Novena To JesusGood Shepherd
1st Day –Friday 16 April
Invocation to the Holy Spirit
Holy Father,you have called me
to follow more closely
Your Son Jesus, the Good Shepherd
in this Congregation
(RoL 85)
From the First Book of Samuel(3:10)
The Lord then came and stood by, calling as he had done before:“Samuel, Samuel!”And Samuel answered: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”.
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione:
Your family,thelast born, has the most beautiful mission, the most similar to that of the Divine Master, whodesires above all to be the Good Shepherd, the good Savior,the great benefactor of humanity, he who healed every spiritual and temporal sufferings. Your mission is truly great and beautiful.Be happy, always more happy. Reread the program often.
(PrP III, 1948, p.7)
From the Teachings of the Church:
A fundamental element, one which can be seen in every vocation to the priesthood and the consecrated life, is friendship with Christ. Jesus lived in constant union with the Father and this is what made the disciples eager to have the same experience; from him they learned to live in communion and unceasing dialogue with God. If the priest is a “man of God”, one who belongs to God and helps others to know and love him, he cannot fail to cultivate a deep intimacy with God, abiding in his love and making space to hear his Word. Prayer is the first form of witness which awakens vocations. Like the Apostle Andrew, who tells his brother that he has come to know the Master, so too anyone who wants to be a disciple and witness of Christ must have “seen” him personally, come to know him, and learned to love him and to abide with him.
(Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2010)
First part of the Chaplet to Jesus Good Shepherd
Prayer:
All powerful and merciful God, guide us to the possession of eternal joy, so that this humble flock, your faithful, may securely arrive there with you, where Christ, its Shepherd, has preceded.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
2nd Day - Saturday 17 April
Invocationto the Holy Spirit
I…in answer to your love and with full freedom,
offer myself to you forever
(RoL85)
From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah(6:8)
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:“Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”I answered: “Here I am, send me!”
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione:
Mary accepted her vocation as you have accepted yours. She consented: “Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum” (Lk 1:38). Mary was never indifferent to the will of God, she was alwaysthe handmaid of the Lord even on Calvary, she did only and always His will and corresponded without any hesitation.
(PrP VII, 1954, p. 190)
From the Teachings of the Church
Another aspect of the consecration belonging to the priesthood and the religious life is the complete gift of oneself to God. […]In following Jesus, everyone called to a life of special consecration must do his utmost to testify that he has given himself completely to God. This is the source of his ability to give himself in turn to those whom Providence entrusts to him in his pastoral ministry with complete, constant and faithful devotion, and with the joy of becoming a companion on the journey to so many brothers and sisters, enabling them too to become open to meeting Christ, so that his Word may become a light to their footsteps. The story of every vocation is almost always intertwined with the testimony of a priest who joyfully lives the gift of himself to his brothers and sisters for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This is because the presence and words of a priest have the ability to raise questions and to lead even to definitive decisions.
(Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2010)
Second part of the Chaplet to Jesus Good Shepherd
Prayer:
All powerful and merciful God, guide us to the possession of eternal joy, so that this humble flock, your faithful, may securely arrive there with you, where Christ, its Shepherd, has preceded.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
3rd Day - Sunday 18 April
Invocation to the Holy Spirit
So that you may consecrate me in Christthrough the power of the Holy Spirit.
(RdV 85)
From the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans(8:1-2.12-15)
Hence, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death.[…] Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione
The spirit of the profession of vows is the will to be totally of God[…]The soul no longer desires anything for herself, but everything and only whatthe Lord wants, only what is pleasing to Jesus.When we renounce everything for one year,it is a temporary act of the love of God, but perpetual professionis aperfect and perpetual act of love of God. Therefore it is not so much as leaving the external things, the changing of habits, the breaking of worldly relationships in order to confine oneself to live in a convent, but rather it is leaving oneself.
(PrP III 1948, p. 250)
From the Teachings of the Church
To consecrate something or someone means, therefore, to give that thing or person to God as his property, to take it out of the context of what is ours and to insert it in his milieu, so that it no longer belongs to our affairs, but is totally of God. Consecration is thus a taking away from the world and a giving over to the living God. The thing or person no longer belongs to us, or even to itself, but is immersed in God. Such a giving up of something in order to give it over to God, we also call a sacrifice: this thing will no longer be my property, but his property. […]It is a departure from the milieux of worldly life – a “being set apart” for God. But for this very reason it is not a segregation. Rather, being given over to God means being charged to represent others. The priest is removed from worldly bonds and given over to God, and precisely in this way, starting with God, he must be available for others, for everyone. […] Being united to Christ calls for renunciation. It means not wanting to impose our own way and our own will, not desiring to become someone else, but abandoning ourselves to him, however and wherever he wants to use us.
(Benedict XVI, Homily, Holy Thursday 2009)
Third part of the Chaplet to Jesus Good Shepherd
Prayer:
All powerful and merciful God, guide us to the possession of eternal joy, so that this humble flock, your faithful, may securely arrive there with you, where Christ, its Shepherd, has preceded.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
4th Day –Monday 19 April
Invocation to the Holy Spirit
I commit myself:to be faithful to the Founder’s charism
in communionwith my sisters,
(RoL 85)
From the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans (12:9-17)
Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione
The decision tooffer to God homage of the willis proven in fidelity, in the observance of the constitutions, in the way of life received, in living a profound faith even in the course of events. One who has little faith falls when difficulty comes. Human conversation is heard in certain convents and in certain housesmanifestingreal misery. In these houses lack of charity or envy may be born. When there is profundity, one can bear behaviours even those of difficult character. When there is faith, the spirit of sacrifice is born in itself, there is no need to imploreit;one searches and desires the poverty of the house of Nazareth.Depth in common life is to love the sisters, to know how to bear each other, to edify each other with good example, to love the generalate house and to help when it is possible.
(PrP VII, 1954, p. 70)
From the Teachings of the Church
A third aspect which necessarily characterizes the priest and the consecrated person is a life of communion. Jesus showed that the mark of those who wish to be his disciples is profound communion in love: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). In a particular way the priest must be a man of communion, open to all, capable of gathering into one the pilgrim flock which the goodness of the Lord has entrusted to him, helping to overcome divisions, to heal rifts, to settle conflicts and misunderstandings, and to forgive offences. I noted that if young people see priests who appear distant and sad, they will hardly feel encouraged to follow their example. They will remain hesitant if they are led to think that this is the life of a priest. Instead, they need to see the example of a communion of life which can reveal to them the beauty of being a priest. Only then will a young man say, “Yes, this could be my future; I can live like this” The Second Vatican Council, in speaking of the witness that awakens vocations, emphasizes the example of charity and of fraternal cooperation which priests must offer.
Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2010)
Fourth part of the Chaplet to Jesus Good Shepherd
Prayer:
All powerful and merciful God, guide us to the possession of eternal joy, so that this humble flock, your faithful, may securely arrive there with you, where Christ, its Shepherd, has preceded.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
5th Day–Tuesday 20 April
Invocation to the Holy Spirit
dedicating myself to the pastoral ministryamong your people.
(RoL 85)
From the First Letter of St. Peter (1:13-18)
Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, “Be holy because I (am) holy.” Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold.
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione
It is necessary to remember that there is need to look after the pastoral apostolate. There are many sisters but they have different tasks. Youinstead, have this pastoral apostolate, that is, you have to accomplish works in order to instruct, to sanctify, to bring piety in the parishes. You do the ministry of Jesus Good Shepherd.
(PrP V,1952, p.205)
From the Teachings of the Church
The word “soul” had fallen into discredit. It is said that this could lead to a division of man into spiritual and physical, body and soul, whereas in reality he would be an indivisible unit. In addition, “the salvation of souls” as a goal of faith seems to indicate an individualistic Christianity, a loss of responsibility for the world overall, in its corporeity and in its materiality. Yet none of this is found in St Peter’s Letter. Zeal for the witness in favour of hope and responsibility for others characterizes the entire text. To understand what he says on the salvation of souls as a destination of faith, we must start from another angle. It remains true that the lack of care for souls, the impoverishment of the inner man, not only destroys the individual but threatens the destiny of humanity overall. Without the healing of souls, without the healing of man from within there can be no salvation for humanity. To our surprise, St Peter describes the true ailment of souls as ignorance, that is, not knowing God. Those who are not acquainted with God, or at least do not seek him sincerely, are left outside true life (cf. 1 Pt1:14). Yet another word from the Letter could be useful to understand better the formula “salvation of souls”. “Purify your souls by obedience to the truth” (cf. 1:22). It is obedience to the truth that purifies the soul and it is coexistence with falsehood that pollutes it. Obedience to the truth begins with the small truths of daily life that can often be demanding and painful. This obedience then extends to obedience without reservations before the Truth itself that is Christ. This obedience not only purifies us but above all also frees us for service to Christ and thus for the salvation of the world, which nevertheless always begins with the obedient purification of one’s own soul through the truth.
(Benedict XVI, Homily, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul 2009)
Fifth part of the Chaplet to Jesus Good Shepherd
Prayer:
All powerful and merciful God, guide us to the possession of eternal joy, so that this humble flock, your faithful, may securely arrive there with you, where Christ, its Shepherd, has preceded.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
6th Day - Wednesday 21 April
Invocation to the Holy Spirit
Trusting in Mary,Mother of the Good Shepherd,
and in the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
(RoL 85)
From the First Letter of Peter (5:1-4)
So I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, (overseeing) not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
From the preaching of Blessed James Alberione
The fundamental devotions to Jesus Good Shepherd, to Mary Mother of the Good Shepherd, to Sts. Peter and Paul will obtain for you all graces. […]And then devotion to the Divine Shepherdess. To her, we ask to make us capable to do what Jesus has done. Our Lady distributes the graces and you will help her; she is“Mater Divinae Gratiae”. Who has to have more faithin Mary among you, who will help her for the distribution of grace! There is something that Our Lady will reveal and I hope that you will be so humble that she may reveal it to you.“Teach me, lead me, guide me.”Much trust, lots of trust!. Then the other Chaplet to the Holy Apostles. The third Chaplet does not come from the earth, it comes from heaven. St. Peter was always sincere: sincerity and generosity. You must always be sincere and not deceive superiors. Spiritual direction comes to you as nine tenth of the institute. St. Peter is distinguished for his zeal. Then trust in the apostle Paul, because he was a soul totally of God. He was tormented by charity: “I would like to be even condemned in order to save souls.”He teaches you constancy in things and may all your activity be born from the heart of Jesus.
(PrP III,1948, p.203-204)
From the Teachings of the Church
Peter … speaks to Pastors of all generations as one who was personally made responsible by the Lord for tending his sheep and has thus received a specific priestly mandate.[…] He calls Christ the “Shepherd and Guardian of... souls” (2:25). Where the Italian [and the English] translation speak of “Guardian”, the Greek text uses the word episcopos (bishop). A little further on, Christ is described as the chief Shepherd: archipoimen (5:4). It is surprising that Peter should call Christ himself a Bishop, Bishop of souls. What did he mean by this? The Greek term “episcopos” contains the verb “to see”; for this reason it is translated as “guardian”, in other words “supervisor”. Yet external supervision, as might befit a prison guard, is certainly not what is meant here. Rather it means watching over, from above seeing from the lofty position of God. Seeing from God’s perspective is seeing with love that wants to serve the other, wants to help him to become truly himself. Christ is the “Bishop of souls”, Peter tells us. This means: he sees us from the perspective of God. In seeing from God’s viewpoint, one has an overall vision; one sees the dangers as well as the hopes and possibilities. From God’s perspective one sees the essential, one sees the inner man. If Christ is the Bishop of souls, the objective is to prevent the human soul from becoming impoverished and to ensure that the human being does not lose his essence, the capacity for truth and love; to ensure that he becomes acquainted with God; that he does not get lost in blind alleys; that he does not end in loneliness but remains altogether open. […]It is the shepherd’s task to feed and tend his flock and take it to the right pastures. Grazing the flock means taking care that the sheep find the right nourishment, that their hunger is satisfied and their thirst quenched. The metaphor apart, this means: the word of God is the nourishment that the human being needs. Making God’s word ever present and new and thereby giving nourishment to people is the task of the righteous Pastor. And he must also know how to resist the enemies, the wolves. He must go first, point out the way; preserve the unity of the flock. Peter, in his discourse to priests, highlights another very important thing. It is not enough to speak. Pastors must make themselves “examples to the flock”. (5:3). When it is lived, the word of God is brought from the past into the present.