SH Novena 8th Day : Open Heart

Scripture: Matthew 1:19-24
Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you must name Him Jesus because He is the one who is to save His people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

Meditation:
Joseph is rightly titled “a man of honour” and one open to God’s will though it impacted heavily upon him. Notably, many of Joseph’s revelations occurred during his dreams – his sleep. Attentive to these dreams and aware that God speaks to us in various ways, Joseph is open to respond positively to the Lord’s requests and promptings. Today, we might reflect on our willingness to be open to God’s Will, not least when it seems complicated. As we prepare to sleep, maybe it is an opportunity to invite God into our dreams so that we too may know His wishes – His “dreams” for us more clearly.

Prayer:
O Sacred Heart, as we reflect today on Joseph’s role in the unfolding of Your story, may we, like him, be open in heart, mind and body.  May we find the courage to walk Your path, even in our uncertainty, confident that You are the author of our journey.  Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, open our hearts to you.

(spend some quiet time in prayer with Jesus … speak to Jesus… hear Jesus… feel His Presence with you)

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Closing Prayer for each day

Lord Jesus, Your Sacred Heart is always open, with love, to each of us, especially when we are suffering. To all who come to You seeking Your help, You show Your compassion and healing power. You care for us when we are lost, sympathise with us in loneliness and comfort us in mourning; You are closest to us when we are weakest. You reach out Your hand to us when we stumble and have most need of Your help. I ask You to listen to my prayer during this Novena, and grant what I ask. …

If what I ask is not for my own or other’s good, grant me always what is best, that I may build Your kingdom of love in our world.  Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

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