Novena to St. Ignatius - Day One

 

NOVENA TO ST. IGNATIUS – DAY ONE

TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025

 

Hymn: Listen, let your heart keep seeking, Listen, to his constant speaking, listen to the Spirit calling you. Listen to his inspiration, listen to his invitation. listen to the Spirit calling you.

 

LISTENING TO THE LORD

 

 

The theme for our reflection today is “Listening to the Lord”. The words of the hymn that we sang direct our minds and hearts to what it is that we need to listen to.  

The first exhortation is to let our hearts keep seeking. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord is emphatic when he says that if we SEEK, we WILL find (Mt 7:7). We seek God’s will. For Jesus, his food and drink were to DO God’s will (Jn 4:34). In other words, his very sustenance (his reason for living) was to accord his will with that of God.

The fact is that God is constantly speaking with us. God speaks with us in silence and through the events which occur every day. God speaks when things go as we plan and even when our plans go awry. God is constantly speaking, if we only open our hearts and minds to listen, we WILL hear God’s voice.

To what is the Spirit calling us. Since the Spirit is the Spirit of freedom, love and peace, it is evident that this is what the Spirit calls us to. We are not slaves, because Jesus has redeemed us and set us free. We love, because God first loved us (1Jn 4:19) and in our war-torn world, the Spirit is inviting us to be instruments of peace and love when and where we can.  This peace and love are not merely the absence of war and an emotion, but wholeness as represented by the word Shalom. It is a peace/wholeness which encompasses every aspect of lives.

(SILENCE)

 

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

1.     That like you we too may always seek to do God’s will in our lives

St. Ignatius intercede for us

2.     That like you we may always strive for the Magis, the greater glory of God

St. Ignatius intercede for us

3.     That like you, we may seek and find God in all things and all things in God

St. Ignatius intercede for us

4.     That like you we may realise the temporariness and impermanence of things in this world

St. Ignatius intercede for us

5.     That like you we may be gifted with the gift of perseverance and never giving up

St. Ignatius intercede for us

6.     That like you we may be men and women for others

St. Ignatius intercede for us

7.     That like you we may be optimistic and positive about people and situations

St. Ignatius intercede for us

8.     That like you we may be responders and not reactors

St. Ignatius intercede for us

9.     That like you we may be men and women of discernment

St. Ignatius intercede for us

10.  That like you we may keep seeking the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. St. Ignatius intercede for us

11.  That like you we make God the centre of our lives

St. Ignatius intercede for us

12.  That like you we may constantly turn to our Blessed Mother Mary for her intercession

St. Ignatius intercede for us

(SILENCE)

 

PETITIONARY PRAYER 1.     For the grace to silence our minds and hearts.

Lord hear our prayer

2.     For the grace to rid ourselves of all that keeps us from accepting God’s will.

Lord hear our prayer

3.     For the courage to wait on the Lord, confident that we will hear his voice if we are attentive.

Lord hear our prayer

4.     For a heart that is empty of self-love and selfish interest.

Lord hear our prayer

5.     For the intentions of our hearts.

Lord hear our prayer. Let us Pray:  Loving Father you always listen to our prayers. We place these petitions before you to acknowledge that we are dependent on you. Grant what in your generosity and wisdom you know is best for us. We ask this through the intercession of St. Ignatius of you, the Son and Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

 

NOVENA PRAYER

 

Ø  St. Ignatius, like Jesus your Lord and Master, you always desired to do God’s will. May we through your intercession and the intercession of our Blessed Mother learn to imitate Jesus in always seeking to do God’s will. (Make your petition)

 

Ø  St. Ignatius, like Jesus your Lord and Master you always sought the greater glory of God and were not content with the status quo, the tried and tested. May we through your intercession and the intercession of our Blessed Mother learn to imitate Jesus in seeking the greater glory of God (make your petition)

 

Ø  St. Ignatius, like Jesus your Lord and Master you strove to become a man for others. May we through your intercession and the intercession of our Blessed Mother learn to imitate Jesus in becoming men and women for others. (Make your petition).

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

 

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God of revelation, you reveal your will to us through the daily events of life, the people we encounter, the things we use and the situations of life. We pray for the grace of open and receptive hearts.  Let our one desire be to listen attentively to what you would have us do and have the courage to do it. We ask this through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Hymn: Listen, let your heart keep seeking, Listen, to his constant speaking, listen to the Spirit calling you. Listen to his inspiration, listen to his invitation. listen to the Spirit calling you.