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Day 3 - Novena to the Heavenly Father for our Earthly Fathers HD

1,153 views · Published 9 June 2017 · 6:46 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: Catholic Online · 2017 · Education

I lost my earthly father in 2001. How much I still miss him. The sense of loss does not go away. It is hard to believe it has been that long.

In that same year, my beloved wife also lost her father, my father in law, with whom I also had a wonderful relationship. We refer to that year still, with a heartbreaking sadness, as the year of our two fathers.

When Father’s Day rolls around, we still grieve, even as we laugh and remember them both.

Just a few years ago, I lost my beloved mother. Now I face Father’s Day without a mother or a father. At least, physically present.

I know they live on; not only in the Lord, but in my life as I seek to live my own vocation as husband, father, grandfather and deacon of the Church.

But, this year seems to be especially hard. As I age, I realize how much I am like my father, both for good - and not so good.

My expressions, my tone of voice and my temperament, all reflect his influence.

As I age I grow in my respect for him - and realize all of the sacrifices he made for me, my brothers, my sister and my mother.

I also wish I had had more time with him.

Trusting in the mercy and love of God, and growing older, I now know that wish will come to pass. I eagerly await it.

Beloved Father, through the life, death and resurrection of your only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, we have become your adopted sons and daughters.

Through Baptism we are now members of His Body, the Church, which is family.

Our Savior Jesus taught us that “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

We thank you that promise includes each one of us.

As members of the family of Jesus we now turn to you in prayer, as OUR FATHER, ABBA.

In Luke’s Gospel, we read that Jesus responded to a question posed by His disciples:

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples. He said to them, - When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test. (Luke 11:1-4)

From His response, we learn the prayer we were taught as children, the Our Father. However, Jesus is revealing a framework for our living in a constant communion with the Father.

Christian prayer is living in an ongoing communion with the Father, who communicates Himself to us completely in His Son.

When we live in this communion, life becomes a classroom where we learn the truth about who we are in Jesus.

Through prayer, we receive new glasses through which to see the landscape of life. Darkness is dispelled by the light of the Holy Spirit. We may stumble and even, at times, fall back into living at odds with God's plan. However, through prayer we find the Way back home to the Father.

Through prayer, we begin to comprehend what it means to be partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4)
Our life becomes a participation in the inner life of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though that participation will only be complete when we are with Him in the fullness of His embrace - in Resurrected Bodies in a New Heaven and a New Earth - it begins even now - through prayer.

Today, we pray Dear Father, Abba,
for all our earthly fathers:

For our Grandfathers
and our Great grandfathers
For Adoptive fathers
For Expectant fathers
For Foster Fathers
For Stepfathers
For all Spiritual fathers

Watch over them all,
give them the grace they need to be faithful to their vocation.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, equip them to manifest your love to the men and women of this increasingly fatherless age

Men and women who desperately need to find you as their Heavenly Father and take their place in the Family of God, the Church of Your Beloved Son.

Now Dear Father, I specifically bring to you now my own personal intention:

[ADD YOUR SPECIFIC INTENTION HERE]

And as the Family of God, let us join together in the words our Savior taught to us
Our Father
Who Art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy Kingdom Come
‘Thy Will be Done
On Earth as it is in heaven
Give us this Day, Our Daily Bread
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, now and forever, Amen

May the Blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
come upon you and remain with you forever

AMEN

To learn more about this Novena: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/novenas/novena.php?id=5

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