To novena or not to novena 🌹
Roses, saints, and Catholic ATMs
Almost a decade ago, as I was hemming and hawing about what I wanted to do after college graduation, I decided to pray a novena about applying to be a FOCUS missionary. “God,” I prayed, “I will apply to be a missionary if I receive a single pink rose in my hand.” And then I set off to pray the St. Therese novena, predicated on the saint’s promise that she would “shower roses from heaven” after her death.
On day 9, the final day of the novena, a stranger biked up to me on the street in DC and handed me a single pink rose. I went home and promptly applied to FOCUS. So you might ask — why was I not a FOCUS missionary? If God handed me a pink rose, didn’t that mean I was supposed to follow that path all the way to the end?
After a few months of discernment and interviews, I realized that I did not feel called to be a missionary. So was the novena a waste? I don’t think so. I’m glad I applied, and the clear answer from that novena was a deep faith strengthener for me. But it also taught me something about novenas: they are a beautiful way for the Lord to speak into our lives — as long as they are accompanied by reason, faith, and good counsel. I think the Lord wanted me to apply for FOCUS, but He also wanted me to discern it with Him. In responding through a novena, He encouraged me to take the next step. And He does so through novenas again and again in my life, and in the lives of others.
For anyone who is not a novena-er, here’s a quick overview: A novena traditionally consists of praying certain prayers (often to specific saints or leading up to certain feast days) for nine days in a row (sometimes 54). The most popular ones (at least in my circles) are to St. Therese (mentioned above, you often ask for roses of a certain color/number/variety), St. Jude (great for impossible causes, a favorite of mine), St. Joseph (for vocation and Vocation), and the Surrender Novena (usually on repeat in my life). If you have an intention, you can find a novena. (There is an entire website devoted to them, PrayMoreNovenas!)
This post was inspired by texts I received a couple of weeks ago from a friend:
“Yes, many times!” I answered emphatically. But then I paused and gave a follow-up: “I almost always get a response, but it’s rarely what I expect.” Let me explain:
One time I prayed the “Mary Undoer of Knots” novena for a friendship that was on the rocks, and on day 9, I arrived in my intern housing to find that she and I had been assigned as roommates for the whole summer. Mary’s plan was apparently to heal our friendship by close contact. It was a little uncomfortable, but by the end of the summer we had moved through some healing conversations and ended up in a better place.
I have prayed the “St. Jude Novena” in a handful of disintegrating relationships that usually ended soon after (or during) the novena. I guess if I’m praying for an “impossible cause” in a relationship, it’s probably a sign that it’s not working…
A few months ago, I was sitting in Mass and asked St. Therese for a white rose, and when I walked out of church I saw that one of my best friends had spontaneously texted me a picture of a white rose on his windowsill and said, “It’s still alive!” I don’t know what inspired him to share that with me, but I most definitely received it as an answered prayer.
In total, I estimate I have prayed upwards of 100 novenas throughout my life. I’ve asked for intentions from very, very small to very, very big, petitioning St. Ann and St. Jude and St. Joseph and Our Lady Undoer of Knots and St. Josemaria and so many others. A handful have been answered in the way I hoped, or at least in the vicinity of my hope. Many were answered in ways I never saw coming. And quite a few have remained “unresolved.” But I keep praying them, because I can look back across my life and see the fruit of these prayers, the efficacy of offering a prayer every single day for someone in my life whom I love, for a desire on my heart, for a suffering in the world that I want to see alleviated. Novenas have consistently strengthened my faith, even when I haven’t seen the answer as quickly as I would like.
In the summer of 2024, I visited St. Therese’s tomb in Lisieux, France. I was so excited to go to the nearby florist and pick out the most beautiful bouquet of white roses I could find because I wanted to give her the same consolation, encouragement, and beauty that she’s poured out in my life so many times.
As I sat in that chapel, I could see her tomb surrounded by beautiful flowers. It moved me to think of how many millions of prayers have been offered up for her intercession, and how each of those flowers represents a prayer or a person who came to her, humbly, to ask for her help. It made me so grateful for the richness and depth of our faith, which invites us to pray and petition.
If I never prayed a novena again, I don’t think God would say “she’s given up, no more gifts for her.” But I do think that He delights in our trust, in our faithfulness, and every time we sit down and commit to another novena, He honors that.
So maybe your question is why? Why commit to nine days of prayers when you have no idea how / if they will be answered? I think at its heart, a novena is an act of deep surrender.
I turn to a novena whenever I find myself in a situation in which I realize I cannot go it alone, one that exceeds my powers of persuasion, ability to act, or gifts.
I turn to a novena whenever I am reminded of my lack of control, my radical poverty: “Lord, I cannot do it — but You can.”
I turn to a novena when I realize my heart is simply too small to offer the mercy, generosity, or love a circumstance calls for.
In short, I turn to novenas a lot. A friend’s parent diagnosed with cancer, a family member looking for work, a discouragement that’s weighing me down. I cannot fix these things, but I can show up for nine days in a row and offer the petition to Him.
I believe the power of a novena is found in the showing up — in strengthening our faith that when we speak, He hears us, that we have friends in heaven who bring our prayers to God when we ask. It’s an act of persistence, courage, fortitude. And also, it’s fun to receive roses ;)
God loves you and delights when you speak with Him! Maybe a novena is just the place to start.
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
Leisure, recapped
My week off consisted of a 10am movie showing (Hadestown, 12/10), trips to the pool, reading on the couch, and going to bed at 9pm. It is wild how effective a break is at making me feel like I “returned” to myself.
You are a diamond
I went back into The Furrow this week and found this quote from St. Josemaria quite encouraging. You are a diamond!! And the Lord is shaping you.
Does it hurt? Allow yourself to be cut, gratefully, because God has taken you in his hands as if you were a diamond. An ordinary pebble is not worked on like that.
A little miracle for my favorite Sisters
I love the Sisters of Life, so very deeply — and this past week, three of them professed perpetual vows at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (including Sr. Elena, who I ran into in New York a few months ago!) On the day of their vows, Sr. Eden’s parents were having tons of travel delays and didn’t land until a full hour into the ceremony, then somehow made it all the way to St. Patrick’s from Newark in ~30 minutes… exactly in time to walk her down the aisle. If you go to 1:51:13, you’ll see them running in the back door, and then getting to their daughter just in time. It made me cry to think of how good God is and how providential His timing! And it’s equally as fun to see 100+ sisters giddy over the little miracle in real time.
Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien
A friend recommended this book (and this podcast to accompany it) and it was amazing. It’s like Tolkien’s take on The Great Divorce. A beautiful allegory about how God wants to heal, reconcile, and restore us. You can read the whole short story here!
Best burger in the world
My favorite burger in the world is the Roam summertime burger, and this weekend I was able to recreate it at home!!! You can try it too: grill up a burger and top it with pesto, mozzarella, arugula, fresh tomato, and balsamic glaze. 12/10!
Prayer intentions
For a few special intentions