Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Third Day
The Third Day:
The Empty Tomb
Preparatory Prayer
by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Mary, Virgin most Blessed
and Mother of Our Lord
and Redeemer Jesus Christ,
through thy mercy I beseech thee,
to come to my aid
and to inspire me
with such confidence in thy power
that I may have recourse to thee,
pray to thee
and implore thy aid,
in all needs of soul and body.
Amen
Meditation:
St John Damascene (675-749) Father and Doctor of the Church, writes:
“St Thomas was not with the other Apostles when the Blessed Virgin died but arrived in Jerusalem on the third day after that event.
Ardently desiring to see once more and to venerate the sacred body which had given flesh and blood to his Beloved Master, the grave was opened for this purpose. The body could nowhere be seen and a delicious perfume filled the empty tomb.
The Apostles then became convinced, that as God had preserved the body of Mary free from sin before, in and after the Birth of His Son, He was pleased, likewise, after her death, to preserve that same body from corruption and, to glorify it in Heaven.”
A Council held in Jerusalem, in the year 1672, declared:
“It is beyond all doubt, that the Blessed Virgin is not only a great and miraculous sign on earth because she bore God in the flesh and yet remained a virgin but, she is also, a great and miraculous sign in Heaven because she was taken up to Heaven, with soul and body.
For although her sinless body was enclosed in the tomb, yet, like the body of Our Lord, it arose on the third day and was carried up to Heaven.”
Although the Doctrine of the bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven, was not defined by the Church as an Article of Faith in the strict sense, yet, the learned Pope Benedict XIV rdeclares, “It would be presumptuous and blameworthy in anyone, to call into doubt or to question, this beautiful and consoling belief of ages.”
Practice:
Let us rejoice at the thought of the glorious resurrection of our dear Mother. Let us unite ourselves in spirit with the Apostles in Heaven and with Holy Church, to congratulate her on this extraordinary privilege.
But let us also rejoice at the thought of our own resurrection. True, it shall not take place immediately after death but. it is, therefore, not the less certain and it depends on us, to make it glorious and blessed.
Prayer of the Church: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pardon the shortcomings of Thy servants that we who, by our own works, are not able to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Novena Prayer: Day Three
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary!
As thy sacred body, after death,
was preserved from corruption
and, united with thy sinless soul,
was borne to Heaven by the Angels;
obtain for me the grace
that my life and death be holy,
so that on the Day of Judgement,
I may arise to glory everlasting.
Obtain for me too, I beg thee,
the granting of this my special petition:
……………………………
Amen
Hail Mary …….
Ejaculation: Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation!
Indulgence. (1) 100 days, every time. (2) A Plenary Indulgence, once a month, on any day, to all who shall have said it everyday for a month, under the usual conditions.
AnaStpaul 