novena 2026

A NOVENA is a focused, intentional method of prayer repeated over nine consecutive days. Rooted in the biblical tradition of the Apostles waiting in prayer in the Upper Room between the Ascension and Pentecost, it serves as a powerful devotion as we prepare for the feast of Pentecost.

The term comes from the Latin word novem, meaning nine. Its roots trace back to the Acts of the Apostles, where Jesus instructed his disciples to wait together with Mary His Mother, and probably Mary Magdalen and other female followers of His, in Jerusalem. They gathered, and devoted themselves to constant prayer for nine days, which culminated in the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Make this nine-day period YOUR TIME to get to grips with prayer, and to focus your nine days on a specific situation or personal problem you might have or that is concerning someone you know. Pray daily for Nine Days, and perhaps incorporate additional practices like fasting or acts of charity during this period. 

The following prayers and readings are offered in the hope that they might be of help to you.

Stilling

“Make me a still place of light

A still place of love

Of You

Your light radiating

Your love reverberating

Your touch and healing

Far flung and near

To the myriads caught

In darkness, in sickness

In lostness, in fear

 Make a heart-centre here

Light of the world.     West Malling

 Silence.....

“Take me into your silence,

far from the noise and the agitation of the world.

Into a silence where my being finds itself

in its truth, in its nakedness, in its poverty,

because this silence allows me to discover my very self.

Make still whatever in me is not you: whatever is not your presence,

….all pure, all solitary, all peaceful…

Impose silence on my desires, my whims, my dreams of escape,

the violence of my passions.

Cover with your silence the voice of my claims, of my complaints.

Impregnate with your silence my nature too impatient to speak,

too inclined to exterior and noisy action.

Impose your silence even on my prayer,

that it may be pure zeal toward you.

Let your silence descend to the depth of my being

and let this silence ascend back toward you

       in an homage of love”                      M.Quoist

Day 1 Read: Matthew 28:16-20   “ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’.  

 Pray: that more may come to see Christ and to know Him through our living example, our witness and our ministry.

Prayer of Thomas Merton "Thoughts in Solitude"

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think I am following your will

does not mean I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you

does in fact please you.

And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this

you will always lead me by the right road,

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore, I will trust you always.

Though I may seem to be lost

and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

  Our Father….. 

Day 2

Read: Acts 1:4, 8-9   “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. “

 Pray - Empower us to take the initiative to help break the cycle of hatred, bitterness, and evil, and give us courage to enable the transformation of  creation back to kingdom-values.

Pray - Lead me from death to life,

from falsehood to truth.

Lead me from despair to hope,

from fear to trust.

Lead me from hate to love,

from war to peace.

Let peace fill our hearts,

our world,

our universe,

Peace, Peace, Peace…….    Our Father….. 

Day 3 Read: Acts 1: 18 “ I will not leave you as orphans; 

I will come to you.”

 Pray    We are not orphans, but loved children, held in your love and care.

Comfort us in the knowledge that you are in control

and that you will hold this fragile world together

until all is restored to your plan and order.  

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. Amen

Betty Hares

Our Father….. 

Day 4 Read: Philippians 4:6.“In everything , by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Pray  - To know you in all things

 Weave a web of your presence around me today.

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

Our Father….. 

Day 5 Read: Psalm 62: 1-2  “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.”

Pray   “To be there before you, Lord, that’s all.

and be still and silent ;

Empty of all ideas, of all images,

In the darkness.

Here I am, simply, to meet you without obstacles,

In the silence of faith,

before you, Lord.”                 Michel Quoist  

Our Father….. 

Day 6 - Read: Ezekiel 37:13,14   “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.'

Pray  - Lord, guide me, teach me, strengthen me,

Till I become a person as you would have me be,

Pure and gentle, truthful and high-minded,

Brave and able, courteous and generous, dutiful and useful;

after the example of the Lord himself. Charles Kingsley.

Our Father…..   

Day 7 -Read: Isaiah 43:2  “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One, your Saviour.”

 Pray: All this day, O Lord,

let me touch as many lives as possible for You;

and every life I touch, by Your Spirit quicken,

whether through the word I speak,

the prayer I breathe, or the life I live. (Mary Sumner) 

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. Amen.

Our Father….. 

Day 8 Read: Isaiah 43  -  “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Pray for Church and for home…

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.

Our Father….. 

Day 9 – Read: .Revelation 3:20   “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”  

Pray - Come, Holy Spirit,

enlightener, midwife of change,

comforter, disturber,

inspirer, and advocate.

Come, fill us with the gifts earth can neither produce nor afford.

Come, fill our lives with that rich mixture of peace and restlessness,

calm and enthusiasm, which are the hallmarks of holiness.

Come, promised Spirit of God,find your way among us.

As the Spirit came in wind and fire,

blow through us and enflame us,

that our lives may bear witness to your liveliness,

and to the passion with which you love your people. Amen.

Come to us then, O 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.    

Our Father….. 

Spirit of integrity, you drive us out into the desert

to search out your truth.

Give us clarity to know what is right,

and courage to reject what is expedient;

that we may abandon the false innocence

of failing to choose at all;

but may follow the purposes of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Come to us, Lord Christ,

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, O 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 feed and live and love,

in faith and with gratitude.

Let us open our hands, open our hearts,

open the hidden places of our being,

to the Living Presence,

the Very Self of Jesus.

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 look

In 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)