NOVENA for the ELECTION -- 54 or 56 days (you choose!) ECUMENICAL

Vanitas vanitatum | 9/1/2012 | Vanity

[Mad Dawg]

Clearly we need to seek, to beg God's help in the coming election. I invite all to join in a "Novena" -- a LONG one -- with just such an intention.

If you start on 9/11 (!) and pray for 56 days, you end the day before election day.
If you start on 9/13 and pray for 54 days... you do the math. :-)

I am asking us to consider ADDING something to our daily prayers. I know you all are busy and I suspect many of you spend a good deal of time in prayer anyway. I do not seek to bind burdens on anyone's back. Though prayer sometimes involves teeth-gritting, that should not be the main theme! The main themes should always be hope, joy, and gratitude, IMHO.

But the prayer of a just man avails much, and we are justified in Jesus! So let us pray! Please consider adding ONE thing -- an act of charity and mercy, a little extra time in prayer and/or with Scripture, maybe a little fast -- or a even little extra physical exercise! But add just one thing to the Glory of our loving God and with a petition that He do HIS will in the coming election.

[Boring technical stuff for non-Catholics. The term "novena" refers to a period of prayer. It derives from, so to speak, riffing on the nine days of prayer between the Ascension and the Pentecost. Hence the name, which pretty much means "niney-thing" -- Mad Dawg translation.

[ Not so long ago, in our tradition, somebody was instructed to pray a novena of 6 novenas -- 3 of petition and 3 of thanksgiving. Good stuff ensued. Thus arose the 54 day novena. With JPII's change of the Rosary, a figure divisible by four is tidier for those who pray the Rosary. Hence my suggestion of 56 days.]

[Mad Dawg]

The wild and crazy Catholic Mad Dawg sees the hand of the ancient serpent (wait, serpents have hands?— who knew?) in the events of Egypt and Libya, of the White House and the State Department.

Double down, troops. This is real.

[DarthVader]

Amen!

Come in here and pray:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2929797/posts

[johngrace]

I am watching and praying. I am thinking about midday mass today and adoration chapel. Keep posting the more to pray the better.

[Running On Empty]

So much to pray for.

On Friday Pope Benedict goes to Lebanon.

In October we will be in the month of the Holy Rosary and the 95th anniversary of the miracle at Fatima.

I am grateful to be called to prayer, living in these times that so much need it.

Dear Lord, we praise You. We bless You. We Adore You.

[SumProVita]

I agree with you, Mad Dawg. I prayed with you all yesterday on my way to work.... a long drive. Others are also praying.

Jesus, I trust in you!

[Mad Dawg]

John Chrysostomos, whose memorial is today, spoke boldly against the luxury of the imperial court of Arcadius and Eudoxia. In this and other matters his courage and fidelity earned him such enmity that he died in exile.

Do the math.

[SumProVita]

Indeed! He was exiled twice...for speaking the truth.

Today’s rosary is done...and the meditation on Jesus’ miracle at Cana struck me today. The fact that His first public miracle took place within the context of a marriage celebration is important...on a number of levels.

[johngrace]

I am watching today’s Mass. He just talk about him on EWTN.

[Salvation]

Six times nine = 54 days. (Nine days in a novena)

Are you starting this today?

Choose your own prayer.

[Salvation]

Prayer Before the Crucifix

   Look down upon me, O good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

Indulgence of ten years; a plenary indulgence if recited after devout reception of Holy Communion, Raccolta 201)

[JCBreckenridge]

“Hey Salvation...I just saw this after responding to Mad Dawg this morning. I have had Lepanto on my mind for the past several days...and believe that prayer for this election will be as important as it was at Lepanto.”

I hope not. Lepanto had the whole of the Holy League fighting against, not for the Saracens. :(

What should I pray for Mad Dawg, Salvation? I have been a loss for what to ask since March.

[grey_whiskers]

Hmmm, interesting.

Without seeing this thread, a bit over a week ago I felt it impressed upon me that I should begin praying the Rosary every day for the Nation...

Someone upstairs must think this is important.

Cheers!

[RedMDer]

Thank you for the reminder.

[Mad Dawg]

When you don’t know what to ask, pray as Mary did: Be it unto me according to Thy Word.

[Mad Dawg]

As Salvation says, if you begin today and pray through election day that is 6 periods of nine days each.

Let us pray. This ain’t kid stuff.

[diamond6]

I highly recommend as an “extra” prayer in addition to the 54 Day Rosary Novena which is really powerful, a novena to the Holy Face. Our Lord said that he would defeat communism through our veneration and devotion to his Holy Face. He clearly states that in his messages to Sister Pierna (spelling - I may need to correct that later).

[diamond6]

Here is a link to an informational pamphlet that has the novena on it.

http://www.holyfacedevotion.com/files/Holy%20Face%20pamphlet_English.doc

[SumProVita]

Thanks again, Mad Dawg. Your work with this is a blessing. :-)

PS It’s amazing how many people I know who are doing this!!!

[Mad Dawg]

Do you recommend a link?

[Mad Dawg]

For those doing the “formal” 54-day Novena:
Dear Lord, I offer you my Rosaries* and all my joys, works, sufferings, pains and sorrows of the next 27 days for YOUR WILL to be done in the upcoming United States Elections. I offer them especially up for YOUR WILL to be done in the Presidential Election: for the Spiritual well-being, and in reparation for the sins of, the candidates and anyone else associated with these elections that you wish to use these prayers for. THY WILL BE DONE. AMEN.

(*or other prayers you wish to do) (after the 27 days of PETITION, we will offer up 27 days of THANKSGIVING to our Lord for hearing and answering our prayers - I will post a different prayer at the beginning of those 27 days.)