Question about novenas

[DaneClark]

Should I pray a novena for a special favor evan though I believe I have heard god tell me I would get it and am pretty confident that I heard him? I found one to pray, and I’ve started the 9-day prayer, but at the same time I’m also thanking him for his answer every night because I really believe that I heard him. Will praying the Novena for 9 days make it look like I’m contradicting myself or something? Will it make it look less faithful? I really do feel like God is leading me to it, so is praying the Novena still a good idea anyway, even though I believe that I already heard the answer and am thanking him for it?

 

[Joannm]

Should I pray a novena for a special favor evan though I believe I have heard god tell me I would get it and am pretty confident that I heard him? I found one to pray, and I’ve started the 9-day prayer, but at the same time I’m also thanking him for his answer every night because I really believe that I heard him. Will praying the Novena for 9 days make it look like I’m contradicting myself or something? Will it make it look less faithful? I really do feel like God is leading me to it, so is praying the Novena still a good idea anyway, even though I believe that I already heard the answer and am thanking him for it?

Pray the novena, it couldn’t hurt. But please don’t leave nine copies in the church for nine days. I am tired of searching them out and throwing them in the garbage.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

Pray the novena, it couldn’t hurt. But please don’t leave nine copies in the church for nine days. I am tired of searching them out and throwing them in the garbage.

Why do you have to search them out and throw them away?

 

[Joannm]

Why do you have to search them out and throw them away?

Some novenas have “requirements” of them in order that they would work, or “never fail.” It says to leave so many copies of the prayer in the church for so many days, or to publish the prayer and the requriements. This is pure superstition and puts conditions on God’s will. It also can weaken the faith of a person who does the prayer with the “requirements” and if their prayers aren’t answered they think they did something wrong or that God doesn’t want to hear their prayer. It also goes against the Directory for Popular Piety which warns against superstitio in devotions.

That said there is NOTHING wrong with the prayer or novena, just the so called conditions for the prayer to work.

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

Some novenas have “requirements” of them in order that they would work, or “never fail.” It says to leave so many copies of the prayer in the church for so many days, or to publish the prayer and the requriements. This is pure superstition and puts conditions on God’s will. It also can weaken the faith of a person who does the prayer with the “requirements” and if their prayers aren’t answered they think they did something wrong or that God doesn’t want to hear their prayer. It also goes against the Directory for Popular Piety which warns against superstitio in devotions.

That said there is NOTHING wrong with the prayer or novena, just the so called conditions for the prayer to work.

Oh, I didn’t think of that.

 

[DaneClark]

So, your saying that I should keep thanking him every night for the answer, and keep doing the novena?

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

So, your saying that I should keep thanking him every night for the answer, and keep doing the novena?

I would agree with that, Dane. I say my novenas to St. Jude and others, and even if I think things might be resolved, I still finish the novena. Then say the novena of thanksgiving, even if things were not resolved, or resolved the way I hoped. God knows best.

 

[DaneClark]

So, there’s nothing wrong with me praying the Novena even though I am confident I heard him tell me that If I waited my request will be granted? I’m not contradicting myself if I do that?

 

[DaneClark]

I would agree with that, Dane. I say my novenas to St. Jude and others, and even if I think things might be resolved, I still finish the novena. Then say the novena of thanksgiving, even if things were not resolved, or resolved the way I hoped. God knows best.

Even though I didn’t start the Novena until after I felt I had been given the answer and after I had already started thanking him?

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

Even though I didn’t start the Novena until after I felt I had been given the answer?

Yes. Please continue. Prayer is never wasted, even a novena when you think the answer has come. God will put your prayers to work in ways you may not know.