THE YEAR OF THE TWO HEARTS: THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
(Preliminary reflection, to prepare our minds and hearts for prayer.)
For several months now, we have been joining much earnest prayer to our efforts as Filipinos, citizens – Christian citizens – to help bring about a moral and spiritual renewal in our individual-, family-, and community- lives; in our social and political orders, toward true and profound reform in our society, as we prepare for the coming May 2010 local and national elections.
As the elections draw near, more intensely we pray to the Lord, to help us do our best to ensure that they be realized in good order, in full compliance of law; in conditions of genuine peace, in true freedom, and with ever growing political discipline and maturity on the part of our fellow citizens. Let us earnestly pray for this, knowing in faith how much we need God’s help and grace, that all this may come true.
To our prayer we must also join competent, persevering and hard work, unceasing watchfulness, that the electoral processes be carried out with total integrity from beginning to end, and that evil designs and purposes of those who may wish to disrupt, sabotage, break-up, or even nullify these processes may be prevented by the vigilance and courage of all Filipinos who cherish and defend truth, law, honesty, our true freedom and our cherished democracy. May the Lord Himself thwart the efforts of those with evil intentions.
May God be with us! May He lead us forward to a new and truly hope-filled chapter in our history as a people and a nation. May God lead us forward in hope.
NOVENA PRAYER
+ In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. +
Father in heaven/ You wish us as Christians and citizens in our country/ to strive to participate with our people,/ fully and faithfully,/ toward building up a society and a nation/ whose social and political order is “founded on truth,/ guided by justice,/ realized in freedom,/ flowering in peace.” (Blessed John XXIII, Pacem in Terris)
You remind us in Scriptures,/ that “Unless the Lord build the city,/ they labor in vain who wish to raise it”;/ that not in personal lives alone,/ but in social and political strivings also,/ “Without Me, you can do nothing.”/ Without You, Lord,/ we can not/ deeply and lastingly/ bring to realization/ a true moral and spiritual renewal/ in our land.
We turn to You then, Lord,/ at this crucial time/ when our local and national elections are about to take place,/ and we beg You,/ for our people and our nation, and for ourselves:
that You may enlighten our minds/ and guide our consciences,/ ever to place the common good/ of our nation and our people,/ especially the good of those/ who are poor and have less in life,/ above all other lesser interests; that those we vote for/ will be those who will strive/ to serve our people’s interests,/ and not their own,/ above everything else;/ that they be those/ who will seek to make Your Will and Your Purposes/ truly present and operative/ in the governance of our society/ and in the working out/ of true solidarity and peace among our people;/ that they will be firmly dedicated/ to the true Christian “culture of life”;/ that they will never sacrifice truth and justice/ to the pursuit of gain and their narrow self-interest/ through lying, corruption and greed;
that You may purify the spirit/ in all those charged/ with the due realization of these elections,/ so that they will fulfill their tasks and duties/ in total obedience to the laws of our land,/ with complete integrity, honesty and transparency,/ seeking only that the will of our people/ and their free and rightful voice/ may truly express Your voice for us.
That the efforts of those/ who for their own interests/ seek to frustrate the full and honest exercise/ of our people’s right and duty/ in the electoral processes,/ be thoroughly thwarted/ by the vigilance, steadfastness and courage/ of those who will uphold,/ defend and guard our democracy/ and our democratic freedoms/ with conscience, integrity and all their rightful might.
Heart of Jesus, pierced for our sakes,/ at this crucial time in our history,/ lead all our people/ to the ways of truth and wisdom,/ love, selflessness and self-sacrifice/ which You gave us/ as the law of our own living./ Be with us now,/ Heart of our Savior, and have mercy on our people and our land./
Immaculate Heart of Mary,/ beloved mother of our people,/ intercede for us with Your Son,/ that we may fulfill our rights and duties/ during these elections/ with true purity of mind,/ with conscience and courage./ Be with us, our Mother,/ and pray for our people and our land.
Let us then pray: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be (3x)
The following prayer, addressed to St. Michael the Archangel, to thwart the designs of people of bad will, is the prayer prescribed by Pope Leo XIII against the work of the evil spirits in the world.
ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And to thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. AMEN. (Pope Leo XIII)
Imprimatur:
+Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, D.D.
Archbishop of Manila
Chair of Committee of the Year of the Two Hearts
