Saturday, May 17, 2014

Novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel

Please Note: The Novena Dates have been adjusted slightly to allow for wider distribution. 
The novena will now run from Sunday, May 18, up to and including Monday, May 26.

Novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel

The word Novena comes from the word "novem" which means "nine." It is a prayer that is said for nine consecutive days, or in some cases other arrangements of nine.   A novena may be a private or public spiritual devotion for the purpose of offering thanksgiving for a special favour from God or to make a special petition.    Novenas have been prayed since the very beginning of the Church and remain a popular devotion.

After the Lord’s Ascension, Mary and the disciples gathered in the upper room, and constantly devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 1:12-14).  After nine days had passed, the promised Holy Spirit descended upon them with transforming power.  In that same spirit of openness to divine blessing and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we too pray our novenas.  

Be aware that in some cases, novenas can be presented in a superstitious manner. Any novena instructions that include words such as, "say this prayer for 9 consecutive days and your wish will be granted to you," or that describe the novena as "never fail" may lead one to believe that we have God at our beck and call rather than our being His humble servants.  While the prayers themselves might be OK, such instructions should be absolutely rejected.

You are invited to join in praying this novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel in thanksgiving to God for the 25th Anniversary of the Catholic Women’s League in our parish, and for the grace of continued openness to the presence and guidance of the life-giving Holy Spirit.

Once a day, from Sunday, May 18, up to and including Monday, May 26, please pray the following prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel, composed by Pope Pius XII:

Holy Virgin, moved by the painful uncertainty we experience in seeking and acquiring the true and the good, we cast ourselves at your feet and invoke you under the sweet title of  Mother of Good Counsel.  We beseech you: come to our aid at this moment in our worldly sojourn when the twin darknesses of error and of evil that plots our ruin by leading minds and hearts astray.

Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the victims of doubt and of error so that they may not be seduced by evil masquerading as good; strengthen them against the hostile and corrupting forces of passion and of sin.

Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from your Divine Son the love of virtue and the strength to choose, in doubtful and difficult situations, the course agreeable to our salvation. Supported by your hand we shall thus journey without harm along the paths taught us by the word and example of Jesus our Savior, following the Sun of Truth and Justice in freedom and safety across the battlefield of life under the guidance of thy maternal Star, until we come at length to the harbor of salvation to enjoy with thee unalloyed and everlasting peace. Amen.


(You are also invited to complement the daily prayer with daily activities as outlined below)


“Magnificat Novena of Praise”

Day One: Sunday, May 18
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord”

Activity: Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Day Two: Monday, May 19
“and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour
for he has looked with favour upon his lowly servant.”

Activity: Listen to a good and inspirational piece of music…

Day Three:  Tuesday, May 20
“From this day all generations shall call me blessed:
The Almighty one has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.”

Activity: Think of 50 things you are grateful to God for.
You can use your Rosary beads to keep count!

Day Four: Wednesday, May 21
“He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.”

Activity: Focus on and pray for one person to whom you need to offer forgiveness.

Day Five: Thursday, May 22
“He has shown the strength of his arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.”

Activity: Consider the gift of mobility, and read Acts 17:28.

Day Six:  Friday, May 23
“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.”

Activity: Visit, phone, e-mail, text, or write a letter as an act of encouragement.

Day Seven:  Saturday, May 24
“He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.”

Activity: Prepare a charitable donation of your choice for the needy.

Day Eight:    Sunday, May 25
“He has come to the help of his servant Israel, for he haw remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Activity: Pray three times today these words: “I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations” (Ps. 89:1)

Day Nine: Monday, May 26
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
                          As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.    
  
Activity: Be intentional about consecrating your work to God. 
Say “Amen” as you complete the ordinary tasks of the day.