Novena for Religious Freedom
Today (May 17) is the Feast of the Ascension. Forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended to Heaven. The Apostles, waiting for the promised Holy Spirit, made the first Christian novena. They returned to the upper room, where they prayed for nine days before the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. In imitation of the Apostles, we are making a novena in preparation for Pentecost, from May 18-26. Specifically we are asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten lawmakers of our nation and all nations to grant conscience protection and religious freedom to their citizens. The prayer below, offered by the USCCB, will be posted at the top of this blog for nine days as an invitation to join in this prayer.
Father, we praise you and thank you for your most precious gifts of human life and human freedom.
Touch the hearts of our lawmakers with the wisdom and courage to uphold conscience rights and religious liberty for all. Protect all people from being forced to violate their moral and religious convictions.
In your goodness, guard our freedom to live out our faith and to follow you in all that we do. Give us strength to be bold and joyful witnesses.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
