It is also a good time to ask God to help us to deepen our relationship with him though prayer. Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, and our very lives in God’s hands again. And we seek by abandoning our selves in Jesus’ death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with a fresh victory and hope. As St. Augustine states, "Let us by our prayers add the wings of piety to our almsdeeds and fasting so that they may fly more readily to God."

Prayer can take many forms; from putting aside a set time each day to be conscious of God’s presence to formal prayers of meditation like the stations of the cross, the rosary, the rosary novena and other prayers.

All of this activity is to focus our abilities on prayer to our Father. The Lenten season calls us to pray. But prayer, Jesus teaches, is much more than saying words. "Go into your room, and close the door, and pray to your Father in secret." Jesus Said:

Matthew 7:7-8 - Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

1 Timothy 2:1 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks, be made for all men.

Matthew 21:22 - And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Mark 11:25 - And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Before you pray this Novena for the Lenten season, enter the inner room of your heart. Shut the door to the noise, the trivialities, the countless cares grabbing for attention. Put them aside. In the quiet place of your heart, with faith as your guide, speak to God. A gracious Father listens, and he knows what you need. For those who have stopped praying, or pray with little fervor, God gives grace for praying again.

Let us join together as we prepare for the most excruciating time and the most glorious time of our Lord’s existence. Let us join in the Novena for the Lenten season as we experience the passion and death of our Lord through His grace and anticipate His glorious Resurrection; the Saviour of all souls.