplicity, anyone who wants to can say a novena. The popular novenas are those of the Mother of Perpetual Help and the Sacred Heart. A lot of prayers are said to have been granted after or during the praying of the aforementioned novenas. But remember that whatever novena you're praying, pray it from the heart. God looks inside our hearts and answers prayers in His own time, in His own way.
For various novenas and prayers, go to St. Joseph's Site. If you're wondering why inspite of praying novenas and other types of prayers, still your prayers are not granted, click here to find out why and what to do for your prayers to be granted.Christian Family Prayer: Christian Family Values Films
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