Election Novena - Day One

Over the next 9 days, I'll be praying this novena in addition to the rosary for the intentions of our country, most urgently for respect for ALL life from conception until natural death from our politicians and citizens.

Regardless of who wins, think what a powerful witness it would be to see some of the most extreme and outspoken proponents of abortion to have a change of heart, to realize what a monstrosity it is, to acknowledge that this is the civil rights issue of our day. Whomever you vote for, I urge you to pray for our leaders, and to contact them and let them know what the people think of our abortion laws in this country, laws that are more extreme than anywhere else in the world, allowing abortion for any and all reasons, without parental consent for young teens, and at any gestational age. Let them know that this is not what the majority of people in our country want.

But most of all, pray. Nothing is impossible with God...pray fervently for a change of heart in pro-abortion, pro-ESCR, pro-euthenasia politicians. Pray that they see or hear something that speaks to them and makes them aware of the true horrors of our current culture of death. Pray, pray, pray...

The prayer in podcast form.

First Day

Opening Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Reading

Ps 8:2, 4-10
O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!
You have set your majesty above the heavens!

When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars that you set in place—

What are humans that you are mindful of them,
mere mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them little less than a god,
crowned them with glory and honor.

You have given them rule over the works of your hands,
put all things at their feet:

All sheep and oxen,
even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how awesome is your name through all the earth!


Reflection

How will I praise God today? How will I show respect for
others, especially my neighbor or those in my community
who are not like me?

Prayer

God of love,
may we grow in our love for you
by respecting the dignity of all people we encounter.

Amen.


Novena Prayer

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the “sin of the world,”
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.

Amen.