Autumn Rain
A Novena with Mary
Day 9 – Upper Room
Coming into God’s Presence
Before praying, we become aware of God’s presence and His gift of hope.
He is here now, but we do not know Him fully. He promises His joy now, but life is still full of trials. Hope is to hold on to what is “already, but not yet.” We see all the good we have now as a promise of the even greater good to come. Hope makes the promise real and present now. We’re able to experience joy amid the suffering because of hope. We walk through this valley of tears, we still experience its sorrow, but we hold on to hope. The Lord sends the autumn rain.
We pause in silence to reflect on God’s plan for salvation.
Invocations
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Mary, you accompanied the apostles in humble prayer
// Teach us to lead others to God
Mary, you supported the Church’s mission of evangelization
// Teach us to lead others to God
Mary, you constantly intercede for the needs of all the faithful
// Teach us to lead others to God
Jesus, You poured out Your Spirit upon the Church in prayer
// Teach us to lead others to God
Jesus, You entrusted Your mission to weak human beings
// Teach us to lead others to God
Jesus, You gave Mary the role of mother of Your Church
// Teach us to lead others to God
Optional Study:Mom
Spiritual Lessons from the Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sacred Scripture – Pentecost
A Reading from the Book of Acts (Acts 1:14, 2:1-4)
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
The Word of the Lord // Thanks Be to God
Reading Options
Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 14 Mar 2012
With Mary begins the earthly life of Jesus, and with Mary, too, the first steps of the Church begin; in both moments the atmosphere is one of listening to God, of recollection. […] The presence of the Mother of God with the Eleven, after the Ascension, is not, then, a mere historical reference to some past thing; rather it assumes a significance of great value because she shares with them what is most precious: the living memory of Jesus, in prayer; she shares that mission of Jesus: to preserve the memory of Jesus and in that way to preserve his presence. […] To venerate the Mother of Jesus in the Church, then, means to learn from her to be a community that prays.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 726
At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve (“mother of the living”), the mother of the “whole Christ.“ As such, she was present with the Twelve, who “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer,“ at the dawn of the “end time” which the Spirit was to inaugurate on the morning of Pentecost with the manifestation of the Church.
Interior Dialogue: Conversation Starters
We take time for a peaceful moment to converse with God.
Lord Jesus, Mary is Your mother and the mother of the whole Church. Do I look to Mary as my mother, seeking her comfort and companionship in my life? Do I show due honor to Mary by imitating her virtues?
Pause for personal prayer
Lord Jesus, Mary prayed with the apostles as Your Holy Spirit descended. Do I ask Mary to accompany me during my times of prayer? Am I a good example of leading others to God?
Pause for personal prayer
Lord Jesus, as a member of Your Church, do I serve humbly, seeking only Your honor and glory? Am I faithful to Your teachings in my life as a witness to others? Do I pray daily for final perseverance?
Pause for personal prayer
Intercessions
In imitation of Mary’s spousal love and as members of the Church of Christ we are called to lead others to God. We embrace our mission in this world, as we pray
// Lord, help Your Church lead souls to You
We ask for humility, that we would give ourselves away in service to others. Let us pray
// Lord, help Your Church lead souls to You
We ask for fidelity, that we would shine as light in the darkness, providing all with hope. Let us pray
// Lord, help Your Church lead souls to You
We ask for perseverance, that, after serving others, we might “finish the race” (2 Tim 4:7) and thus attain eternal life. Let us pray
// Lord, help Your Church lead souls to You
Let us pause to ask God to show us where we can grow.
Silently add your own personal petitions.
Let us pray
// Lord, help Your Church lead souls to You
A Traditional Prayer: Regina Caeli
12th Century, Europe
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia
// The Son you merited to bear, alleluia
Has risen as He said, alleluia
// Pray to God for us, alleluia
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia
// For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia
O God, who have been pleased to gladden the world by the Resurrection of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we pray, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may receive the joys of everlasting life.
Through Christ our Lord. // Amen
Closing Prayer
Let us pray
Father, You have given us a mother who understands that life is hard and that love requires suffering. She prays alongside us, shares Your love for us, and models what it means to follow You. She is always there, no matter our struggle.
Thank you for the gift of Our Blessed Mother. Teach us to turn to her in our needs as a path to a closer relationship with her Son and Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. // Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Optional Study
Theme – Mom
Jesus bursts through the depths of death and rises. And with Him comes His life, the new life which has conquered death once and for all. At Pentecost He shares His life with the Church by pouring out His Spirit on the apostles, including Mary. She is there, in the Upper Room, as the Church is born from the new life of her Son. All the confusion, suffering, pain, anguish, and death, it has all been transformed and the wound from her pierced heart now blossoms. She is with us now just as she was then, constantly sharing with us the grace of her Lord, just as a good mother shares all that she has received with her children. She is our mother and the more we conform ourselves to the life of her Son, the more we become her children.
Doctrine – Mother of the Church
A story which began with a young Jewish girl becoming the Mother of God culminates in Mary becoming the Mother of the Church. But the truth is, this is not a story that ends. Where she gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem once and for all, the Church continues to give birth to the new and eternal life of Christ. The Church is the Body of Christ, constantly being born into the world and, as Jesus’ mother, it is only fitting that she is the Mother of the Church. She cares for the Church as she did for her Son—holding us, raising us, and pouring out her heart for us. In every age of the Church, Mary is there, as our mother, to encourage us, love us, intercede for us, and direct us to God. It is because she is the mother of the Church that she is our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
Personal Takeaway
The Christian path promises life, life to the full! In the face of the new and eternal life of Jesus all suffering and sorrow appears as nothing. He has chosen to die for us so that we may now live for Him. Suffering and death no longer have the final word. Our mother is a good mother and doesn’t just stand at a distance. She is near us at all times, constantly reminding us that the darkness cannot stop us because the light of her Son now shines in the darkness. Her Son has already won. We know it doesn’t always feel this way. Each one of us walks in the valley of tears, at times tired, lost, and confused. But Mary is here, as our mother and the Mother of the Church, helping us make our way to the Lord. No matter how barren the valley might get, no matter how much death and darkness seem to be winning, no matter how miserable, hopeless, and cruel life may seem, if Mary is alongside us, there will always be the promise of autumn rain.