Category: MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, INDULGENCES, MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Octave Day of the Assumption)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

22 August – Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Octave Day of the Assumption).

Pope Pius XII instituted the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1944 to be celebrated on 22 August, coinciding with the traditional Octave Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.

In the midst of the second world war Pope Pius XII placed the whole world under the special protection of our Saviour’s Mother by Consecrating it to her Immaculate Heart and in 1944, he decreed that in the future, the whole Church should celebrate the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

In the seventeenth century, St John Eudes, preached it together with that of the Sacred Heart. In the nineteenth century, Pope Pius VII and Pope Pius IX, allowed several Churches to celebrate a Feast of the Pure Heart of Mary. Pope Pius XII instituted today’s Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the whole Church, so as to obtain by her intercession, “peace among nations, freedom for the Church, the conversion of sinners, the love of purity and the practice of virtue” (Decree of 4 May, 1944).

The attention of Christians was early attracted by the love and virtues of the Heart of Mary. The Gospel itself invited this attention with exquisite discretion and delicacy. What was first excited was compassion for the Virgin Mother. It was, so to speak, at the foot of the Cross that the Christian heart first made the acquaintance of the Heart of Mary. Simeon’s prophecy paved the way and furnished the devotion with one of its favourite formulae and most popular representations – the heart pierced with a sword. But Mary was not merely passive at the foot of the Cross; “she co-operated, through charity.” as St. Augustine says, “in the work of our redemption“.

It is only in the twelfth, or towards the end of the eleventh century, that indications of a regular devotion are perceived in a sermon by St Bernard (De duodecim stellis).

Stronger evidences are discernible in the pious meditations on the Ave Maria and the Salve Regina and also in the large book De laudibus B Mariae Virginis (Douai, 1625) by Richard de Saint-Laurent.

In St Mechtilde (died 1298) and St Gertrude (d.ied1302) the devotion had two earnest adherents. A little earlier it had been included by St Thomas Becket in the devotion to the joys and sorrows of Mary, by Blessed Hermann (died 1245), in his other devotions to Mary and somewhat later it appeared in St Bridget’s Book of Revelations.

St Ambrose perceived in her the model of a virginal soul. St Bernardine of Siena (died1444) was more absorbed in the contemplation of the virginal heart and it is from him, that the Church has borrowed the lessons of the Second Nocturn for the Feast of the Heart of Mary. St Francis de Sales speaks of the perfections of this heart, the model of love for God and dedicated to it, his Theotimus.

In the second half of the sixteenth century and the first half of the seventeenth, ascetic authors dwelt upon this devotion at greater length. It was, however, reserved to St John Eudes to propagate the devotion, to make it public and to have a feast celebrated in honour of the Heart of Mary, first at Autun in 1648 and afterwards, in a number of French Diocese.

In 1799 Pope Pius VI, then in captivity at Florence, granted the Bishop of Palermo the Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary for some of the Churches in his Diocese. In 1805 Pope Pius VII made a new concession, thanks to which the Feast was soon widely observed. Such was the existing condition when a twofold movement, started in Paris, gave fresh impetus to the devotion. The two factors of this movement were first of all the revelation of the “Miraculous Medal” in 1830 and all the prodigies that followed and then, the establishment at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, of the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners, which spread rapidly throughout the world and was the source of numberless graces. On 21 July 1855, the Congregation of Rites, finally approved the Office and Mass of the Most Pure Heart of Mary, without, however, imposing them upon the Universal Church.

O Heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus, a pure and humble heart.

(1943 Raccolta–Indulgence 300 days)

Hail Mary!
Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
By St John Eudes (1601-1680)
“The Apostle of Two Hearts”

Hail Mary! Mother of God the Son.
Hail Mary! Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary! Temple of the Most Blessed Trinity.
Hail Mary! Pure Lily of the Effulgent Trinity.
Hail Mary! Celestial Rose of the Ineffable Love of God.
Hail Mary! Virgin pure and humble,
of whom the King of Heaven willed to be born
and, with thy milk to be nourished.
Hail Mary! Virgin of Virgins,
Hail Mary! Queen of Martyrs,
whose soul a sword transfixed.
Hail Mary! Lady most blessed!
unto whom all power in Heaven and earth is given.
Hail Mary! My Queen and my Mother!
my Life, my Sweetness and my Hope,
Hail Mary! Mother Most Amiable,
Hail Mary! Mother of Divine Love,
Hail Mary! Immaculate! Conceived Without Sin!
Hail Mary! Full of Grace! The Lord is with Thee!
Blessed art thou among women!
And blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
Blessed be thy spouse, Saint Joseph,
Blessed be thy father, Saint Joachim,
Blessed be thy mother, Saint Anne,
Blessed be thy guardian, Saint John,
Blessed be thy holy Angel, Saint Gabriel,
Glory be to God the Father, Who chose thee,
Glory be to God the Son, Who loved thee,
Glory be to God the Holy Spirit, Who espoused thee.

O Glorious Virgin Mary,
may all people love and praise thee.

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Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, QUEENSHIP of MARY, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Ninth Day – 14 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

The Ninth Day:
Mary in Heaven,
the Help of Christians on Earth

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:
Mary’s succour as Mother of mercy is not confined to individuals.
She is the protectress and helper of the whole Church.
All over the earth, wherever we cast our glance, in the records of the history of times, long past and those of recent occurrence, we find testimony of the graces and benefits, obtained through her intercession.
The feasts celebrated by the Church, throughout the year, what are they but evidences of gratitude, offered to the Queen of Heaven for the oftentimes, miraculous delivery from war, pestilence and other great afflictions?
Hence she is rightly invoked as the “Help of Christians.”

The processional Statue of St John Bosco’s Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin

Practice:
In our days, too, storms and dangers threaten the Church.
Let us, therefore, by calling on Mary for help, do our part toward shortening the days of visitation and trial.
Let us not confine our petitions, to her, within the narrow limits, of our own personal needs but let us join in the cry for assistance ascending to the Mother of mercy, throughout all Christendom.
Let us daily, for Holy Church, send up our petition to Mary’s heavenly throne: “Help of Christians, pray for us!”

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 Nine

Glorious Virgin and Mother of God,
Mary, Queen of Heaven!
Forget us not!
Thou art the help of Christians;
lighten our tribulations
and help us with motherly intercession
at the throne of thy Divine Son.
With Holy Church,
I join in the petition to thee:
“Holy Mary, aid the miserable,
assist the desponding,
strengthen the weak,
pray for thy people,
plead for the clergy,
intercede for the devout mothers,
woman and consecrated woman.
Let all who have recourse to thee
experience the efficacy of thy succour!”
And my holy Mother and Queen,
forget not, 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.

Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Eighth Day – 13 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

The Eighth Day:
Mary, the Queen of Mercy

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:
Mary is, then, a Queen and what a consolation to know it!–
a Queen always mild and gentle, always willing to confer benefits upon us.
Hence the Church teaches us, to call her the Mother of mercy.
The pious and learned Poet and Writer, Jean Charlier de Gerson (1363-1429) says:
“God’s dominion comprises Justice and mMrcy. He divided it, retaining the administration of Justice for Himself and relinquishing, in a certain sense, the dispensation of mercy to Mary, by conferring through her hands, all graces He grants to mankind.”
H,ow consoling, then, the assurance that our merciful Mother is so mighty and so loving a queen!

Practice:
So great is the tenderness of Mary’s maternal heart: “that never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help and sought her intercession, was left unaided. How many prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, ascend daily to the throne of this our exalted and merciful protectress!
There is not a cry of an afflicted, struggling and suffering soul that she does not graciously hear. Join, therefore, confidently in the prayer of Holy Church, “Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy.” Approach her with filial trust.
Neglect not to honour her yourself and do all in your power, to lead others to do her honour.

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 Eight

Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary!
Holy Church teaches me
that despite the glory to which thou wast exalted,
thou didst not forget thy miserable clients
and that, in Heaven,
thy mercy is still greater
than it was during thy life on earth.
Therefore, I come to thee
and trustingly lay at thy feet,
all my needs, miseries and petitions.
My Queen, my Mother,
turn not thy gracious eyes from me.
Remember me to thy Divine Son;
cease not to pray for me
and take me under thy protection,
so that I may finally have
the happiness to see and praise thee
in thy glory forever and ever.
And once more, at thy feet,
I beg thee to hear and grant,
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.

Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Seventh Day – 12 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

The Seventh Day:
Mary’s Joy in 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:
According to Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Church, there are, in Heaven, various grades of glory and joy, according to the rank and merit of the Saints.
They attain this higher grade of glory and joy, by the increase of their ability to enjoy the happiness of Heaven.
Their intellect is enabled to contemplate, more profoundly, the incomprehensible Essence of God.
Their power of perception, is augmented so that they may more readily recognise and admire, the splendour of the Angels, Saints and heavenly mansions.
Their will is enabled to be united, in a higher degree with God. From this we may conclude that Mary’s joy in Heaven transcends all human conception.
Her heavenly glory and reward consists in the perfect adaptation of her whole being, to the enjoyment of God and of eternal happiness

Practice:
Look up, Christian soul, to this great and brilliant Queen of Heaven.
She is your gentle Mother and assures you of her help and the diadem she wears upon her brow is a proof that she has the power to help you.
Do not, therefore, refuse the hand of this mighty ally in Heaven, for she will lift you from the depths of your misery, from the dangers of temptation and lead you strong and victorious, into the Presence of her Divine Son.
Thus, you will enter into a new and supernatural life in Christ, to share in the grace-laden Mysteries of His Light, Passion and Triumph.

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 Seven

O Great and glorious Queen of Heaven, Mary!
I beseech thee, by that exalted throne
upon which God has raised thee,
above all Angels and Daints;
let me one day, appear amongst them,
to join them in their praise of thee.
Obtain for me the grace
of never ceasing to honour thee,
as thou dost deserve to be honoured,
and thereby, to become worthy
of thy mighty protection in life and death.
I beseech thee too, O holy Mother,
for the granting of 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.

Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, QUEENSHIP of MARY, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Sixth Day – 11 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

The Sixth Day:
Mary Crowned in 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:
Mary’s glory received its culmination by her coronation as Queen of Heaven and earth.
It was meet that in her, should be fulfilled, the words of Holy Scripture: “Come from Libanus, my Spouse, come, thou shalt be crowned” (Cant. 4:81) and, that her own prophetic words, “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble” (Luke 1:52) should be exemplified in her.
For it was reasonable and becoming that she, who once with Jesus, wore the crown of shame and contempt, should now share with Him, the crown of immortal glory.
It was but fair and just that, the immaculate being, who was chosen above all inhabitants of heaven and earth, to be the true and worthy Mother of God, should now be solemnly installed over all creatures in Heaven and on earth, as the Queen of Angels and men and that, to her, should be offered homage, praise and honour, by the blessed spirits and by the souls of the Saints.
But the crown which she received,is not one made of gold and precious stones, it is composed of the virtues with which Mary, in faithful co-operation with Divine grace, embellished herself.
It consists, too, of all the homage and glory, which she receives, as Queen of Heaven.
The most precious gem, in this crown, is the filial love and gratitude, Jesus shows toward His Mother in Heaven.

Practice:
Indeed, “eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man,” what the heavenly Father has prepared in the mansions of eternal bliss, for His beloved Daughter, the Son for His Blessed Mother, and the Holy Ghost, for His chosen Spouse.
She is now Queen of Heaven and earth – of Heaven, for she is the Queen of all Angels and Saints; of earth, for as Mother of God, she is the Mother of all mankind, the mediatrix between the Redeemer and the redeemed.
You, too, may contribute a gem toward the crown of your heavenly Mother, by paying her filial homage, imitating her virtues and preserving, for the love of her, your innocence and purity of heart and body.

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 Six

Glorious Virgin and Mother of God, Mary!
I beseech thee, through the everlasting
crown of glory with which God
has crowned thee, Queen of Heaven and earth;
obtain for me, through thy mighty intercession,
the grace to persevere in virtue to the end,
so that finally,
I may attain the crown of bliss
prepared by God.
for those that love Him.
I beseech thee too, glorious Queen and Mother,
for 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.

Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption – The Fifth Day, 10 August

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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.

Posted in MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption – The Fourth Day – 9 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

The Fourth Day:
Reasons for the Bodily Assumption of Mary 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:
The wages of sin is death. Now, as the Blessed Virgin, from the first moment of her existence was preserved from all sin and even from original sin, it necessarily follows that death could have no permanent dominion over her and that, her body would not be permitted to see corruption.

  1. This sinless body had been the medium by which the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was the conqueror of death, had been formed. How, then, could such a highly privileged body, a pure and virginal body, be permitted to pass through corruption and decay?
  2. As Mary had yielded up her sacred person to be a dwelling-place for the Lord of Heaven, it seems fitting that this same Lord, in His turn, should give the Kingdom of Heaven to her as her resting-place. St Bernard expresses this sentiment as follows: “When Our Lord came into this world, Mary furnished Him with the noblest dwelling on earth, the temple of her virginal womb. In return, the Lord,on this day, raises her up to the highest throne in Heaven.”

Practice:
If You desire to look forward to death, without fear and to expect your dissolution with confidence, follow the Apostle’s injunction, “Therefore, whilst we have time, let us do good works, to all men” (Gal. 6:10). Avoid sin, perform good works, be patient in affliction and strive to expiate the punishment due to your sins by voluntary acts of penance, thus reducing your inclination to sin. Therefore, offer up to God, every morning, in a spirit of penitence, all your labours, trials and sufferings.

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 Four

Glorious Virgin
and Mother of God, Mary!
I beseech thee through the ineffable glory,
thou didst make for thy departure
from this world by a life of retirement,
full of merits and virtue,
dedicated to God alone;
obtain for me the grace,
of, following thy example,
that I may detach my heart from this world
and patiently bear affliction and adversity,
carefully avoid sin
and always strive to advance
in the love of God.
Obtain for me too, I beg thee Holy 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.

Posted in DOCTRINE, MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Third Day – 8 August

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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.

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Second Day – 7 August

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Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption, the Second Day

The Second Day: At Mary’s Deathbed and 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:

Ancient legend relates that, led by Heaven, all the Apostles, except St Thomas, Wwho joined them a little later, assembled at the Blessed Virgin’s deathbed. After she had breathed forth her pure spirit, her sacred remains were prepared for the grave by wrapping the body in new white linen and decking it with flowers . Meanwhile ,the Apostles, assembled in another room, sang Psalms and Hymns, in praise of their departed Mother. The Apostles, all the disciples and the faithful dwelling in Jerusalem, followed the blessed remains to the grave chanting Psalms and Hymns. Arriving in the valley of Josaphat, the body was gently placed in a sepulcher of stone, not far from the Garden of Olives. After the entombment ,the Apostles and crowds of the faithful, lingered near the sacred spot in prayer, meditation and chanting of Psalms in which Angels’ voices were heard to mingle.

Practice:

Join in spirit with the Apostles and faithful in their prayer and meditation at the grave of our Blessed Mother. Contemplate and review her whole life. Could a course like hers have terminated more appropriately than with so beautiful, painless and tranquil a passing away? Prepare yourself, even now, for your departure from this life. Do not postpone the settlement of your affairs, spiritual and temporal, until the last uncertain hours. Above all, remove now, or as soon as possible, all doubts, anxieties and irregularities of conscience because, delay is dangerous and leads to impenitence and because, in the last hours, the powers of hell usually assail the departing soul with all their might.

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 Two

Glorious Virgin,
who for thy consolation
didst deserve to die comforted
by the sight of thy dear Son Jesus
and in the company of the Apostles and Angels,
pray for us, that at that awful moment we, too,
may be comforted by receiving Jesus
in the most holy Sacrament
and may feel see nigh,
when we breathe forth our soul.
Obtain for me too, I beseech thee,
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.

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, INDULGENCES, MARIAN Aspirations and Ejaculations, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, PARTIAL Indulgence, PLENARY Indulgences, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, THE ASSUMPTION

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption – The First Day

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Novena to Our Lady of the Assumption

First Day: Mary’s Death Was Without Pain

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:
Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, was conceived without original sin. She never dimmed by actual sin, the lustre of sanctifying grace which beautified her soul.
Nevertheless, she had to pass through the dark prtal of death, before she was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven.
She had not been endowed with the privilege of immortality, with which God had invested our first parents in paradise.
It was meet that she should be like unto her Divine Son in everything, even in death.
But as she had drained, the bitter cup of suffering during her whole life and especially, when standing beneath the Cross, her death was to be free from pain and suffering.
She quietly passed away, yielding up her spirit, in a yearning desire to be united forever, with her Divine Son in Heaven.

Practice:
If you have dispossessed your heart of all unruly attachment to the goods and enjoyments of this earth, you, too, may hope for a happy and tranquil transition, from this land of exile, to your home in Heaven.
Therefore, if you are still attached to the transitory things of this life, disengage your heart from them now.
The voluntary renouncement of earthly goods, alone is meritorious before God.
The separation from them, enforced by the strong hand of death, is of no supernatural value.

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 One

O Most benign Mother Mary!
I rejoice that by thy happy and tranquil death,
the yearning of thy heart was appeased
and thy life, so rich in merit and sacrifice,
received its crown.
I rejoice that after passing from this life,
thou, O most loving Mother,
was made the glorious and powerful
Queen of Heaven
and dost exercise thy influence as such,
for the benefit of thy frail, exiled children on earth.
Obtain for me, I beseech thee,
this my special petition ………………..
and a happy death
that I may praise and glorify
thy might and kindness,
forever in Heaven.
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.