Novena of Surrender: 9-Day Prayer to Trust Jesus

Short Version

Day 1: Letting Go of Worry

Jesus, I have been trying to solve everything myself, and it has not given me peace. Today I name my worry and place it in Your hands. I will do what is mine to do, and leave the rest to You. Take care of everything.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 2: Trusting When I Do Not Understand

Lord, some things make no sense to me. Plans have fallen apart and answers have not come. I do not ask You to explain it all today. I ask only that You hold me while I do not understand. Your wisdom is greater than my questions.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 3: Surrendering My Family

Jesus, You know the people I love and every worry I carry for them. I cannot protect them as You can. Today I give each one to You by name. Watch over them, heal what is broken, and draw us closer to You.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 4: Surrendering My Health and Body

Lord, You know every ache, every diagnosis and every fear about my body. Give me courage for what I face, and give wisdom to those who care for me. Whatever comes, let me know You are near.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 5: Surrendering My Work and Money

Jesus, I place before You my work, my bills and my uncertainty about tomorrow. Help me be faithful and honest in what I do, and free me from the fear that You will not provide. Give us this day our daily bread.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 6: Surrendering My Past

Lord, I carry regrets and old wounds. Today I give You my mistakes and the times I was hurt. Forgive what needs forgiving in me, and give me grace to forgive others. Let me begin again in Your mercy.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 7: Surrendering My Plans

Jesus, I have my own ideas of how things should go. Today I open my hands. Show me Your way, even if it is different from mine, and give me the courage to follow it one step at a time.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 8: Surrendering Those Who Hurt Me

Lord, there are people I find hard to love. I place them in Your care. Soften my heart, heal what is bitter in me, and bless them in ways I cannot. Make me an instrument of Your peace.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

Day 9: Surrendering Everything

Jesus, today I give You all of it: my past, my present and my future, my loved ones and myself. I trust that You are good, that You hear me, and that You are already at work. Thank You for carrying me.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything. (x10)

What the Novena of Surrender Is and How to Pray It

The novena of surrender is a nine-day prayer of trust. It is associated with Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo (1882-1970), a priest of Naples, and with his phrase "Gesù, pensaci tu," which means "Jesus, you take care of it." Each day centers on one short refrain: handing your worries to Jesus and trusting Him to act. Devotional writings attributed to Fr. Ruotolo are private devotion, not an official prayer of the Church, so no particular promise is attached to it.

The day prayers on this page are our own. They follow the spirit of surrender, but they are not a copy of any published text of the novena, so you may also pray the version you already know.

How to pray it:

1. Choose a quiet time, such as morning or before bed. Light a candle if you like.
2. Make the Sign of the Cross and pray the opening prayer.
3. Read the day's prayer slowly.
4. Repeat the refrain ten times, letting each repetition release a little more of what you are holding.
5. Close with an Our Father or a Hail Mary and the Sign of the Cross.

When to start: a novena can be begun any day you need it. Many people pray it in a season of worry, illness, waiting for news, or before a big decision. If you miss a day, simply continue the next.

Scripture to Pray With

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:34 (KJV)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the novena of surrender?

It is a nine-day prayer of trust in which you hand your worries to Jesus each day and repeat a short refrain of surrender. It is associated with Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo of Naples.

Who wrote the surrender novena?

It is attributed to Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo (1882-1970), a Neapolitan priest. It is a private devotion rather than an official liturgical prayer of the Church.

How do you pray the surrender novena?

Pray once a day for nine days: a short opening prayer, the day's reflection, then the refrain "O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything" ten times, and close with a Hail Mary or Our Father.

When should I pray the novena of surrender?

Any time you are anxious or waiting on something outside your control. There is no required start date, and you can begin today.

What if I miss a day of the novena?

Simply pick up where you left off. A novena is an act of trust, not a test of perfection.