Typically, when someone asks us to pray for a specific intention, we have our "go-to" prayer. It might be the Rosary, an Our Father, or simply a heartfelt plea to God. St. Pio of Pietrelcina (more commonly known as “Padre” Pio) had his, which he prayed for everyone who asked for his prayers. Every day, Padre Pio was asked by numerous people, whether in person or by letter, to pray for a specific intention and many times this intention was miraculously answered by God.
Below is the prayer that Padre Pio would pray each time he wanted to intercede for someone. It is actually a prayer composed by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and is commonly called the "Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus." She was a saint and a mystic who lived in the 17th century, and received multiple visions of Jesus during her lifetime.
Many believe this is a powerful prayer because it calls upon the heart of Jesus to have mercy on us and our petitions. Jesus' heart is indeed full of love and compassion and this prayer trusts in that love, believing that he is tender enough to generously grant our petition if it is in his holy will.
Above all things, it must be prayed with a sincere faith, as Padre Pio would have prayed it, and not as a candy dispenser. God is not a genie who grants us whatever wish we desire, but instead responds in love to a child who asks for something, knowing exactly what we need.
Efficacious Novena Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
I. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of ...... (here name your request)
Our Father .... Hail Mary .... Glory Be to the Father .... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
II. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of ....... (here name your request)
Our Father .... Hail Mary ....Glory Be to the Father .... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
III. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of ..... (here name your request)
Our Father .... Hail Mary .... Glory Be to the Father ... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.
Say the Hail, Holy Queen, and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.
Make sure to visit the slideshow below to discover rarely seen photos of Padre Pio.
