NINE DAYS' COUNTDOWN

As Jesus left his followers, he told them to return to The Upper Room in Jerusalem, to devote themselves to prayer. They did this for the next nine days;

and on the tenth day they experienced empowerment to do

what Jesus asked of them at the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 We are invited to pray in these days leading up to Pentecost.

The name of this time of prayer, “Novena”, is derived from the Latin “Novem” – nine.

Salvador Dali - "The Ascension of Christ" (left) & "Christ of St John of the Cross" (right)

I offer these as a prayerful aid and focus for the days ahead -

leading to the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Day 1 – Fri. 30th  May – Pray for those suffering through natural or human disaster. For agencies of relief, especially Christian Aid, CAFOD.

Reading: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6) 

Lord Jesus Christ, you have put your life into our hands;

now we put our lives into yours.

Take us, renew us, remake us.

What we have been is past;

what we shall be, through you,

still awaits us.

Lead us on.

Take us with you.

Day 2 – Sat. 31st  May – Pray for refugees, & people living in danger.

Reading: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope: my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130: 5-6)

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest,

stay with us, for the time is drawing close.

With friend, with stranger, with young and with old,

be among us today.

Come close to us that we may come close to you.

Forgive us that we may forgive one another.

Renew us so that, where we have failed,

we may be strengthened in your power.

Day 3 – Sun 1st June - Pray for our homes, our churches.

Reading: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”   Revelation 3:20

Father ever-Welcoming,

Hospitable Jesus,

Inviting Spirit,

make the roof of this place wide enough for all opinions;

oil the door of this place so it opens easily

to friend and stranger;

set the Table of this place

that all may feast at it in kindly and free manner.

Day 4 – Mon. 2nd June – The oppressed; those living under tyranny

Reading: “Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me 

to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’” Luke 4:18-19

Give us, Father, a vision of your world as love would make it;

a world where the weak are protected and none go hungry;

a world whose benefits are shared, so that everyone can enjoy them;

a world whose different peoples and cultures live with tolerance and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is fired with love; and give us the courage to build it, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Betty Hares

Day 5 – Tue. 3rd June – Pray for those who have no faith in God;

for the times we lose faith.

Reading: “They returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.  When they entered the city, they went to the upper room where they were staying.  All were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” Acts 1:12-14.

When all around us seems dark and uncertain,

when our faith is low and we find it hard to see you;

come to us then, Lord, as you came to your disciples

in the darkest hour of their night, and let the light of your presence dispel our fears, renew our trust, and bring sight to our faith.

Let us open our hands,

open our hearts,

open the hidden places of our being,

to the Living Presence,

the Very Self of Jesus.

Day 6 – Wed. 4th June - Pray that God may be in all that we do.

Reading: “God, you are my God, for you I long,

My soul is thirsting for you, my flesh is longing for you,

I am like a land that is parched, weary and waterless.” Psalm 63:1

Be with my hands as they work.

Be with my eyes as they see.

Be with my ears as they hear.

Be with my tongue as it speaks.

Be with my feelings and my thoughts.

Be with the people I meet.

Be with the things I make.

Be with the decisions I take.

Be in and through, over and under all,

that doing and hearing and seeing,

speaking and making and being,

I may glimpse your glory,

hear your voice

and joyfully work with you

to create a new heaven and a new earth.

Kate Mcllhagga

Day 7 – Thur. 5th June – Pray for those living in fear; the depressed.

Reading: “But now thus says the Lord …….. 

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; 

I have called you by name,

you are mine.” Isaiah 43

Lord Jesus, you told your friends not to worry about the future.

You showed them how to have the attitude of simple trust

that young children have, so that they could place themselves

into the caring hands of your Father.

And so I ask for the power of your Spirit

that I may remain positive throughout all that is ordinary

in my daily life. May any difficulties and frustration and pain

of this day be transformed in your presence

for my benefit and for that of other people.         Nicholas Henderson, S.J.

Day 8 – Fri. 6th June – Pray that we may bring hope to the hopeless.

Our hopes for a world as God intended it to be.

Reading: “In God alone my soul in silence waits,

From him comes my safety;

With him alone for my rock, my safety,

My fortress, I can never fall.”    Psalm 62: 1-2

You, The God of all time, want us to wait for the right time

in which to discover who we are, where we must go,

who will be with us, and what we must do…..

Thank you for the waiting time.

You, The God of all space,

want us to lookin the right and wrong places for signs of hope,

for people who are hopeless,

for visions of a better world which will appear among the disappointments

of the world we know…

So, thank you for the looking time

You, The God whose name is love, want us to be like you…

To love the loveless and the unlovely and the unlovable,

to love those near us without jealousy or design or threat,

and, most difficult of all, to love ourselves….

So, thank you for the loving time.

And in all this You keep us.

Through hard questions with no easy answers,

through failing where we hoped to succeed

and making an impact when we felt we were useless.

Through the patience and the dreams and the love of others,

and through Jesus Christ and His Spirit, You keep us….

So, thank you for the keeping time….. (Iona Community)

Day 9 – Sat. 7th June Pray for the unity of all Christians, and thanks for diversity within the Church. For those of other faiths in our midst, and those of none.

Reading: “Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord;

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you.

Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it,

declares the Lord.' "  (Ezekiel 37:13,14)

Grant us a vision, Lord,

to see what we can achieve;

To reach out beyond ourselves;

To share our lives with others;

To stretch our capabilities;

To increase our sense of purpose;

To be aware of where we can help;

To be sensitive to your Presence;

To give heed to your constant call.  -  David Adam

He Qi - Pentecost