Surrender Novena

summary

The Surrender Novena was given by Jesus to Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, a humble Italian priest and mystic who lived from 1882 to 1970. Known for his suffering, holiness, and total trust in God, Fr. Dolindo received these words interiorly from Jesus, inviting souls to abandon their worries completely into divine hands. The novena centers on the repeated prayer: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!” This novena helps Catholics cultivate detachment from anxiety, deepen their trust in divine providence, and find rest in Christ’s peace.

When to Pray

The Surrender Novena may be prayed at any time, especially during periods of anxiety, discernment, illness, or family trials. Many Catholics pray it over nine consecutive days, beginning on a Sunday or any day when they seek interior peace and surrender to God’s will.

Day 1

Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful. I say to you truly that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 2

Surrender to me does not mean fret, worry, and lose hope, nor does it mean offering me a worried prayer, asking me to follow you and change your worry into prayer. It is against this surrender, deeply against it, to worry, to be nervous, and to desire to think about the results of anything. This is what greatly hinders my words and my works. Truly surrender to me does not mean taking up your cross and carrying it after me; it means rather to leave your cross in my arms. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 3

How many things I do when the soul, in its spiritual and material needs, turns to me, looks at me and says to me, “You take care of it,” then closes its eyes and rests. In pain, you pray for me to act, but that I act in the way you desire. You do not turn to me, instead, you want me to adjust your ideas. You are not sick people who ask the doctor to cure you but dictate the way he should. So do not act this way; pray as I taught you in the Our Father: “Hallowed be Thy Name,” that is, be glorified in my need. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 4

You see evil growing instead of weakening? Do not worry. Close your eyes and say to me with faith: “Thy will be done, You take care of it.” I say to you that I will take care of it, and that I will intervene as does a doctor and accomplish miracles when they are needed. Do not worry; close your eyes and let yourself be carried in my divine arms. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 5

And when I must lead you on a path different from the one you see, I will prepare you; I will carry you in my arms; I will let you find yourself, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, on the other bank of the river. What troubles you and hurts you immensely are your reason, your thoughts, and your worry, and your desire at all costs to deal with what afflicts you. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 6

You are sleepless; you want to judge everything, direct everything, and see to everything, and you surrender to human strength, or worse—to men themselves—trusting in their intervention. This is what hinders my words and my views. Oh how much I wish from you this surrender, to help you, and how I suffer when I see you so agitated! Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 7

I perform miracles in proportion to your full surrender to me and to your not thinking of yourselves. Suffering prayer, done by you, by those who worry, is a force opposed to my words, and so it hinders my grace. You want me to work according to your ideas; you do not turn to me. Instead, you want me to adjust to your ideas. So do not worry—close your eyes and say to me with faith: “You take care of it.” Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 8

Close your eyes and let yourself be carried away on the flowing current of my grace; close your eyes and do not think of the present, turning your thoughts away from the future as you would from temptation. Rest in me, believing in my goodness, and I promise you by my love that if you say “You take care of it,” I will take care of it completely, I will console you, I will free you, and I will guide you. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)

Day 9

Pray always in readiness to surrender, and you will receive great peace and great rewards, even when I grant you the grace of immolation, of repentance, and of love. Then what does suffering matter? It seems impossible to you? Close your eyes and say with all your soul, “Jesus, You take care of it.” Do not be afraid, I will take care of things, and you will bless my name by humbling yourself. Prayer: O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything! (10 times)