the mystery of unbounded love, which Jesus has for all mankind, but more
especially for the Church which is appointed and authorized to lead men
to salvation. O blessed, O happy bequest! It was not enough for the love
of Jesus to have restored heaven to us by His atoning death; He wished
also to give us His dearest Mother. And she has always shown herself as
such. To each of us individually she was and is a kind and loving
Mother. Give thanks to her, bless and praise her for having adopted you
as her child, and strive to become worthy of so great a privilege.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
I COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the martyrdom thy generous
heart bore so nobly whilst thou didst stand by Jesus agonizing. Dear
Mother, by thy heart then so cruelly martyred, obtain for me the virtue
of temperance and the gift of counsel.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
SEVENTH DAY
Mary's Sixth Sorrow: The Taking Down of Jesus' Body from the Cross
[Illustration: Jesus' Body, Taken Down from the Cross]
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
WHO can describe the sorrow and anguish of Mary's heart when the body of
Jesus was taken from the cross, when her tearful eyes fell upon His
disfigured features! The pure and holy and beauteous form of her Son was
a mass of clotted blood and unsightly wounds; and yet, disfigured as it
was, there shone in His countenance a clear, calm expression of divine
majesty. Now Mary views the wounds of that sacred body; she looks at the
gap made in His side by the cruel spear, and can almost see the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, all bruised and broken for love of man. Before her
vision passes in detail His life and her own. Memory presents to her
mind every day and hour of their quiet, happy life at Nazareth. Is it to
be wondered, then, that at this bitter moment her sorrow was so great
that, as St. Anselm observes, she should have died had she not been
sustained by a miracle of divine omnipotence?
PRACTICE
OUGHT not the contemplation of the sorrows of our blessed Mother confirm
us in patience, in resignation to the will of God in our trials and
sufferings? If the Son of God said of Himself: "Ought not Christ to have
suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?" (_Luke_ xxiv.
26); if the most pure and holy Mother of God, despite her great
prerogatives and merits, had to suffer a sorrow so ineffable, do not
murmur if the word of Christ is addressed also to you: "And he that
taketh not up his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me" (_Matt._
x. 38).
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
I COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the pain thou didst suffer
when the body of thy divine Son, taken down all torn and bloody from the
cross, was placed in thy arms. Dear Mother, by thy heart pierced
through, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of
understanding.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
EIGHTH DAY
Mary's Seventh Sorrow: Jesus is Buried
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
THE sacrifice for the redemption of the world was accomplished. "And
Joseph, taking the body, wrapt it up in a clean linen cloth, and laid it
in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled
a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way" (_Matt._
xxvii. 59). Mary also took part in the burial of her beloved Son, though
the evangelists do not mention her name amongst those who were present
on that mournful occasion. Never, most assuredly, was human soul visited
by such woe and desolation, as that which overwhelmed hers as she cast a
last glance on the precious remains of her dead Son.
PRACTICE
LET us learn of the sorrowful Mother at the tomb of her divine Son
submission to God's holy will in all things, but especially when He
takes from us one of our dear ones. Again, the contemplation of the
sufferings of Mary should fortify us in patience, whenever God is
pleased to visit us with a light and small cross of affliction, or even
with a sorrow that causes our heart to bleed. It should inspire us with
a filial confidence in Mary, who thus suffered for us and gave her
divine Son for our salvation. We can and ought to prove our love for
her, not by sentimental feelings of affection, but by a sincere hatred
of sin and great fervor in the service of her divine Son.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
I COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for the anguish felt by thy loving
heart when Jesus' body was laid in the sepulcher. Dear Mother, by all
the bitterness of desolation thou didst know, obtain for me the virtue
of diligence and the gift of wisdom.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
NINTH DAY
Reasons Why Mary Had to Suffer
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
THE reasons why God permitted Mary to suffer so much may be briefly
stated as follows: He did so from His love for Mary and from His love
for us. He did so from His love for Mary, because by suffering she
merited greater glory in heaven. As Mother of the Crucified she
persevered beneath the cross, and now she thrones in heaven as the
glorious Mother of the risen Redeemer. Because she shared in His
suffering, she now shares His glory. Again, God permitted Mary to suffer
because He loved us. If she had not experienced such bitter sorrow, we
would not have recourse to her, for whosoever has not suffered himself
can not have sympathy with the sufferings of others. Mary knows the
pangs of sorrow by experience, and therefore knows also how to console
and help us.
PRACTICE
BECAUSE she herself drained the most bitter cup of sorrow, Mary is
always willing to help those who invoke her aid. But above all she is
inclined to help repentant sinners, because she knows how great the
price of their redemption was, paid by the blood of her divine Son. She
is able to help us, because, after God, she is most powerful; she is
most willing to help us, because she loves us, whom God so has loved "as
to give His only-begotten Son" (_John_ iii. 16). Let us, therefore, have
recourse to her in all our needs, and we shall experience the power of
her help in life and death.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
I COMPASSIONATE thee, sorrowing Mary, for all thy sorrows. I beseech
thee, dear Mother, by thy heart pierced through by them, obtain for me
full abandonment to the will of God in everything and perseverance to
the end.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
V
Novena for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Illustration: The Assumption]
FIRST DAY
Mary's Death was without Pain
[Illustration: Mary's Death]
PREPARATORY PRAYER
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.
MEDITATION
MARY, the virgin Mother of God, was conceived without original sin. She
never dimmed the luster of sanctifying grace which beautified her soul
by actual sin. Nevertheless she had to pass through the dark portal 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.
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
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, wast 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, a happy death, that I may praise and glorify thy might and
kindness forever in heaven.
Hail Mary, etc.
_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 every day for a month,
under the usual conditions.
SECOND DAY
At Mary's Tomb
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
AN ANCIENT legend relates that, led by Heaven, all the Apostles, except
St. Thomas, assembled at the Blessed Virgin's death-bed. 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. Arrived 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 (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
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 Eucharist, and may feel
thee nigh when we breathe forth our soul.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
THIRD DAY
The Empty Tomb
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
ST. JOHN DAMASCENE 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 thither 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 remarks, "It would be presumptuous and
blameworthy in any one 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 (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
O 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 Judgment I may arise to glory
everlasting.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
FOURTH DAY
Reasons for the Bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
1. 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.
2. 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?
3. 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 work good" (_Gal._ vi. 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 labors, trials, and
sufferings.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
O 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 that, following thy example, 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.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
FIFTH DAY
Mary's Glorious Entrance into Heaven
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
A JOY greater than human heart can conceive fills the heavenly spirits
when a soul enters heaven to receive her 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
splendor 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 affecting meeting? What a superabundant reward for
affliction 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
THOUGH 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 (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
O 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.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
SIXTH DAY
Mary Crowned in Heaven
[Illustration: Mary Crowned in Heaven]
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
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._ iv. 8), and that her own prophetic words, "He hath put
down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble" (_Luke_ i.
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 honor 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.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
O 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.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
SEVENTH DAY
Mary's Bliss in Heaven
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
ACCORDING to Holy Scripture and the doctrine of the Church, there are in
heaven various grades of glory and bliss, according to the rank and
merit of the saints. They probably attain this higher grade of glory and
bliss 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 recognize and admire the splendor 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 bliss 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 bliss.
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 friend in heaven, for
she will lift you from the depths of your misery, from the rocky shoals
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 life, passion, and
triumph.
Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the novena).
Litany of Loreto (located in the final section of the book).
_Prayer_
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
saints; let me one day appear amongst them to join them in their praise
of thee. Obtain for me the grace that I may never cease to honor thee as
thou dost deserve to be honored, and thereby to become worthy of thy
mighty protection in life and death.
Hail Mary, etc.
Ejaculation (located on the first day of the novena).
EIGHTH DAY
Mary, the Queen of Mercy
Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the novena).
MEDITATION
MARY is, then, a queen, but--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 author Gerson says: "God's dominion comprises justice and mercy.
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." How
consoling, then, the assurance that our merciful Mother is so mighty and
so loving a queen!
PRACTICE