A Novena of Meditations on Prudence

First Day - Matthew 5:33-37

Second Day - Matthew 10:16-23

Third Day - Matthew 11:16-19

Fourth Day - Matthew 12:33-37

Fifth Day - Matthew 25:1-13

Sixth Day - Luke 12:35-48

Seventh Day - Luke 12:54-59

Eighth Day - Luke 14:25-35

Ninth Day - Luke 16:1-15

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

A Novena of Meditations on God's Love

First Day - Deuteronomy 7:6-13

Second Day - Hosea 11:1-9

Third Day - Luke 15:1-10

Fourth Day - Luke 15:11-32

Fifth Day - John 3:13-21

Sixth Day - John 14:18-24

Seventh Day - John 19:28-37

Eighth Day - Romans 5:1-11

Ninth Day - 1 John 4:7-21


For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

A Novena of Meditations on Love of Neighbor

First Day - Matthew 18:21-35

Second Day - Matthew 25:31-46

Third Day - Luke 6:27-38

Fourth Day - Luke 10:25-37

Fifth Day - Luke 16:19-31

Sixth Day - John 13:1-15; 31-35

Seventh Day - John 15:9-17

Eighth Day - 1 John 3:11-18

Ninth Day - 1 Corinthians 13

A Novena of Meditations on Saint Joseph

First Day - Matthew 1:1-17

Second Day - Matthew 1:18-25

Third Day - Luke 2:1-7

Fourth Day - Luke 2:15-21

Fifth Day - Luke 2:22-40

Sixth Day - Matthew 2:13-23

Seventh Day - Genesis 39:1-6

Eighth Day - Luke 2:41-52

Ninth Day - Matthew 13:53-58


The righteous flourish like the palm tree,
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord,
they flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalms 92:12-13)

A Novena of Meditations on the Word of God

Prayerfully read the following Scriptural passages for nine days in order to form a sort of novena of meditations on the Word of God (that is, "Word" with either a capital or lower case "w"). May your meditations be fruitful.

First Day - Deuteronomy 8:1-10

Second Day - Isaiah 55:6-13

Third Day - Luke 8:4-21

Fourth Day - 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13

Fifth Day - Hebrews 4:1-13

Sixth Day - James 1:16-27

Seventh Day - 1 Peter 1:13-25

Eighth Day - Revelation 19:9-16

Ninth Day - John 1:1-18

A Novena of Meditations on Joy in the Midst of Suffering

Pope John Paul II wrote of joy in the midst of suffering in his Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Dolores:

"The individual...does not discover [the salvific meaning of suffering] at his own human level, but at the level of the suffering of Christ. At the same time, however, from this level of Christ the salvific meaning of suffering descends to man's level and becomes, in a sense, the individual's personal response. It is then that man finds in his suffering interior peace and even spiritual joy.  Saint Paul speaks of such joy in the Letter to the Colossians: 'I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake' [Col 1:24]. A source of joy is found in the overcoming of the sense of the uselessness of suffering, a feeling that is sometimes very strongly rooted in human suffering." (No. 26-27)

So that one may better incorporate into the spiritual life this resolve to rejoice in the midst of life's sufferings, here are nine days of scriptural passages which one may prayerfully read in order to form a novena of meditations on this subject. May it help you find joy in the midst of suffering.

First Day - Matthew 5:1-12

Second Day - John 16:16-33

Third Day - Romans 5:1-5

Fourth Day - 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Fifth Day - Colossians 1:24-29

Sixth Day - James 1:2-4, 5:7-11

Seventh Day - 1 Peter 1:3-9

Eighth Day - 1 Peter 4:12-19

Ninth Day - Acts 5:27-42


May he cheer those within you who are captives,
and love those within you who are distressed,
to all generations for ever.  (Tobit 13:10)

A Scriptural Rosary with Varied Scriptural References

This is a new Scriptural Rosary I've composed which, instead of focusing extensively on the events on which each mystery is based, pulls from many varied, allusive Scriptural references to each mystery.

Joyful Mysteries

Luminous Mysteries

Sorrowful Mysteries

Glorious Mysteries