Novena in Honour of the Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple
Feast Day of the Presentation is 21 November
The First Day
Extract 1 – On How to Prepare to Celebrate
a Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1697-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
“The servants of Mary are very attentive and fervent in celebrating the Novenas of her Feasts and, during these, the holy Virgin, full of love, dispenses to them innumerable and special blessings. …
The devotions to be used for the Novenas are the following:
1st – Mental prayer, morning and evening, with a visit to the Most Holy Sacrament, with the addition of an “Our Father,” “Hail Mary,” and “Glory be to the Father,” repeated nine times.
2nd – Three visits to some image of Mary, thanking the Lord for the graces granted to her and, asking of the Virgin, everytime, some special favour and, at one of these visits, the prayer which is placed at the end of each of her Feasts, should be read.
3rd – Make many Acts of Love, … to Mary and to Jesus, for we can do nothing more pleasing to her, as she said to St Bridget, than to love her Son – “If you wish to become dear to me, love my Son Jesus”:
4th – Read everyday of the Novena, for a quarter of an hour, some book which treats of her glories.
5th – Make some external mortification … with fasting, or some abstinence at table from fruits or other agreeable food, at least in part; chewing also some bitter herb and on the Vigil of the Feast, fast on bread and water.
But all this must be done always with the permission of a spiritual Father. …”
The Novena Prayers
“Whoever is a little one, let him come to me” (Prov. 9:4).
Kindly and lovable art thou in thy splendour, O holy Mother of God!
Show me thy face. Let thy words sound in my ears, for thy voice is sweet and thy face is beautiful. Turn to us in thy beauty and loveliness!
Come forth in majesty and reign!
Hail Mary…
O blessed Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, Temple of the Lord, Sanctuary of the Holy Ghost, thou alone, without an equal hast pleased Our Lord Jesus Christ!
Hail Mary…
Happy indeed art thou, O holy Virgin Mary and most worthy of all praise, for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our Lord.
Draw us, O Immaculate Virgin; we shall come after thee breathing the sweet fragrance of thy virtues.
Hail Mary…
The Blessed Virgin speaks:
I have asked the Lord for one thing and this shall I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life that I may enjoy the delights of the Lord and visit His temple (Ps. 26:4).
In the holy dwelling place I have ministered before Him (Ecclus. 24:14).
V. Grant that I may praise thee, O holy Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.
Let us pray. O God, Who has willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary, herself the dwelling place of the Holy Ghost, should this day be presented in the temple, grant, we pray Thee, that through her intercession, we may be found worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory and that our special petition may be heard and granted. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
AnaStpaul 