A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 Minutes a Day: First Week/Friday

Image source: Communio

In Lent we prepare to remember the suffering and death of Jesus, preparing to celebrate his resurrection. From the moment he was conceived in Mary's womb, the heart of Jesus beat for us in love, compassion and mercy until that same heart stopped when he sacrificed everything that we might have life and have it to the full. Even now, the heart of the Risen Jesus beats for us and will for all eternity.

The first Friday of every month is a day on which Catholics have a custom of praying to the Heart of Jesus.

For your 10 minutes of Lenten prayer today, spend some time with this beautiful Litany of the Sacred Heart.

In the first section of the litany, you might ponder which attributes of Jesus' heart are the ones you need the most right now in your life...

In the next seven sections of the litany are a number of titles or names for the Heart of Jesus: which of these names reaches out to your heart and its needs today?

In the next to the last section are phrases that speak of Christ's love for us, especially in his suffering and death: how might those phrases have Lenten meaning for you this year?

And in the last section, we pray to love as the Heart of Jesus has taught us to love...

Find your place for prayer... sit in the silence... be still... and know that the Heart of Jesus is with you...

Let us pray...

Litany of the Sacred Heart

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

So loving
So humble
So gentle
So compassionate
So faithful
So wise
So patient
So steadfast
So tender
So spacious

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

God’s joy
God’s shalom
Harp of the Trinity
Wingbeat of the Spirit
Breath of God
Five-petaled rose

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Womb of justice
Birthplace of peace
Our dearest hope
Longing of our lives

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Freely flowing fountain
Spring of grace
Freshet of forgiveness
Merciful river
Mystical dew

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Warmth of our hearts
Transforming fire
Cosmic furnace
Enflamer of hearts

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Heart of evolution
Beginning and ending
Center of all

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Garden of virtues
Mystical dew
Table and food

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Our refuge
Our shelter
Our comfort
Our rest
Our welcoming breast

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Wounded by love
Pierced by our cruelty
Broken by our hardness
Mystic winepress
Poured out as gift

Heart of Jesus, hear our prayer!

Have mercy, gracious heart,
Give us gratefulness
Teach us tenderness
Let us learn to love.

Hear our prayer!

- Wendy Wright

Let us pray...

Lord of all our hearts,
open wide your Heart of mercy
and refresh us in this season of Lent
with the peace that flows from the font of your love.
Gracious Lord,
hear and answer our prayer.
Amen.

Are you new to "Praying 10 Minutes a Day in Lent" - or are you having trouble getting started? The first installment offers some thoughts on getting started, as do the subsequent posts in the series. So take a look and join us!