Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption
The Fifth Day:
Mary’s Glorious Entrance into Heaven
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:
Joy greater, than human heart can conceive, fills the heavenly spirits when a soul enters Heaven, to receive its reward. What jubilant transports, then, must those have been, with which they hailed the entrance into heavenly bliss of the most pure and holy Virgin, the Mother of the Son of God, body and soul, transfigured in glory!
And she is and shall be, for all eternity, their mistress and Queen!
What an ineffable joy, too, for the Blessed Virgin, to behold the countless numbers of Angels, to admire their beauty, their purity, their intense love of God!
But as the feeble light of a candle disappears before the splendour of the sun’s rays, thus are these choirs of Angels, obscured by the ineffable glory of her Divine Son, coming to welcome His Mother.
Who can describe this moving meeting?
What a superabundant reward for love and suffering!
What an ocean of joy and bliss, when the Son of God presented His Mother before the throne of His heavenly Father, Who greeted her as His Beloved Daughter!
What a joy to behold the Holy Ghost, Whose pure Spouse she had been, even on earth!
These transports of bliss baffle all attempts at description.
Practice:
Although we are unable to have an adequate perception of Mary’s glory in Heaven, by which she is raised above all Angels and Saints, yet, it is in our power, to do one thing – we can rejoice at the glory of our Blessed Mother and join the heavenly spirits and the Saints, in paying homage to her.
Let us resolve to do this and never to forget that Mary attained to the largest share of her Divine Son’s glory because, she was foremost in sharing His sufferings. Let this encourage us to bear our cross, to bear it with our Saviour, even to the height of Calvary, there to die with Him.
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 Five
Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary!
I beseech thee through the preparation
with which thou wast glorified by God–
by the Father ,as His most Beloved Daughter,
by the Son, as His Immaculate Mother
and by the Holy Ghost,
as His most pure Spouse, in Heaven;
obtain for me the grace
to share, to some extent, this,
thy glory and, therefore,
to live so that I may deserve it.
And too most Blessed Mother,
this, my special Petition: ………………….
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.