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8 September, 22

pope-prayer-a-ninth

Novena to the Virgin Mary

The novena, from the Latin novem, consists of praying for nine consecutive days, generally to entrust an intention to God or to ask for a particular grace. This traditional form of prayer, very popular and encouraged by the Church since the Middle Ages, generally appeals to the intercession of the Virgin Mary or a saint.

Why a Novena to the Virgin Mary?

In the Bible nine days are, for the disciples and the Virgin Mary, a period of waiting lived in prayer. "They all persevered in prayer with one mind." Acts 1: 14. At the end of which they received the Holy Spirit. So, we too can live the Ninth as a time of prayer in expectation of grace.

There are many novenas that we can make to go to the Virgin Mary. Some of them are:

  • Novena to the Virgin of Carmen.
  • Novena to the Virgin of Fatima.
  •  Novena to the Immaculate Conception.
  •  Novena to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which is the one we will see below.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Church commemorates the day of the birth of the Virgin Mary, called the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, every September 8. The Gospel does not give us data of Mary's birth, but there are several traditions. It was fixed on September 8, the opening day of the Byzantine liturgical year, which closes with the Dormition, in August. In the West it was introduced around the 7th century, and was celebrated with a procession-letany that ended in the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

Novena to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

This novena to the Virgin Mary can be made as many times as you wish, especially in the days before her feast. It consists of a common prayer that is repeated every day, both at the beginning and at the end, and a brief daily meditation that will help you at the moment of prayer.

Who could be a better teacher of love for God than this Queen, this Lady, this Mother, who has the most intimate relationship with the Trinity: Daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, Spouse of God the Holy Spirit, and who is at the same time our Mother?

-Go personally to his intercession.

Forge, 555, St. Josemaría Escrivá.

Prayer to begin the Novena to Our Lady each day

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, my Queen and my Mother, I come to You, full of trust and love. I believe that it is through You that Jesus, true Son of God and true son of Yours, has wanted, wants and will want until the end of time, to shower upon me, a sinner, all the graces, goods and infinite mercy that He keeps in His Divine Heart.

For this I beseech Thee, Mother of Goodness and Mercy, to obtain for me from Jesus, conversion of heart, forgiveness of my sins, remedy for my needs, strength in my trials and sufferings, consolation in my sorrows, especially the salvation of my soul.

What I ask of You in this Novena is, according to the Will of God the Father, for His greater Glory, Your praise and the good of souls and of my soul.

Ask for the grace you wish to obtain through this Novena to the Virgin Mary.

Prayer to end the Novena to Our Lady each day

I beseech you, Lord and my God, to listen to your Mother and grant me the graces that she asks of you on my behalf; to 'feel' her, to love her, and to serve her with your same love, and to always count on her 'almighty' intercession before your Heart.

So that guided, accompanied and defended by Her, and following Her example, I may love and serve You in this life and enjoy with Her, and with all the Angels and Saints, the love of the Most Holy Trinity for all eternity.

Ask it for me and in Your Name to God the Father, with whom You live and reign in unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

First day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, Blessed art Thou among women!

You who were predestined from all eternity, and chosen among all women, to be the Mother of the Son of God, for which God infused into your soul all the virtues and the Holy Spirit filled you with all his gifts and inflamed your heart with the love of God.

I beg You to enrich my soul with the love, virtues and fruits that I need, so that my life may be worthy of a child of God and a child of Yours, so that in imitating You, I may unite my will more and more closely to the Will of God. And just as with your "Yes" to His Will He began the History of Salvation, may I also make of my life a "yes", and may I employ my life in the love and service of Him and of the Church, becoming an instrument of salvation for others.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Second day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, ever immaculate, "Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb".

You who from the first moment of your conception were preserved by God from every stain of sin and full of grace, so that, when the "Fullness of time" came, his Divine Son would be incarnated in you by the work of the Holy Spirit, and you were already introduced from that first announcement into the Mystery of Christ your Son forever, I beseech Thee by Thy Immaculate Conception to grant me Thy help so that I may always keep my soul clean of sin, and the Holy Spirit may form Jesus in my heart with Thee and in Thee, and filled with His gifts as Thou art, be a worthy dwelling place of the Most Holy Trinity.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Third day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, model of humility and obedience to the Will of God.

You who called yourself "handmaid of the Lord," who consecrated yourself totally to the saving work of Jesus, making your life not only a continual song of love, praise and gratitude to God, but also a continual act of service, I beseech you to obtain for me from the Lord that, filled with this love, full of faith and with a humble and generous heart, I may, after Your example, be able to follow Your example, thus cooperating in the redemption with humility and fidelity, I beseech you to obtain for me from the Lord that filled with this love, full of faith and with a humble and generous heart, I may, after your example, make of my life a continuous act of service to God and his saving mission. May I be an instrument of salvation in His hands for others and for the Church in the world. So that one day with You I may proclaim God's greatness and sing forever of His mercies.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Fourth day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, teacher of prayer and silence, first listener and disciple of Jesus.

You who knew and lived the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption, who kept in your Heart with faith the words spoken by God; You who lived the events that constituted the Mysteries of the infancy and life of Jesus, discovering little by little through all this the designs of God the Father for the salvation of mankind, I beg you to obtain for me from God that strong, firm and indestructible faith, that hope against all despair and that love that you keep in your Heart. That I may always accept in my life the mysterious designs of God's Will and see in everything His Providence which desires only my good. I ask you to be for others a witness of faith and hope.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Fifth day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, Mother, help, health, refuge, consolation, succor, advocate of all those who need You and come to You with trust and love.

Mary, you who went to visit your holy cousin Elizabeth and then at the Wedding at Cana, gave me an example of love, generosity and solidarity with my neighbor. Elizabeth and then at the Wedding at Cana, You gave me an example of love, generosity and solidarity with my neighbor, manifesting in both moments through You, the Divinity and power of Jesus, teach me to have that spirit of generosity and solidarity with all those who are part of my life, with all those who in some way need my help, especially with the poorest. May I, like you and with your help, take Jesus wherever I go, so that they may discover through me the power and mercy of Jesus, and like you, in my prayer, may I always and unceasingly present to God the Father for the needs of men and of the world.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Sixth day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgen Santísima de los Dolores.

You who like no one else lived, "felt" and suffered in your Mother's Heart the most painful Passion and Death that Jesus suffered for our salvation, obtain for me from the Holy Spirit the faith, love and gift of fortitude that filled your Heart in those moments, so that I too may accept with love, and unite the sufferings of my life to those of Jesus and Yours, to complete in my flesh - as St. Paul said - what is lacking in his Passion for the good of the Church and for the salvation of souls.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Seventh day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Mother of all men.

Mary, you who accompanied Jesus nailed to the Cross, and undoubtedly associated yourself as Mother to his sacrifice and offered yourself with him to the Father for the salvation of all men, defend our cause with your maternal protection and your 'omnipotent' intercession before God. Give us, who love and follow Jesus, the unceasing help of your grace so that we may remain faithful to the demands and commitments of our Baptism. And since you are the Mother of Goodness and Mercy, pray unceasingly for so many men who live in sin. Mother of sinners and Mother of Life, pray for us.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Eighth day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, Mother and Model of the Church.

You who, united as one more disciple with the Apostles and disciples in the Cenacle, prayed and invoked without ceasing the gift of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus before his Ascension into Heaven, that in the Church, united in prayer, a New Pentecost may take place. I pray that God may unite her in peace and love; and that He may renew and transform the hearts of all Christians, so that filled with His gifts our lives may be a testimony of faith, hope and love like yours.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Ninth day of meditation for the Novena to the Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary, Queen and Lady of the Angels.

You who were assumed body and soul into Heaven, and crowned as Queen and Lady of heaven and earth, and already enjoy seated at the right hand of Jesus of the Union, of the eternal Glory and Love of the Most Holy Trinity, guide me and protect me in my pilgrimage of faith towards eternal life, so that I may not stray from Jesus, the only true Way to the Father, and at the hour of death I may experience your powerful intercession and maternal protection. And so with You I may praise, adore and enjoy God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity.

Pray three Hail Mary's in honor of the Most Holy Trinity and Glory Be.

Bibliography

Opusdei.org.
Aciprensa.
En.catholic.net.

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