POWERFUL NOVENA TO THE RISEN LORD: DAY 4 (FOR FAMILIES/PERSONS IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Opening Prayer:
Gracious God, As we gather on this fourth day of our novena, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude for the gift of Your Son’s Resurrection. Open our minds and hearts to Your Word, and grant us the grace to grow in faith and love as we journey towards Easter. Bless our time of prayer, and may Your presence be felt among us as we meditate on Your mysteries (pause and pray for families/persons in financial difficulty and add your private intention). We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Scriptural Reading & Meditation
(Scripture Reading: John 20:19–29)

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'”

The Gospel of the Lord…

Short Meditation
In this passage from the Gospel of John, we witness the disciples gathered in fear behind locked doors, still reeling from the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. Suddenly, Jesus appears in their midst, despite the locked doors, and offers them peace. He shows them His wounds as a sign of His identity and commissions them to continue His mission of reconciliation and forgiveness. Thomas, who was not present when Jesus appeared, expresses doubt and insists on seeing and touching Jesus’ wounds before believing. Jesus graciously accommodates Thomas’ request, inviting him to touch His wounds and believe. Through this encounter, Thomas declares, “My Lord and my God!” This passage reminds us of the transformative power of encountering the risen Christ, who brings peace, forgiveness, and new life. As we reflect on this passage, let us open our hearts to encounter Jesus in our midst, allowing His presence to dispel our doubts and fears and fill us with His peace.

Pause for a moment…

Litany of the Risen Lord
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Risen Lord, who conquered sin and death, (Repeat “have mercy on us” for all the invocations.)
Risen Lord, who appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden,
Risen Lord, who walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus,
Risen Lord, who showed Your wounds to Thomas,
Risen Lord, who appeared to Peter by the sea,
Risen Lord, who commissioned Your disciples to proclaim the Gospel,
Risen Lord, who ascended into Heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us

Risen Lord, hear our prayer.
Risen Lord, graciously hear us.

Let us Pray
O God, who by the Resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, has brought joy to the whole world, grant, we beseech You, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus, You appeared to Your disciples in their fear and doubt, offering them Your peace and showing them Your wounds. Grant us the grace to recognize Your presence in the midst of our doubts and fears, and to trust in Your abiding love and mercy. Help us to proclaim with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” We ask this in Your holy name. Amen.

Blessing+
May the power of the risen Lord dispel the evil of darkness and sin in our lives, and may every dead aspect of our lives be brought back to new life in Christ. Amen. And may Almighty God bless us + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Great job praying Day 4! Click here for Day 5 Prayers

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