THE NEW NOVENA TO THE BLACK NAZARENE

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit  forever and ever.  Amen.

DAY 1 – JESUS OF NAZARETH FOUNDED THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST

Reflection: (Mt. 26, 26 – 28)

             While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

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            At the Last Supper, Jesus founded the Eucharist  to share with us His life and to provide us with the remembrance of His suffering  and pain.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Let us adore our Lord and Savior, who, at the Last Supper, entrusted to His Church the memorial of His death and rising again.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, share with us Your life in the Eucharist.

Lord Jesus, on the cross You offered Yourself to the Father.  Teach us to offer ourselves, together with Your offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. (R)

Lord Jesus, one with You,  we offer to the Father our works and sacrifices, so that justice and peace may reign  in our land and in the world. (R)

Lord Jesus, You are our special Guest in the Holy Mass, knocking at the door of our hearts.  Help us to be generous and open our hearts to receive You. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Lord Jesus, the Nazarene, You gave to Your Church the Sacrament of the Eucharist as a remembrance of Your suffering.  Make us worthy to receive Your sacred Body and Blood that will make us holy.  You live and reign with the Father  and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 2 – JESUS PRAYS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Luke 22, 41-42, 44-45)

            After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”  He was such in agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.  When he rose from prayer and returned from his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief.

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            In Gethsemane, Jesus of Nazareth teaches us to trust and obey the will of God in the midst of hardships and trials in life.

            May our prayers and coming to Mass give us the grace and courage to follow God’s will.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Lord Jesus of Nazareth, we thank You because, through your death and resurrection, You showed us the abundant fruit of obeying the will of the Father.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, teach us to pray always.

Guard our thoughts and senses, so that all that we do may be pleasing to You. (R)

Through Your suffering and death, You brought us everlasting life.  Give us the strength of the Holy Spirit, so that we may never grow tired of serving You and our neighbors. (R)

By Your suffering and prayer at Gethsemane, teach us obedience to God’s will I spite of hardships and trials in life. (R)

Help us to honestly and faithfully pray; and not to do good only to be seen by people. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intention)

            Lord God, come and strengthen the hope and faith that You have given us, so that we may truly experience Your presence in our lives.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 3 – JESUS IN THE HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Mt. 26, 36-68)

            But Jesus was silent.  Then the high priest said to him: “I order you to tell us, under oath, before the living Go, whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”  Jesus said to him in reply, “You have said so.  But I tell you: From now on, you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’ “.  Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!  What further need have we of witnesses?  You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?”  They said in reply, “He deserves to die!”  Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him , saying , “Prophesy for us , Messiah: who is it that struck you?”

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            See the humility of the Nazarene, as His holiness and divinity are trampled upon by the people He has chosen to be His own.  He could have called down His angels and sent fire to destroy them.  Nothing is impossible with God.  Bu the chose to suffer in obedience to the will of the Father.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Let us come before our loving Lord with full trust, and ask Him for strength to hold on to our faith in the midst of present danger and fear.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, strengthen our faith in You.

Lord Jesus, You experienced suffering and death for our sake, give strength to all who are suffering. (R)

Through Your victory on the cross, listen to the prayer of those who weep; fill them with joy. (R)

Grant that we may unite ourselves to Your pain by facing up to our responsibilities in life. (R)

Help us live the Good News so that, through our word and deed, we may reflect Your goodness to all. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Lord God, our Father, lead us to the many beautiful lessons that the cross of Jesus teaches.  Teach us and our families to bear our cross so that we may be united with the suffering of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives forever and ever.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 4 – JESUS BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Mk. 15, 8-15)

            The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed.  Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”  For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barrabas for them instead.  Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what (do you want) me to do with (the man you call) the king of the Jews?”  They shouted again, “Crucify him.”  Pilate said to them, “Why?” What evil has he done?”  They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”  So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

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Jesus of Nazareth is king; He is God made man.  Let us put ourselves under His kingship.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Jesus of Nazareth You embraced all humans, when you stretched Your hands on the cross to redeem us from our sins. 

Response:  Lord Jesus of Nazareth, reign over our lives.

You created the universe.  May we see and experience Your care and love in everything that happens in our lives. (R)

May we live holy lives, so that, in our final moments in this world, we may not fear the everlasting punishment. (R)

The new and never-ending covenant of God and His people was sealed by Your blood.  Help us to be true to this covenant. (R)

O Lord, You bore the insults of humans, notwithstanding Your kingship.  Give us courage to bear witness to Your goodness and truth. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Lord God almighty, we offer this novena to You, as Father of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene.  Bring us the peace that comes form Your reign, and lead us to the life that has no end.  We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 5 – JESUS OF NAZARETH CARRIES THE CROSS

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Mt. 27, 31-34)

            And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and lead him off to crucify him.  As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian  named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.  And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall.  But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.

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            Strive to be with Jesus of Nazareth as He carries His cross to take away our sins.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            The way of the cross gives us the strength  to carry our cross on the way to heaven.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, make us strong to follow your footsteps.

Lord Jesus you give consolation to the lonely, the suffering, and the sick.  Lay your healing hands on them so that they may feel Your presence. (R)

Lord make us faithful witnesses in doing good. (R)

Deliver from evil  all who travel by land, sea and air; lead them safely to their destination. (R)

Have mercy on parents who fail in their duties, on children who lose their way, and on people who keep envy and anger in their hearts.  Show them love that they may turn back to You. (R)

(Silence for Personal Intentions)

Father in heaven, in obedience to Your will, Your Son, Jesus of Nazareth, carried the cross for our salvation.  Grant that we, who believe in the mystery of the cross, may share in the glory of heaven.  We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 6 – JESUS IS CRUCIFIED

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach

us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Mk. 15, 25-30)

            It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.  The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”  With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left.  Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross.”

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            Meditate the abuses that Jesus of Nazareth suffered from His people.  He allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross by His creatures.  All this He took upon Himself to make us realize the evil of sin.  The Word made flesh died out of love for us.  Jesus the High Priest offered His life for sinners.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            We have a High Priest who remains with us in our weakness, because He took upon himself our humanity and became like us in all things except sin.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered death on the cross, have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus, You died and entered the glory of heaven.  Grant Your Spirit to those who believe in You. (R)

You sent Your followers to preach the Good News to all peoples.  Bless the men and women who proclaim Your kingdom to all. (R)

Take care of those who are sick and dying, that they may feel the Father’s love for them.  Heal and strengthen them. (R)

Lord through the sanctifying power of the Holy Mass, make us compassionate and loving persons. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Lord Jesus, stretched in the cross, grant us the light of truth and the fire of Your love to guide our families and societies into everlasting life.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 7 – THE LAST WORDS OF CHRIST

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Jn 19, 25-27)

            Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of Magdala.  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there  whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.”  And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

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            St, John represents the followers of Jesus on the cross.   Jesus gave us to His mother to be her children; she is our mother.   Just as God used the Blessed Virgin to come close to us, so He wants that we come close to Christ through t he Blessed Mother.  Let us love her the way we love her Son, Jesus.  Learn from her humility, purity, and love for God and our neighbor.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Father in heaven, Your Son Jesus prayed that You forgive us our sins.  Receive his prayer for all of us, sinners.

Response: Lord of Nazareth, be merciful to us.

 Through St. John, You gave Mary the Mother of all.  May we be shining reflections of your Mother. (R)

Lord, listen to those who hope in You; from all snares and loneliness, deliver us. (R)

Lord, Jesus, at the time of our death, may Your Mother pray for us so that we may be with You in paradise. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Loving Father, You willed that Your Son Jesus give His life, so that we may be with You in heaven.  Grant that we may be united to His suffering and death, so that we can be united with him in his rising again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 8 – JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS BURRIED

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Mt. 27, 57-61)

            When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus.  He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.  Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it  (in) clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.  Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.  But Mary Magdalena and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

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            May the tender love that Mary, John, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea showed the body of Jesus bring us to a healthy respect for the dead, whether they are our relatives, friends or people we do not know.  They all need our prayers.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            All creation will return to God through Jesus Christ, because through His cross, he opened the gate of heaven.

Response: Jesus of Nazareth grant us Your pardon and love.

May greed and jealousy be removed from our hearts, and may we put on the strength and gentleness of Your love. (R)

Lord, we believe that at the hour of death we will be judged according to how we have put into practice Your teaching.  May we be constantly aware of our end and remain close to You. (R)

Remember those who hope in You while they live.  By your suffering and death, grant them forgiveness of their sins. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Almighty God, make our faith strong.  Grant that we may rise again, together with  Your Son Jesus, who lives with You and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

DAY 9 – JESUS OF NAZARENE IS RISEN!

CONTRITION

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People: Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, I am heartily sorry for having sinned You and my neighbor.  You are my Lord and my Brother whom I love above all things.  Come and help me, not to sin again, and led me into a new life.  I trust in Your loving forgiveness.

OPENING PRAYER

People: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Your cross proclaims the wonder of Your love.  Teach us to reflect on Your suffering, death and resurrection, in order to have an unfailing faith in Your goodness that has no end.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit 

Reflection: (Jn 20, 19-20)

            On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, were the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and showed them his hands and his side.  The disciples rejoiced when t hey saw the Lord.

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          By His resurrection, Jesus proved His being God, and He gave us the hope that we, too, will share His resurrection when our time comes.  As St. Paul declares, “If Christ

Did not rise from the dead, our faith is useless.” The suffering and death of Jesus is a preparation for His rising.  His suffering, death and resurrection is the pattern of life for His disciples.

(Short Silence)

INTERCESSION

            Because Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, we, too, will end not in death, but with new life.

Response: Lord Jesus of Nazareth, may we now renew ourselves as we await our resurrection.

Lord of the living, may we enjoy life and be delivered from everlasting death. (R)

Lord Jesus, You gave us the living Bread.  May Your Body lead us to life without end. (R)

Jesus, our Savior, cleanse us from our sins.  May we reap the harvest of eternal life and be kept away from death. (R)

Christ, our Redeemer, look with compassion on those who live without hope and those who do not know You.  Bring to the knowledge of the Resurrection and to life in the bosom of the Trinity. (R)

(Pause for Personal Intentions)

            Lord Jesus of Nazareth, while we reflect on the wonder of Your suffering, death and resurrection, may this mystery touch our lives.  May we be like You in all things.  We are confident that You will listen to our petitions in this novena.  You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.  Amen.

LITANY

Response: Have mercy and save us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

People: Lord God, our Father, You willed that Your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for the sins of the world.  Grant us the grace to be one with His suffering so that we may be worthy to hope for a new life.  Help us to walk the way of Your commandments and to serve You in our neighbors.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.