Novena Prayer to the Heart

Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O most holy Heart of Jesus, I adore You, I love You, and I trust in You.

O Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, graciously hear my prayer and grant the favors I seek, if it be for the good of my soul and the glory of God.

O Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, as an act of reparation for my sins and the sins of the whole world.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, may Your kingdom of love and peace be established in my heart, my family, and all the world. Enkindle in me a greater love for You, that I may live faithfully in Your grace and truth.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.

(Repeat this prayer for nine consecutive days for your intentions.)

The Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a nine-day prayer devotion focused on Jesus' love and compassion for humanity, symbolized by His Sacred Heart. This novena is traditionally prayed in the days leading up to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which falls on the Friday after the Feast of Corpus Christi. In 2025, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart is on June 27, 2025, meaning the novena would typically begin on June 18, 2025, and conclude on June 26, 2025.

The devotion itself originated from visions experienced by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century, where Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart as a source of mercy, love, and grace, and expressed His desire for it to be honored. St. Padre Pio was known to recite this novena daily for those who requested his prayers.

The structure of the novena involves repeating a specific set of prayers each day for nine consecutive days. While there are slight variations, the core prayers generally include three petitions based on Jesus' words from the Gospels, followed by the "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and "Glory Be," and concluding with a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the "Hail, Holy Queen" An intention is mentioned at the beginning of each of the three petitions.

The three main petitions are:

1. "O my Jesus, you have said: 'Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.' Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of... (mention your intention)"

2. "O my Jesus, you have said: 'Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.' Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of... (mention your intention)"

3. "O my Jesus, you have said: 'Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.' Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of... (mention your intention)"

Each of these petitions is followed by an "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and "Glory Be," and the invocation, "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you"

The novena concludes with a prayer to the Sacred Heart: "O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours. Amen," followed by the "Hail, Holy Queen" and "St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us" intended to foster a deeper understanding of God's unconditional love and mercy, uniting one's heart with Christ's. Jesus made twelve promises to those who honor His Sacred Heart, including graces necessary for their state in life, peace in families, comfort in troubles, and a secure refuge in life and death. These promises are often associated with practices such as frequent Communion, receiving the Eucharist on the First Friday of nine consecutive months, and celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart.