9 Days for Life novena Jan. 14-22

9 Days for Life is a multi-faceted novena for the respect and protection of every human life. Each day, a different intention is accompanied by a short reflection, suggested actions, and related information.

Go to www.usccb.com for more information.

Day 1: Jan. 14
Intercession: May a culture of life grow ever stronger in our communities.
Prayers: Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: God has carefully, lovingly created every person—in His own image and likeness—to be in a loving relationship with Himself. From each tiny child knit within a mother’s womb, to every person approaching death, all are loved perfectly and completely by God. “It is therefore a service of love,” Pope Saint John Paul II explains, “which we are all committed to ensure to our neighbor, that his or her life may be always defended and promoted, especially when it is weak or threatened [emphasis added]” ( Evangelium vitae, 77).
In a world in which the most vulnerable are so often overlooked and disregarded, Christ calls us to embrace and uphold the unconditional dignity of every human life. In doing so, we help to build “a new culture of life, the fruit of the culture of truth and of love” ( EV, 77).
Do an act of reparation
Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life), no.77 © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
 
Day 2: Jan. 15
Intercession: May all people embrace the truth that every life is a good and perfect gift and is worth living.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: At every stage and in every circumstance, we are held in existence by God’s love. The presence of an illness, disability, or other challenging circumstance never diminishes the value of a human life. For God does not call us to perfection of appearance or abilities, but to perfection in love. Christ invites us to embrace the lives we have been given, for as long as they are given, as true gifts.
Our relationships on this earth are meant to help us grow in God’s perfect love. Everyone we encounter is a gift, not because of what they can do or accomplish, but because of who they are—a beloved child of God. May each of us experience the power of God’s transforming love, that our eyes may be opened to the incredible beauty of the people the Lord places in our lives.
Do an act of reparation
 
Day Three: Jan. 16
Intercession: May all who have experienced sexual abuse receive justice, healing, and God’s peace.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: Recent reports have once again exposed the terrible abuses that many have suffered at the hands of a member of the Catholic clergy. Our hearts ache for the grave harm that has been inflicted on our brothers and sisters. Words alone cannot express our sorrow, shame and disappointment that such affronts to human dignity have been carried out within our Church.
It is our prayer and hope that all who have experienced abuse will find the healing and justice they so rightly deserve, knowing that they are never alone. For, “only by confronting our own failure in the face of crimes against those we are charged to protect can the Church resurrect a culture of life where the culture of death has prevailed.”
Do an act of reparation
 
Day Four: Jan. 17
Intercession: May God’s peace fill the hearts of all who travel upon the path of adoption.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us to “hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm” (Heb 6:18-19). Families hoping to adopt children and mothers considering placing their children for adoption often face many challenges along the way. We pray that all who are involved in the adoption process would be filled with the hope of Christ and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7). We also remember that we too can cling fast to this anchor of hope, for we have received “a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Rom 8:15). May our loving Father envelop each of us in His love today and open our eyes of faith that we may see and rejoice in His love. 
Do an act of reparation
NABRE © 2010 CCD. Used with permission.

Day Five: Jan. 18
Intercession: May each person suffering from the loss of a child through abortion find hope and healing in Christ.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: After more than four decades of legalized abortion, many children’s lives have been ended, and many parents and family members suffer that loss—often in silence. Yet God’s greatest desire is to forgive. No matter how far we have each strayed from His side, He says to us, “Don’t be afraid. Draw close to my heart.” Be assured that it is never too late to seek God's forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Consider the parable of the Prodigal Son. After repenting of sinning against his father, he returns from far away to seek forgiveness and work as a servant. But the father sees him approaching from far away, runs to warmly embrace him, and hosts a banquet to celebrate his return. So, too, does God welcome all repentant sinners, no matter how serious the sin. Let us run into the arms of Our Lord, Who is love and mercy .
Do an act of reparation
Evangelium vitae ( The Gospel of Life), no. 99 © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
 
Day Six: Jan. 19
Intercession: May all victims and survivors of human trafficking find freedom, refuge, and healing.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: Those who are vulnerable are most at risk for being lured into situations where they are trafficked. Migrants and refugees often face increased risk factors like changes to language and culture, lack of support systems, and the burden of poverty. Young people on the margins, especially runaway and homeless youth, are targeted for sex trafficking and may subsequently be forced to have abortions. Easily tempted by the false promises of traffickers, victims often find themselves enslaved with no means of escape.
Christ came “to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Is 61:1, cf. Luke 4:18). May all who are trapped in situations of slavery be released from their chains of captivity and find freedom, refuge, safety, and healing in Christ and His Church.
Do an act of reparation
NABRE © 2010 CCD. Used with permission.
 
Day Seven: Jan. 20
Intercession: May those who long to welcome a child into their family be filled with trust in God’s loving plan.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: It can be very difficult and painful when the Lord doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we hope. A couple that finds themselves unable to bring a child into the world through their loving union can experience this disappointment very deeply. During such times of trial, we may wonder why we face the particular challenges that we do. Yet even though suffering is often shrouded in a sense of mystery, we believe that the Lord loves us with great tenderness and compassion that is beyond our imagination. Knowing this, we can trust that “all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” ( Rom 8:28). 
Do an act of reparation
NABRE © 2010 CCD. Used with permission.
 
Day Eight: Jan. 21
Intercession: May those nearing life’s end receive medical care that respects their dignity and protects their lives.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: The dying process is a sacred time—a final season to seek closure in this life and prepare for the next. We know earthly death is not the end, but rather the door through which we must pass to gain eternal life. The deadly practice of assisted suicide—now legal in several states—shortens or even eliminates this sacred season, carelessly cutting short the life of the patient. To support the “false compassion” of assisted suicide is to see people as a problem to be eliminated. End-of-life care should instead help eliminate or alleviate the patient’s problems, whether they are physical, spiritual, or emotional.
Those who die in God’s grace and friendship live forever with Christ. Because of our belief and hope in the Resurrection, we can face death not with fear, but with trust. We pray that society might recognize that every day of our lives is a gift and is always worth living, especially our final days. We need not fear. Christ is with us.
Do an act of reparation
 
Day Nine: Jan. 22
In the Catholic Church in the United States, Jan. 22 is designated as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.” As Catholics, we are called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and/or giving alms.
Intercession: May the tragic practice of abortion come to an end.
Prayers:  Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
Reflection: Today, on this 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we mourn the many children’s lives ended by abortion and remember in prayer those who suffer the aftermath. The Church comes together today to pray for the protection of all unborn children and to make reparation for abortion, trusting that the Lord hears our prayers.
Pope Saint John Paul II wrote, “A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer” ( Evangelium vitae, 100). May that prayer arise in our hearts today and each day forward until every human being is protected in law and welcomed in life.
Do an act of reparation
Evangelium vitae (The Gospel of Life), no.100 © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
For more information, go to www.9daysforlife.com. You can sign up there for email and/or text message reminders, as well as a free mobile app.
 
Copyright © 2018, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.
 
Ideas for an act of reparation

• “Unplug” for some time, and reflect on how God may be asking you to help build a culture of life in your home, workplace, or Church community.
• Offer some other sacrifice, prayer, or act of penance that you feel called to do for today’s intention.

• Fast from one meal, give up your favorite snack or abstain from meat for the day
• Seek the intercession of Our Lady by praying a rosary for a special intention.

• Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

• Give up sleeping on your pillow tonight. Allow this small sacrifice to remind you of the sufferings endured by those in our world who are enslaved.

• Smile. Ask God today for the grace to be extra joyful and share Christ’s love with those who need encouragement the most today.

• Sacrifice some of your free time to do a small act of service for family, friends or strangers.
• Learn how to pray the Angelus and consider saying it every day for the next week—on awakening, at noon, or at 6 p.m. (or all three times).