A 9-Day Walk
A Daily Prayer for Siblings and Family Relationships
My prayer offering for all who pray these 9 days: Holy Spirit, many families suffer painful divisions that linger for years through sibling rivalry. I place each day of this 9-Day Novena on the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ, for through his suffering he brought healing and mercy to all. I ask you Holy Spirit for your advocacy for all siblings. Bring each of us to offer healing and forgiveness to one another.
O Mary, the Mother of our Lord, St. Joseph my spiritual father and all saints in heaven, I ask for your intercessions for our broken families to find unity, peace and love. Amen.
Day 1 Father, I regret to say that many families still suffer painful divisions that must be endured throughout a lifetime. The memory of rage and anger from a sibling can linger in our minds from childhood and far into adulthood. These unsettling emotions create a distance that cuts at the center of the heart of a family. I call on you Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul to help guide me to any deep rooted memory that still needs healing from my past childhood, However painful it may be, I ask that you instill in me patience and merciful love as I encounter this deep rooted memory. Holy Spirit, I give you permission to heal the hurt that strips my heart of love for my sibling. Thank you Holy Spirit for all that you are going to do for me. Father, I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Day 2 Holy Spirit, the scourging of words between siblings often creates a harsh competition. This sin weaves through family loyalty and produces underlying tensions. A dislike of hearts hardens with darkness that prevents healing through the affliction of painful disagreements. O Holy Spirit, console me and my siblings, each of us, to mend our relationships with kindness and charity.
Day 3 Holy Spirit, damaged sibling relationships detach themselves from family members through time, from childhood into adulthood. A sisterly or brotherly loving gaze between each another is masked by a false facial appearance. Holy Spirit, open my heart and the hearts of my siblings and place in us that joyful and loving gaze long forgotten and turned away.
Day 4 Holy Spirit, Jesus sent you to me and my siblings as our advocate in life. Pour into us your consolation and counsel, to all siblings, to all families, your fiery love to melt the coldness that has imprisoned our hearts. Holy Spirit, break open the locks to our hearts with the gifts of kindness and goodness between my family, between all brothers and sisters who have stopped loving one another and thrown away the key.
Day 5 Holy Spirit, may the long-suffering of thorn words carved in our hearts and solitude find their way into your fiery love to be transformed into embraced healing. May the hateful scars that scourged our family be revealed to understand the letting go and find unity again. Holy Spirit, grant us the gift of self-control as to no longer hurt one another.
Day 6 Holy Spirit, transform me, my siblings into a family of merciful love for each other. Encourage us to remove the painful nails of pride that severs us from grace as we carry our crosses that pierced our sibling bonds. Bless us, bless all families with Wisdom to know what is important and embrace each other with a gentle heart.
Day 7 Holy Spirit, we run from our relationships between our brothers and or sisters to avoid additional confrontations of hurtful moments. The band aids of time only reveal the deep, crusted scaring reminding us these are before us. Holy Spirit, help us to overcome this darkness of silence. Shine your light upon us to undo these knots of emptiness with patience and charity.
Day 8 Holy Spirit, as families we’ve nailed our unforgiving pain between each other to ourselves. As siblings we’ve bound each of us to the sins of wrath (anger and rage) carried through generations. Holy Spirit, enable us to understand the Why. Counsel us to be merciful. Provide us the knowledge to release these sins through a forgiving merciful love and no longer be bound to them.
Day 9 Holy Spirit, empty arguments continue to divide a brother and sister or sister and sister like a sword piercing hearts bleeding a painful wound. This hollowness shadows future family gatherings of unity with loved ones kept at distances. Holy Spirit, grace me and my siblings, and all siblings the wisdom and understanding of the evil one’s presence that fuels this festering division. Holy Spirit, bring us to repentance with humility.
© guadalupeirma 2021
Pray daily a Rosary and The Chaplet of Divine Mercy to enrich your daily petition.
https://www.thedivinemercy.org http://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/holy-rosary-390