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)

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)

Robots Discuss John 6

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)

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)

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)

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)