Novena to St Mark (April 16 - 24)

Please join the parish family in praying a novena to our great patron, Saint Mark, for abundant blessings upon our parish and in thanksgiving for prayers answered and favors received.

Novena booklets are available at the Church and the prayers are also featured here and if you wish to receive the prayers via email, just email webmaster@onestrongfamily.org!

Saint Mark, pray for us!

DAY NINE:

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen. I write you this briefly through Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother, exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Remain firm in it. The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:8-14)

O God, through the intercession of Saint Mark the Evangelist, help us to be vigilant against the snares of the evil one and to be steadfast in our trials and sufferings.

Let us pray...

Novena Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,

You called the Evangelist Saint Mark from his youth

to labor alongside the Apostles in bringing Good News to the nations

and to record their saving proclamation in the Gospel that he penned.

Look with mercy upon our parish, dedicated to his patronage,

and help us all to devote our gifts and talents to the task of evangelization.

Call young people from our families to imitate St. Mark

in leaving everything to serve the Church. Lead all of us, young and old,

to know You through the Scriptures and the traditions of the Apostles,

to love You in the Sacraments and in our neighbor,

and to proclaim You to every creature with our words and our deeds,

all of which we offer up for the glory of Your Name,

Who with God the Father and in the unity of the Holy Spirit are God, forever and ever. Amen.

Missed a day? The prayers are below!

DAY ONE:

As Jesus passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

(Mark 1: 16-20)

O God, through the intercession of Saint Mark the Evangelist, send Your Church more fishers of men and teach us to follow You in all things!

Let us pray...

[Novena Prayer]

DAY TWO:

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” (Mark 9:33-37)

O God, who called St. Mark to be one of the little ones through whom we receive Your saving Word, through the intercession of Saint Mark, teach us to love humility as You do, and to see and receive You in the little ones in our midst.

Let us pray...

[Novena Prayer]

DAY THREE:

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by

double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door

guards kept watch on the prison. Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by

him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened

him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists. The angel

said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to

him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” So he followed him out, not

realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he

was seeing a vision. They passed the first guard, then the second, and came

to the iron gate leading out to the city, which opened for them by itself.

They emerged and made their way down an alley, and suddenly the angel

left him. Then Peter recovered his senses and said, “Now I know for

certain that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of

Herod and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.” When he

realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who is

called Mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer.

(Mark 12: 6-12)

O God, who inspired the first Christians to lay their possessions at the feet

of the apostles, through the intercession of Saint Mark and Mary, his

mother, move us to devote what You have given us to the mission of the

Church, that through our generosity many more might be gathered into the

community of prayer that is the Church.

Amen.

Let us pray...

[Novena Prayer]

DAY FOUR:

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark. Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. (Mark 12:25-13:3)

O God, who in every age bestow on Your Church gifts for her upbuilding and growth, help us to be faithful stewards of our many gifts. Through the intercession of Saint Mark, raise up in our local church and at our parish priests, evangelists, prophets, and teachers who will proclaim Your saving truth with their words and deeds.

Let us pray...

[Novena Prayer]

DAY FIVE:

Tychicus, my beloved brother, trustworthy minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news of me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us and that he may encourage your hearts, together with Onesimus, a trustworthy and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions; if he comes to you, receive him), and Jesus, who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision; these alone are my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras sends you greetings; he is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus, always striving for you in his prayers so that you may be perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I can testify that he works very hard for you and for those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician sends greetings, as does Demas. (Colossians 4:7-14)

O God, who will that Your servants depend on one another as co-workers for the Kingdom, perfect the union of Your Church. Through the intercession of Saint Mark, lead us to devote ourselves to the service of one another as joyful slaves of Christ.

DAY SIX:

I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. Try to join me soon, for Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments. (2 Timothy 4:6-13)

O God, who lead Your servants to the perfection of love by pouring themselves out for their friends in imitation of Christ, through the intercession of Saint Mark, teach us to keep the faith amid the trials of life and to run well for the sake of the Gospel.

DAY SEVEN:

I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment, who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me. … Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. … Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as well as Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philemon 10-24)

O God, who calls us to true freedom in Christ, through the intercession of Saint Mark, teach us to cherish His image in our brothers and sisters, and to refresh their hearts through the practice of ardent charity.

DAY EIGHT:

Jesus said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. (Mark 16:15-20)

O God, through the intercession of Saint Mark the Evangelist, deepen our faith and make us bold to proclaim your Gospel to every creature!