Prière Introductive
Introductory Prayer for Each Day
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
O my Lord and my God, I prostrate myself before Thy sovereign majesty. I firmly believe all that the Holy Catholic Church believes and teaches, because Thou, the infallible Truth, hast revealed it. In this faith I desire to live and die. I adore Thee with the most profound reverence, and I offer Thee this novena in union with all the merits of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
O most merciful Lord, I have sinned and have grievously offended Thee. I am heartily sorry for all my sins, not so much for fear of the pains of hell, but because they have displeased Thee, O infinite Goodness. I resolve, by the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid all near occasions of sin.
O glorious Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Good Success, whom God hath made a powerful advocate for the necessities of our time, I choose thee as my patroness and my mother. To thee I present my humble prayers and the intentions of this novena. Obtain for me from thy divine Son a lively faith, a firm hope, a burning charity, and the particular grace I now implore. Amen.
Jour 1 : Day 1: For the Virtue of Faith
Méditation
Let us meditate upon the virtue of a lively Faith, by which we firmly believe all that God hath revealed and proposeth to our belief through His Holy Church. It was by faith that the Blessed Virgin Mary submitted her entire being to the will of the Most High, conceiving in her womb the Son of God. Through her perfect faith, she became the channel of all graces for mankind. If our faith were as strong, what spiritual and temporal success might we not achieve? Yet, how often do we allow doubt and worldly anxieties to cloud our trust in Divine Providence? We seek prosperity in our affairs, but forget that the foundation of all true success is an unshakeable faith in Him who governs all things.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Most Faithful, who by thy sublime faith didst merit to become the Mother of God, obtain for us a portion of this virtue. We are weak and wavering, often trusting more in our own feeble efforts than in the omnipotent hand of God. Through thy intercession as Our Lady of Good Success, we pray for an increase of faith, that we may undertake all our duties for God’s glory and trustingly abandon the outcome of our labors into His hands. Grant us the good success of a life lived in perfect faith. Amen.
Jour 2 : Day 2: For the Virtue of Hope
Méditation
Let us consider the virtue of Hope, that firm confidence that God will give us eternal life and all the means necessary to obtain it. Our Lady, even at the foot of the Cross, never despaired. Her hope was an anchor fixed in Heaven. She is rightly called the “Mother of Holy Hope.” In our own trials, when our plans fail and prosperity seems distant, do we maintain this supernatural hope? Or do we fall into despondency and discouragement? True prosperity is not the absence of trials, but the unwavering hope in God’s ultimate victory and goodness, a hope that sustains us in our work and sanctifies our struggles.
Prière du jour
O Mary, our unfailing Hope, who didst stand firm amidst the darkest sorrows, look with pity upon our faint hearts. We are often discouraged by the difficulties of this life and lose sight of the eternal reward promised to us. We beseech thee, O Lady of Good Success, to enkindle in our souls the flame of a steadfast hope. May we labor with diligence for our temporal well-being, yet always with our eyes fixed on Heaven, confident that through thy prayers, God will grant us the grace and success necessary for our salvation. Amen.
Jour 3 : Day 3: For the Virtue of Charity
Méditation
Let us meditate upon Charity, the queen of all virtues, which is the love of God above all things and of our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. The entire life of the Blessed Virgin was an act of perfect charity. Her love for God prompted her immediate “Fiat,” and her love for her neighbor led her to serve her cousin Elizabeth. All true and lasting prosperity is sterile if it is not animated by charity. For what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Our labors, our successes, our very lives are worthless without this divine love.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Mother of Fair Love, whose heart is a furnace of charity, obtain for us a spark of that sacred fire. Cleanse our hearts of all selfishness, envy, and coldness. We ask thee, O Lady of Good Success, that all our endeavors, our pursuit of temporal security, and our interactions with others may be inspired by a sincere love for God and neighbor. Grant that our prosperity may serve not our own pride, but the glory of God and the good of others, so that we may merit the eternal success of dwelling with thee in Heaven. Amen.
Jour 4 : Day 4: For the Virtue of Prudence
Méditation
Let us consider the virtue of Prudence, by which we discern our true good in every circumstance and choose the right means of achieving it. Our Lady was the Seat of Wisdom, and all her actions were governed by a divine prudence. In seeking success in our worldly affairs, we often act rashly, moved by impatience or greed, neglecting to seek God’s counsel in prayer. We rely on worldly wisdom, which is foolishness before God. True success is born of prayerful deliberation and actions aligned with God’s will, not of hasty and ill-considered schemes.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, who didst ponder all things in thy heart, guide our minds in the midst of life’s complexities. We are often foolish and short-sighted, unable to discern what is truly profitable for our souls. We implore thee, O Lady of Good Success, to grant us the gift of prudence. Illuminate our understanding, guide our choices, and direct our actions, so that in all our temporal and spiritual affairs, we may choose what is most pleasing to thy Son and most conducive to our salvation. Amen.
Jour 5 : Day 5: For the Virtue of Diligence
Méditation
Let us meditate upon the virtue of Diligence in our work. God has given to each of us a state in life, with its attendant duties. It is by the faithful and diligent accomplishment of these duties that we sanctify ourselves and glorify God. Our Lord Himself worked as a humble carpenter for thirty years. Our Lady was never idle, but attended to her household tasks with perfection. Sloth and negligence are the enemies of both spiritual and temporal prosperity. God blesses the work of diligent hands, but idleness is the workshop of the devil.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Most Diligent, mirror of all who labor, inspire in us a love for our duties and a horror of sloth. We confess our laziness and the many times we have performed our work carelessly or with a spirit of complaint. We beg thee, O Lady of Good Success, to obtain for us the grace of holy diligence. May we embrace our daily tasks as a means of penance and sanctification, offering our efforts to God. Bless the work of our hands, that it may provide for our needs and be a source of merit for eternity. Amen.
Jour 6 : Day 6: For the Virtue of Patience
Méditation
Let us consider the virtue of Patience in adversity. Our fallen world is a valley of tears, and no life is without its crosses. Financial hardship, failures in business, sickness, and misunderstandings are permitted by God for our purification. Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, endured sorrows beyond all human comprehension with silent, loving patience. When we face setbacks, do we unite our sufferings to those of Christ, or do we give way to anger, bitterness, and despair? True success is not the avoidance of suffering, but the patient endurance of it for the love of God.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, who didst stand with unwavering patience at the foot of the Cross, have compassion on us in our tribulations. Our courage fails us and we are tempted to impatience when our plans are thwarted. We beseech thee, O Lady of Good Success, to grant us the strength to bear our crosses with patience and resignation to God’s holy will. Teach us to see in our trials an opportunity for spiritual growth, so that our present sufferings may merit for us an eternal weight of glory. Amen.
Jour 7 : Day 7: For the Virtue of Humility
Méditation
Let us meditate upon the virtue of Humility, the foundation of the entire spiritual edifice. “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” The Blessed Virgin, though exalted above all creatures, called herself the “handmaid of the Lord.” Pride is the root of all failure. When we succeed, we are tempted to attribute it to our own talents. When we fail, our pride is wounded. True and lasting prosperity can only be built upon the solid rock of humility, which acknowledges that all good things come from God and that of ourselves we are nothing.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Most Humble, who by thy profound humility didst draw God Himself from Heaven into thy womb, obtain for us a love for this beautiful virtue. Our hearts are filled with pride and vanity, seeking the praise of men rather than the approval of God. We implore thee, O Lady of Good Success, to crush the serpent of pride within us. Teach us to know our own nothingness, to rejoice in being unknown and esteemed as little, and to attribute all glory and success to God alone, that He may exalt us in due time. Amen.
Jour 8 : Day 8: For Detachment from Worldly Goods
Méditation
Let us consider the importance of detachment from worldly goods. Our Lord taught us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The desire for prosperity is not evil in itself, but an inordinate attachment to riches is a grave danger to the soul. It can lead to avarice, injustice, and a forgetfulness of God. Our Lady lived a life of poverty in Nazareth, content with what Divine Providence provided. She teaches us that our true treasure is not on earth, but in Heaven, and that temporal goods are merely tools to be used for God’s glory.
Prière du jour
O Mary, lover of holy poverty, who didst desire no other riches than the possession of thy Son, Jesus, free our hearts from the chains of avarice and attachment to the things of this world. We are anxious for earthly treasures that rust consumes and thieves steal. We beg thee, O Lady of Good Success, to grant us a spirit of holy detachment. May we seek and use temporal goods with moderation and a pure intention, ever ready to share them with the poor, and always preferring the eternal riches of grace to the fleeting prosperity of this life. Amen.
Jour 9 : Day 9: For the Grace of Final Perseverance
Méditation
Let us meditate upon the grace of Final Perseverance, which is the ultimate “Good Success.” All the triumphs and prosperity of this world are as nothing if we fail to attain our final end: eternal life with God in Heaven. This supreme grace cannot be merited, but it can be obtained through humble and persevering prayer, especially through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Gate of Heaven. To persevere unto the end in the state of grace amidst all the temptations and trials of life is the greatest success to which we can aspire.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Help of Christians and Gate of Heaven, to thee we entrust the final and most important affair of our lives: the affair of our salvation. Many times have we fallen, and without thy help, we shall surely fall again. We place our souls into thy hands, O Lady of Good Success. In the hour of our death, be thou our advocate and protectress. Obtain for us now the grace to live each day as if it were our last, and at the final moment, obtain for us the grace of a holy death, that we may attain the only true and everlasting success of seeing God face to face for all eternity. Amen.
Prière Conclusive
Concluding Prayer for Each Day
O Queen of Heaven and Earth, Most Holy Mary, who under the title of Our Lady of Good Success, dost deign to be the comfort of the afflicted and the advocate of sinners: look with a mother’s pity upon me, thy humble child, who has recourse to thee in my necessities.
I am confident in thine unlimited power and goodness. For the sake of thy divine Son, and by the merits of His passion and death, I beseech thee to grant me the favors I ask in this novena, if they be in accordance with God’s holy will and for the good of my soul.
(Here mention your specific requests)
Above all, grant me a living faith, a firm hope, an ardent charity, and the grace of final perseverance. Be thou my guide in this life, my refuge in dangers, and my advocate at the hour of my death. Amen.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
Contexte Historique
Neuvaine structurée en 9 jours.