World Day of the Poor Novena – Day 8

The eighth of nine days of prayer and readings. On Day Eight, we pray for those who experience homelessness.

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For those who experience homelessness

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Antiphon

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation,
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the
thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from
their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1: 50-53

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in
the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

Scripture Reading

“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’.”
Luke 9: 57-58

Jesus, the Word made flesh, became poor for our sake, he emptied himself so that we might have life to the full. He knew days and nights in the wilderness, sleeping under the stars. He knew rejection from his own community. Yet he reached out to the ones beyond the care of a family, living on the edge of life. We pray for those in our community who have no home, who sleep rough on our streets, or who are forced to go from place to place to look for shelter. May we be moved to do what we can to offer help, and work for a world where everyone has a place to call their own.

Loving Father
your risen Son sent us out
into the world as ambassadors
for the kingdom of God;
inspire us with your Spirit
of compassion, justice and truth
to declare the Good News
to those who are poor, to work
for the relief, defence and liberation
of all who are trapped
in oppressive circumstances.
We make this our prayer
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

“The poor are not people ‘outside’ our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, in an effort to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization, restore their lost dignity and ensure their necessary social inclusion.”

Pope Francis, Message for World Day of the Poor, 2021

Day Nine

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