Saturday, December 11, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on God's Mercy


Though we are sinners, God still loves us and seeks us out.

First Day - Psalm 51

Second Day - Psalm 130

Third Day - Matthew 6:7-15

Fourth Day - Matthew 9:9-13

Fifth Day - Matthew 18:23-35

Sixth Day - Luke 15:1-10

Seventh Day - Luke 15:11-32

Eighth Day - John 8:2-11

Ninth Day - Romans 5:1-11

"The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Friday, December 3, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on God's Protection


First Day - Psalm 27

Second Day - Psalm 62

Third Day - Psalm 91

Fourth Day - Psalm 121

Fifth Day - Psalm 141

Sixth Day - Isaiah 43:1-7

Seventh Day - Daniel 6

Eighth Day - Matthew 10:24-31

Ninth Day - John 10:27-30

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. (Psalm 121:9)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on Obedience


First Day - Genesis 22:1-19

Second Day-1 Samuel 15:17-31

Third Day - Psalm 81

Fourth Day - Acts 5:27-32

Fifth Day - 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Sixth Day - Phillipians 2:1-11

Seventh Day - Hebrews 3:1-19

Eighth Day - Hebrews 4:1-13

Ninth Day - 1 John 5:1-5


By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. (1 John 5:2)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

To Know Christ Jesus


We can't love whom we don't know. In compiling the following list of passages I have tried to find ones rich with revelation about who Jesus is, so that forming a relationship with him may be made easier.

First Day - John 1:1-18

Second Day - Matthew 1:18-25

Third Day - John 1:19-34

Fourth Day - Luke 4:16-24

Fifth Day - Matthew 16:13-20

Sixth Day - Mark 9:2-8

Seventh Day - John 14:1-11

Eighth Day - Philippians 2:1-11

Ninth Day - Colossians 1:9-20


In compiling the next list of passages, I tried to capture the essence of what it means to know Jesus Christ, namely, the development an intimate, personal relationship with him.

First Day - Matthew 11:25-30

Second Day - John 6:35-59

Third Day - John 10:1-15

Fourth Day - John 14:18-24

Fifth Day - John 15:1-17

Sixth Day - John 17:1-8

Seventh Day - Ephesians 3:14-21

Eighth Day - Philipians 3:1-11

Ninth Day - 1 John 1:1-4


"I know my own and my own know me." (John 10:14)

Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Renewal of Your Mind


This novena of meditations aims to inform the individual of the role of the mind in the spiritual life as conveyed by Scripture.

First Day - Psalm 77

Second Day - Mark 12:28-31

Third Day - Romans 8:1-11

Fourth Day- Romans 12:1-3

Fifth Day - 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

Sixth Day - Ephesians 4:17-24

Seventh Day - Philippians 2:1-11

Eighth Day - Philippians 4:4-9

Ninth Day - Colossians 3:1-10


As in water face answers to face, so the mind of man reflects the man. (Proverbs 29:17)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

To Know Christ Jesus


In compiling this list of passages, I tried to capture the essence of what it means to know Jesus Christ, namely, the development an intimate, personal relationship with him.

First Day - Matthew 11:25-30

Second Day - John 6:35-59

Third Day - John 10:1-15

Fourth Day - John 14:18-24

Fifth Day - John 15:1-17

Sixth Day - John 17:1-8

Seventh Day - Ephesians 3:14-21

Eighth Day - Philipians 3:1-11

Ninth Day - 1 John 1:1-4


"I know my own and my own know me." (John 10:14)

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on Mary


Here are nine gospel passages which one may prayerfully read for nine days in order to form a sort of novena of meditations on the Blessed Virgin Mary. May the following passages lead you to come to know our Blessed Mother better, and thus to love her more.

First Day - Luke 1:26-38

Second Day - Luke 1:39-56

Third Day - Matthew 1:18-25

Fourth Day - Luke 2:1-21

Fifth Day - Luke 2:22-40

Sixth Day - Luke 2:41-52

Seventh Day - John 2:1-11

Eighth Day - Luke 11:27-28

Ninth Day - John 19:25-27


Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem…The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst. (Zeph 3:14, 15)

Monday, September 20, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on Jesus, The Lion of Judah

Within two consecutive verses (5:5-6), the book of Revelation portrays Jesus as both a lion and a lamb. I have already posted a novena of meditations on gentleness, in many of which reflections the word of God holds Jesus himself before us as a model of gentleness. In the below set of passages, Jesus is portrayed as a "lion".

We cannot love whom we don't know. We don't have complete knowledge of Jesus if we only know him as a "lamb", although his being our "paschal lamb" (1 Cor 5:7) is central to the Paschal Mystery (the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ). (The two identities of "lion" and "lamb" are intimately complementary, too, and not opposed, for it is by Jesus' sacrificial offering as the Lamb of God that he displays his triumphal power in defeating Satan by the cross.) Developing a relationship with Jesus the "lion" - or, as the book of Revelation puts it, the Lion of the tribe of Judah - helps us to know the serious, or "tough guy", side of Jesus. So we come to know, and thus love, him more completely. I also think such relational knowledge of Christ helps us take our own faith and faith life more seriously.

First Day - Genesis 49:8-12

Second Day - Psalm 2 or Psalm 110

Third Day - Matthew 10:34-39

Fourth Day - Matthew 12:22-32

Fifth Day - Mark 9:42-50

Sixth Day - Luke 3:15-18

Seventh Day - Luke 20:9-18

Eighth Day - John 2:13-22

Ninth Day - Revelation 19:11-21


The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. (Rev. 5:5)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

A Novena of Meditations on Christ Crucified


First Day - John 3:13-17

Second Day - John 12:27-36

Third Day - Mark 15:1-15

Fourth Day - Matthew 27:32-47

Fifth Day - Luke 23:32-43

Sixth Day - John 19:25-37

Seventh Day - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, 2:1-5

Eighth Day - Galatians 3:1-14

Ninth Day - Phillipians 2:1-11


"When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he." (John 8:28)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

A Novena of Unusual Animal Bible Stories

Of course, this isn't a novena in the strict sense of the word - just a list of passages I put together for fun.

1) Frogs in your food - Exodus 8:1-15

2) A talking donkey (way before Shrek) - Numbers 22:21-35

3) Really obedient cows - 1 Samuel 6:1-16

4) Ravens' free delivery - 1 Kings 17:1-7

5) History's most savage bears- 2 Kings 2:23-25

6) That bird got him right in the eye - Tobit 2:7-10

7) A dragon's bad indigestion -AND-Daniel's lions get to eat some more- Daniel 14:23-42

8) We all know this one - Jonah 1:17, 2:1-2:10

9) Another fish swallowing something unusual - Matthew 17:24-27


A dumb ass spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness. (2 Peter 2:16)

A Novena of Meditations on Dependence on God


First Day - Deuteronomy 32:1-14

Second Day - Psalm 37:1-11

Third Day - Psalm 46

Fourth Day - Psalm 127

Fifth Day - Isaiah 41:8-13

Sixth Day - Matthew 6:24-34

Seventh Day - Matthew 13:24-43

Eighth Day - Mark 4:26-29

Ninth Day - John 15:1-11


Know that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. (Psalm 100:3)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Scriptural Rosary


There are two versions of a scriptural rosary posted along with this entry - both including all four sets of mysteries.

While praying a scriptural rosary, one reads a short verse or passage from scripture before praying a vocal prayer. I have composed those following to where one would read a short passage (in most cases, as short as a single verse) before praying each Hail Mary. Each passage from scripture is to provide and idea - or 'point' - on which to meditate while one vocally prays each Hail Mary. For information on how to pray the rosary in general, see this helpful guide.

There are two scriptural rosaries posted here; the first provides scriptural verses which focus more directly on the events in the lives of Jesus and Mary on which the rosary's meditations are based, while the second provides more varied scriptural meditations by providing, for example, more Old Testament connections to the mysteries or adding devotional scriptural passages to the meditations. God bless!

Scriptural Rosary

The Joyful Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries

The Sorrowful Mysteries


Scriptural Rosary with Varied Scriptural References

Joyful Mysteries

Luminous Mysteries

Sorrowful Mysteries

Glorious Mysteries

A Novena of Meditations on Self-Control


First Day - Mark 9:42-50

Second Day - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 10:1-13

Third Day - Galatians 5:13-26

Fourth Day - Ephesians 4:17-32

Fifth Day - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Sixth Day - 2 Timothy 1:3-7, 2:1-7

Seventh Day - Titus 2

Eighth Day - James 3

Ninth Day - 1 Peter 2:1-11


Self-control and prudence; justice and courage;
nothing in life is more profitable than these. (Wisdom 8:7)