Catholics: does a shorter novena count the same as a longer one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If by shorter duration, you mean less than nine days, it would not be a “novena,” which by definition requires nine days.

If what you are seeking is a briefer, less wordy, less editorial set of prayers, you should be able to find online something to suit you. Many of the older novenas have a lot of ancillary material that is intended to increase devotion and promote the appropriate spiritual orientation.

Keep in mind that none of this is magic. You’re asking God, ordinarily via the intercession of a Saint, for a particular favor. The prayer is really for your benefit. God already knows what you want and need. The novena is an aid to focus and to putting trust in God.

It's not magic? It sure sounds like magic - asking God, via the intercession of a saint, for a favor. And you're asking God to do something that He already knows you want and need.

While your puerile carping and religion-envy do not merit a response, I’ll provide one. As I pointed out, the primary beneficiary of the prayer is the person praying and ultimately the individual prayed for. Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God. Christianity teaches to ask for our needs. The goal is conformity with God’s will and an increase in spiritual connection. Prayer is a mystery. Magic is a trick.

Sorry to bother you, pp. but I'm curious about what would have merited a response, in your opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If by shorter duration, you mean less than nine days, it would not be a “novena,” which by definition requires nine days.

If what you are seeking is a briefer, less wordy, less editorial set of prayers, you should be able to find online something to suit you. Many of the older novenas have a lot of ancillary material that is intended to increase devotion and promote the appropriate spiritual orientation.

Keep in mind that none of this is magic. You’re asking God, ordinarily via the intercession of a Saint, for a particular favor. The prayer is really for your benefit. God already knows what you want and need. The novena is an aid to focus and to putting trust in God.

It's not magic? It sure sounds like magic - asking God, via the intercession of a saint, for a favor. And you're asking God to do something that He already knows you want and need.

While your puerile carping and religion-envy do not merit a response, I’ll provide one. As I pointed out, the primary beneficiary of the prayer is the person praying and ultimately the individual prayed for. Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God. Christianity teaches to ask for our needs. The goal is conformity with God’s will and an increase in spiritual connection. Prayer is a mystery. Magic is a trick.

Both Prayer and Magic are tricks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If by shorter duration, you mean less than nine days, it would not be a “novena,” which by definition requires nine days.

If what you are seeking is a briefer, less wordy, less editorial set of prayers, you should be able to find online something to suit you. Many of the older novenas have a lot of ancillary material that is intended to increase devotion and promote the appropriate spiritual orientation.

Keep in mind that none of this is magic. You’re asking God, ordinarily via the intercession of a Saint, for a particular favor. The prayer is really for your benefit. God already knows what you want and need. The novena is an aid to focus and to putting trust in God.

It's not magic? It sure sounds like magic - asking God, via the intercession of a saint, for a favor. And you're asking God to do something that He already knows you want and need.

While your puerile carping and religion-envy do not merit a response, I’ll provide one. As I pointed out, the primary beneficiary of the prayer is the person praying and ultimately the individual prayed for. Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God. Christianity teaches to ask for our needs. The goal is conformity with God’s will and an increase in spiritual connection. Prayer is a mystery. Magic is a trick.

Both Prayer and Magic are tricks.

And both are mysteries until you figure them out.

Magic is a tougher mystery - it takes a lot of skill to do magic tricks and magic seems real to the naked eye. Even so, people generally know it's a trick and wonder how it was done. Some people can figure it out and some people can even learn to do magic tricks themselves

Prayer is an easier mystery for people to figure out. Anyone can pray and it's easy enough to see that sometimes prayers aren't answered. It's also easy enough for some people to figure out that no one is listening to their prayers. It's all up to chance. And these days, modern medicine fixes things the way prayer never could, even by chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God is not a bean counter

The Catholic God counts beans.

False.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds so sad to me.

Well, you should lighten up a bit.

[Anonymous]

If a priest can shorten a Mass to get everyone home in time for the kick off, you can shorten the length of your prayer too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If by shorter duration, you mean less than nine days, it would not be a “novena,” which by definition requires nine days.

If what you are seeking is a briefer, less wordy, less editorial set of prayers, you should be able to find online something to suit you. Many of the older novenas have a lot of ancillary material that is intended to increase devotion and promote the appropriate spiritual orientation.

Keep in mind that none of this is magic. You’re asking God, ordinarily via the intercession of a Saint, for a particular favor. The prayer is really for your benefit. God already knows what you want and need. The novena is an aid to focus and to putting trust in God.

It's not magic? It sure sounds like magic - asking God, via the intercession of a saint, for a favor. And you're asking God to do something that He already knows you want and need.

While your puerile carping and religion-envy do not merit a response, I’ll provide one. As I pointed out, the primary beneficiary of the prayer is the person praying and ultimately the individual prayed for. Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God. Christianity teaches to ask for our needs. The goal is conformity with God’s will and an increase in spiritual connection. Prayer is a mystery. Magic is a trick.

Sorry to bother you, pp. but I'm curious about what would have merited a response, in your opinion.

PP. A respectful ope -minded question would merit a response. An ignorant insult does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for a shorter nine day novena cycle. Does it matter if it’s short?

Shorter how? Fewer minutes per day? Or fewer days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If by shorter duration, you mean less than nine days, it would not be a “novena,” which by definition requires nine days.

If what you are seeking is a briefer, less wordy, less editorial set of prayers, you should be able to find online something to suit you. Many of the older novenas have a lot of ancillary material that is intended to increase devotion and promote the appropriate spiritual orientation.

Keep in mind that none of this is magic. You’re asking God, ordinarily via the intercession of a Saint, for a particular favor. The prayer is really for your benefit. God already knows what you want and need. The novena is an aid to focus and to putting trust in God.

It's not magic? It sure sounds like magic - asking God, via the intercession of a saint, for a favor. And you're asking God to do something that He already knows you want and need.

While your puerile carping and religion-envy do not merit a response, I’ll provide one. As I pointed out, the primary beneficiary of the prayer is the person praying and ultimately the individual prayed for. Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God. Christianity teaches to ask for our needs. The goal is conformity with God’s will and an increase in spiritual connection. Prayer is a mystery. Magic is a trick.

NP. I like your response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God is not a bean counter

The Catholic God counts beans.

Well, you know, he used to, but the Vatican II happened.