St John the Apostle was one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Pray this novena for love, loyalty, friendships, authors, booksellers, burn-victims, poison-victims, art-dealers, editors, publishers, scribes, examinations, scholars, and theologians.
O Glorious Apostle, who, on account of your virginal purity, was most beloved by Jesus as to deserve to lay your head upon His divine breast, and to be left, in His place, as son to His most holy Mother; I beg you to inflame within me a true and ardent love towards Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me from our Lord that I, too, with a heart purified from earthly affections, may be made worthy to be ever united to Jesus as a faithful disciple, and to Mary as a devoted son, both here on earth and eternally in heaven. Amen. St. John, the beloved disciple of our Lord, pray for us.
Prayer to Saint John the Beloved Disciple
Hymn of Praise to St. John the Evangelist
An exile for the faith
Of thy Incarnate Lord,
Beyond the stars, beyond all space,
Thy soul imprisoned soared:
There saw in glory Him
Who liveth, and was dead;
There Judah’s Lion, and the Lamb
That for our ransom bled.
There of the Kingdom learnt
The mysteries sublime;
How, sown in martyrs’ blood, the faith
Should spread from clime to clime.
The Holy City, bathed
In her dear Spouse’s light,
Pure seat of bliss, thy spirit saw,
And gloried in the sight.
Prayer To St John For Friendship
Now to the Lamb’s clear fount,
To drink of life their fill,
Thou callest all; O Lord, in me
This blessed thirst instil.
To Jesus, Virgin-born,
Praise with the Father be;
Praise to the Spirit Paraclete,
Through all eternity. Amen.
You can have anything you want if you keep in touch with me and let my words enter your own essence. (NLT) John 15:7
The Lord commanded us to make intercession. Because God commanded it is one of the most simple reasons to pray. Discipleship requires a life of obedient service to God.
“Remain vigilant and seek divine intervention. If you don’t, you’ll give in to temptation. Thought and emotion are on board, but the body can’t keep up. Matthew 26:41, New Living Translation
Then Jesus used a tale to impress upon his followers the need of persistent intercession. (Lucas 18:1)
And always, ask for everything you want, whenever you want, in the Spirit. Keep this in mind as you continue to pray for the saints and watch over them. (NIV) Quote from Ephesians 6:18
Why Bother If I Can’t Pray?
When you don’t know what to say in prayer, the Holy Spirit will show you what to say:
The Spirit strengthens us when we are feeble. When we do not know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit prays for us. Whoever examines our hearts knows the thoughts of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the righteous in accordance with God’s will. New International Version (NIV): Romans 8:26-27
Collect Prayer for the Feast of St. John the Apostle
O God, who through the blessed Apostle John have unlocked for us the secrets of your Word, grant, we pray, that we may grasp with proper understanding what he has so marvelously brought to our ears. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
