Novena for Life

A novena is nine days of prayer in imitation of the Apostles, the Bless Virgin Mary, and many disciples, who gathered together to wait and pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room after Our Lord's Ascension (Acts 1:12-14). Longstanding tradition holds that they remained in the room praying for nine days, and that it was on the ninth day that they were visited by the Holy Spirit who has stayed with the Church ever since.

January 22 is the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, against the better judgment of most citizens and 48 state governments. The number of unborn children deliberately killed increased from a trickle to more than 1 million per year. On that day each year, tens and even hundreds of thousands of Americans from all walks of life gather in Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life, to register our protest against the current situation: the legality of criminal immorality. The "protest" is shockingly joyful - lots of children, mostly young people, tons of happy laughter, prayer, and song. If you are unable to get into the city for the event, you might join us in prayer. A great way would be to start a novena today - the last of the nine days would be January 22.

The late Holy Father John Paul the Great proclaimed Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin of Guadalupe, to be the Protrectress of the Unborn. She is also the Empress of the Americas, and so we are under her spiritual "jurisdiction." Remember "For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds," (2 Cor 10:3-4). Let's pray to her to drive out all the demonic powers that rule our nation and saturate it in filth, cruelty, and murder. Here is a simple, easy prayer you might recite for your nine days' prayer.

Oh Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of our Unborn Lord and our Mother, Protrectress of the Unborn and our Empress, we appeal to you, our Queen, to take back authority of over our nation. Drive out from it, we pray, all the evil spirits that are bathing our land in the blood of the unborn and who threaten our elderly fathers and mothers. Bring repentence and healing to all who have been harmed by these sins. Protect us from worse evils, and strengthen us for spiritual warfare. Overturn the evil false laws of abortion and euthanasia that allow lawlessness to reign in our land so that we may build a just and peaceful order. Please help us to prepare for the earthly return of our King, and make us fitting for the majesty of the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Hail Mary... Glory be...