Day: November 16, 2023

Novena in Honour of the Presentation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple

Feast Day of the Presentation is 21 November

The Fifth Day

Extract 5 – On How to Prepare to Celebrate
a Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1697-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

“It was our Saint who first introduced the custom of saluting the Blessed Virgin Mary after the visit to the Blessed Sacrament.
He never allowed an opportunity of recommending devotion to the Blessed Virgin slip by.
If anyone came to visit him or to seek advice, he always found an opportunity to introduce, into the conversation, a word or two in honour of the Mother of God.
“She is our Mother,” he would say, “she must bring us to Heaven, she must assist us in the hour of death. How unhappy we should be, did this exalted Queen of Heaven not intercede for us!”
This devotion he recommended with particular emphasis to the young.
A youth who had been accepted into the Congregation, desired to visit him before entering the Novitiate, in order to receive his blessing.
The first words our Saint addressed to him were:
“Strive earnestly to acquire a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Then, after he had blessed the youth, he continued: “My dear son, if you wish to persevere have great reverence for the Mother of God; if you fail to do so, you will lose your vocation.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of perseverance.
Call upon her in the morning when you arise and say to her:
“Most Holy Virgin, thou art my Mother and my Queen;
I recommend myself to thee;
assist me that I may not lose my God.
Obtain for me, O my Queen,
a great and constant love for God,
the grace to serve Him faithfully
in this Congregation to which He has called me
and finally, the happiness to die in the grace of God
and as thy faithful servant.”

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.