Novenas are one of my most favorite types of prayer. A novena is a prayer that you pray for nine consecutive days for a certain intention. You can pray a novena for a saint’s intercession for the challenge that you are dealing at that moment.
Here are a few examples:
- St. Joseph : to buy/sell a house or a job
- St. Thomas Aquinas: Teachers
- St. Bernadette: Sickness
- St. Jude: Lost causes
There is truly a saint for every cause and if you want to be entertained, look some up sometime. The point of the exercise is that you are asking the saint to intercede on your behalf. The novena (and saint) that you choose has a reason. They are the patrons of that issue for a reason- probably because they had similar experiences in life.
How often do I pray novenas? At least once a month. I pray a monthly birthday novena, beginning the day of the first birthday in the month in my circle. That way, everyone gets prayed for. I start a novena when I get sick or get stuck on a problem. I look for divine guidance from the saints. My problem or challenge may not be solved in nine days, but it allows me to step back, breathe, and focus.
Everyone can pray novenas, sure it’s a Catholic thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. Sometimes my novena is a certain prayer that I pray for an intention for nine days. For example- when traveling, or praying for travelers, I pray a prayer to St. Christopher. I pray novenas of gratitude, lots of reasons.
Like most things, prayer doesn’t have to be perfect or formal, you just have to get started and do it. Where in your life do you need help right now? Maybe you don’t need help and are feeling grateful. Either way, think of the intention and pray a prayer. Say that same prayer for nine days. I’ll start one too. Let’s get praying!
