Day 7 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).

Jesus to a soul: Recall, dear one, how many times I have encouraged you to ‘Be Not Afraid’ in my Word.  My tender love speaks in John’s Gospel, most especially when I say, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (Jn 14:1).

Believe in Me, and ask Me for what you need.  I notice a part of you is working so hard to figure things out.  Of course you are working so hard! The crosses you carry feel very heavy, and, here is the truth: I accompany you and lighten the load with My loving presence, patience, and divine power. I love you, and I encourage you to  remember what St. Paul says to the Corinthians: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (v. 18); and, ”For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (v. 25).

Bring all of your needs to Me, and you will see great continual silent miracles. Hope in Me, and I will take care of things, I promise this to you.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.

Day 6 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).

Jesus to a soul: Dear one, I created you so that these two things go together: divine wisdom and human intuition.  Grace and nature. You are experiencing agitation, even to sleepless nights.  I invite you to be curious with Me about this.  Are there many problems to solve?  What would it be like to be still with Me for one moment, with no problem to solve?  Do this with me, in My Presence, for one minute… and then another… and then another. And listen for my guidance.

The enemy of your soul loves to agitate you into self-reliance, and does not want you to remember My gifts of patience, presence, compassion and curiosity that flow into you through my Holy Spirit.  In your imagination place your head on my chest, like the apostle John did, and feel My love and wisdom flowing into you.  My Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth about any situation.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.

Day 5 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).
Jesus to a soul: Dear one, are there some opposing thoughts that you are trying to discern?  There may be excitement about following the path I lay out for you, and yet perhaps you notice fear? Can you direct attention to both of these thoughts in your mind’s eye, and ask them to turn towards you, the one who notices them?  Be with them and send them My peace, which flows into you by the Holy Spirit.  

I may lead you on a path different from the one you thought you would be on, and I will prepare you. “I am the good shepherd,” (Jn 10:1), and I will carry you in my arms.  Notice all the thoughts and feelings around what comes next—the future.  Rest in my spiritual embrace, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, and then magically find themselves resting comfortably in their bed. 

Even so, you may have thoughts bringing all sorts of reasons not to trust Me.  I welcome all of your thoughts and feelings, and I validate the good and noble intentions of your questions and worries. As you learn to rest in Me, the wisdom, understanding, and courage of Holy Spirit will heal and bring peace to your body, mind, and spirit.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.

Day 4 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).

Jesus to the soul:Do I notice a fear that things are getting worse?  The world seems crazy as ever, and evil seems to be growing.  (see Ps 57:4 below). Pray as David did, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Ps 57:5).  Close your eyes and say to Me with faith: “Thy will be done, in You, Lord, is my hope!” I say to you that all is within My permissive will, and that I will intervene as does a doctor and I will accomplish many miracles. Do you see that the sick person is getting worse?  Your presence with them is also My Presence with them — a Presence that brings peace and inner healing. Close your eyes and say, “Thy will be done.” I say to you that “I make all things new,” (Rev 21:5), and that there is no medicine more powerful than My loving intervention. By My love, I promise this to you.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.

My soul is in the midst of lions;   

 I lie down amid fiery beasts—

the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,

    whose tongues are sharp swords (Ps 57:4). 

Day 2 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).

Jesus to the soul: Do I noticing fretting and hopeless thoughts? It doesn’t feel very good to have these thoughts take over your mind, and even your body, does it?  The stress can take its toll with tension and anxiety.  I invite you to turn your mind’s eye toward these thoughts and feelings, notice them, and say “Hello.”  Let them know they are not alone. These thoughts and feelings are parts of you that need tenderness and healing.

Is there another thought that comes in and hurriedly prays  — asking Me to take away all your difficulties? “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).  I am always here with you and I accompany you in all things.

Imagine this with Me: there is a little one who asks her mother to see to her needs, and then she tries to take care of those needs for herself. Do you know a little one like this?  Does she live inside of you? 

Let her know that patience gains all things and you and I are with her. Invite her to be open to my Presence and creative care.  In whatever way seems best, convey to her that My divine power works through you  — the person whose soul I created in my image and likeness — and together we will bring her hope and peace.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother” (cf John 19:27). With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus.

IFS SURRENDER NOVENA INTRODUCTION

Link to Day 1 – First Sunday of Advent 2023; Link to Day 2; Link to Day 3; Link to Day 4; Link to Day 5; Link to Day 6; Link to Day 7

A few years ago during my walks I began praying the Surrender Novena as a way to bring calm to my system (body, soul, spirit) and direct my mind’s attention towards trusting God. Covid lockdown was in its prime, and growing in trust of my Creator and Source of life and love was needed. Prayer is the means to grow in relationship with God, and there are many ways to approach God in prayer. For me during the time of Covid the Surrender Novena was a good choice.

Also at this time I was implementing the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model for my mental health. My inner system was becoming accustomed to the IFS manner of kindness directed interiorly. Sometimes the words of the Novena, as I was hearing them through my audio app, started to feel shaming. The manner in which the words were expressed in the audio app was angry in tone, much like my own inner critic. Through further discernment I concluded that God’s intention for me is to be closer to Him, and He doesn’t speak to my heart as a critic. That is not God’s character (see Luke 15:11-32). God lovingly draws us towards union with Him, because God is Love. In particular, God is a loving Trinity of persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Shaming is not loving. In fact, God created human love to image Trinitarian love, which is vulnerable, and without shame (cf Gen 2:25).

To make a long story short, I have attempted to rewrite the Surrender Novena using language that I imagine Jesus is speaking to me. I will be posting the 9 days of the novena, beginning today, on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday leading up to the 4th Sunday of Advent —Christmas Eve Day. As I rewrite this novena, I want to mention that I am not doing a anything different than its original author. This novena is what is called a private revelation given to Fr. Dulindo Ruotolo. It is not something that has been officially approved by the Church for private prayer, and it has not been officially discouraged (as far as I know, and I am open to correction). This is important to remember. Fr. Ruotolo is no different from you and me, in terms of baptismal character; that is, we are all given the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity and a capacity to be in relationship with our Creator. It could be said that this is my own private revelation that I am sharing with all of you, with Fr. Ruotolo’s novena as a guide for my own prayer.

First a note about the changes I have made: I have attempted to make the prayer more scriptural because Sacred Scripture is the basis for all Christian Prayer. The change in the repeated words in the prayer reflect this goal to make the prayer more scriptural. I have also attempted to reflect God’s character to a soul as I personally imagine it, and based on how God has revealed God’s character in Sacred Scripture. It is my belief that God’s character will manifest the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit into my heart: gentleness, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, peace, love, self-control, and joy (cf Gal 5:22-23).

Without further ado… 

Day 1 of the IFS-based Surrender Novena

(To see the original text go here).

Jesus to the soul: Dear one, I notice that you have some worried and anxious thoughts and feelings. Are you confused by all that is happening in your life? I am here to be with you, and to accompany you in everything.  I see those anxious thoughts and I welcome them with My open arms and merciful love.  Turn your heart to them with Me, and I invite you to ask inside, “What if?  What if there were Someone bigger who could take care of you and bring you hope and peace?  Would you be open to that?”  

I am that Someone.  I invite you to be open to My merciful love and the power of the Holy Spirit, which in time will resolve all difficult situations.

A soul’s prayer: O Jesus, I surrender my Self to you; in You, Lord, is my hope! (10 times) (cf Psalm 39:7).

Jesus, You gave us your Mother from the Cross, saying, “Behold, your Mother.” With you, Mother Mary, I always want to be completely united to Jesus. (cf John 19:27).

The Father SEES us in Jesus

John 6:44-51

“Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

We come to Jesus to listen to the Father, who loves us and cherishes us. He has seen the Father; the Father sees us through His sacrifice.

We can bury ourselves in and join His holy sacrifice by receiving His Word and Sacrament (body and blood) as often as we can. Jesus welcomes us with open arms (look at the Cross, on which He says in His dying breath: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”).  He chooses to live in us, broken vessels, so that we may become whole. Let us live together in communion with the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Readings on USCCB

Why wouldn’t we take pleasure in the death of the wicked, or in the downfall of our enemies?  Because death and downfall means more than just the ceasing of wrongdoing.  Yes, the wrong action may be stopped, but we are talking about persons — persons made in the image and likeness of God.  We are really talking about the death and downfall of one who bears the God-image.  God takes no pleasure in this, for that would be taking pleasure that a part of Himself has died.  

 

Today in Ezekiel we hear how the Lord delights and rejoices when a sinner repents.  When we turn away from our sins we are turning to God, to goodness.  We are turning to life — to God’s eternal life.

 

How do we know what is evil?  Again, bearing the God-image and having been created good, we can naturally know what is good.  But there is also the moral law that has been fully revealed and fulfilled in Jesus and subsequently through the Church.  The psalmist prays today, If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? (Ps. 130:3). It is God who teaches us in our hearts and through His revealed divine law what is good and what is wrong.  We cannot determine that for ourselves; we can choose to follow or not.  It is true that sin corrupts our thinking and darkens our intellects, which is why God is always calling us to repent.  Repentance brings life to the soul and therefore renewal to the mind.   

 

Jesus fulfills the law of God in the Gospel by internalizing it.  He calls us to renew our minds through repentance.  It is not enough to do good deeds on the outside, or to preach the law of God.  He wants the law to be in our hearts.  When we are angry with another person, we need to do our best to connect with them.  True love of another is to seek what is best for them, to seek their true good.  In a practical application, a loving boundary can be agreed upon internally — one that acknowledges the anger inside and respects the dignity of the other.  The love of God will then have a channel to flow from our hearts to others, bringing God’s life to all of His people, even those with whom we disagree.

The Way of Love

Readings on USCCB

Lent is all about conversion in every moment. “Follow me,” Jesus said to Levi. There are little things, (which to God are actually big things), that we can do. Isaiah gives them to us: remove oppression, false accusation, and malicious speech; give food to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; and finally, delight in the LORD on the Sabbath—do not seek your own interests, but delight in the LORD. As I read these and examine my own life it is not too difficult to see where conversion is necessary. The key is to look inwards, and to realize that Jesus is calling me (every part of me), just like He called Levi. “Let Me into all these inner places where you seek your own interests,” Jesus says to me. He wants me to recognize my sinfulness and repent. “Let Me into all these inner places where you are hurting and try to fix things on your own.” He wants to be in everything, and He is not repulsed by any part of me. All the “little things” matter. He wants to be in every little moment and every little thought. He calls to us all the day, says the psalmist (86:4). Anything and everything can be offered to Him, for He takes pleasure in our conversion (cf Ez 33:11), and will make us like a spring whose water never fails (Is 58:11).

It takes practice. It takes a gentle curiosity looking inward, rather than condemnation. In the Gospel today, as well in other Gospel stories, we witness the Pharisees looking to condemn. They don’t “see” the beauty of love and compassion offered by Jesus to sinners; their hearts are closed. Who of us wants to go to a physician who condemns us? Who of us will even approach the divine physician if He condemns us? This is not the way of Jesus, and it should not be our way as we look inside to examine ourselves.

Love is what changes any person. Knowing the love of Jesus is what draws me to Him. Patience and gentleness are the seeds of the Word that grow to be the abundant fruits of the Spirit. They are the means to conversion within myself and of others. They are the way of the Lord.

In sum, Isaiah gives us the things with which new should examine our Christian life. Jesus gives us the manner in which we should do it — the way of Love. He is patient, kind, and gentle.