Prière Introductive
Introductory Prayer
My Lord and my God, I offer Thee this novena in honor of the seven sorrows of Thy most holy Mother. I humbly prostrate myself before Thy divine Majesty, and I beg Thy pardon for all my sins. I repent of them, O Lord, from the bottom of my heart, because they have offended Thy infinite goodness. I resolve, by the help of Thy grace, to sin no more.
O most sorrowful Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Mother, we present ourselves before thee, as thy children, full of compassion for thy great sorrows. We come to meditate upon the bitter pains which pierced thy heart, and to beg of thee to obtain for us the graces we seek in this novena. We beseech thee, O Mother of Mercy, to hear our prayers and to grant our petitions. Amen.
Jour 1 :
Day 1: The First Sorrow – The Prophecy of Simeon
Méditation
Let us meditate on the first sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary: the prophecy of the holy man Simeon. As she presented her divine Child in the Temple, full of joy and gratitude, her heart was pierced by his words, foretelling that a sword of sorrow should pierce her soul on account of her Son. From that moment, the shadow of the Cross fell upon her, and she bore this interior suffering with perfect submission to the will of God.
O Mother, whose heart was first wounded in the very house of God, teach us to accept the sorrows and contradictions which God permits in our lives, and to see in them the instruments of our sanctification.
Prière du jour
O most afflicted Mother, by the merit of this first sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of humility and a holy fear of God. I pray for the grace to bear my trials with patience and to unite them with thy sufferings and those of thy Son.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 2 :
Day 2: The Second Sorrow – The Flight into Egypt
Méditation
Let us meditate on the second sorrow of the Blessed Mother: the flight into Egypt. Warned by an angel that King Herod sought to slay the divine Infant, Saint Joseph arose in the night, and with Mary and the Child, fled into a strange and pagan land. Consider the anguish of the Blessed Virgin, forced to become an exile, to protect the life of the world’s Saviour from the hatred of men. She endured poverty, uncertainty, and the hardships of a long journey, trusting always in divine Providence.
O Queen of Martyrs, who didst suffer the bitterness of exile, protect the Church from her persecutors and be a refuge for all who are driven from their homes and native lands.
Prière du jour
O most sorrowful Mother, by the merit of this second sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially towards the poor and the persecuted. Grant me the grace to flee from all occasions of sin and to persevere in the path of righteousness.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 3 :
Day 3: The Third Sorrow – The Loss of the Child Jesus
Méditation
Let us meditate on the third sorrow of the Blessed Virgin: the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple. For three days, Mary and Joseph sought their beloved Son with hearts full of indescribable anguish. What fears, what desolation must have filled her soul, separated from Him who was her God, her Son, and her only consolation! This sorrow was a true martyrdom of the heart, borne with supreme patience and unwavering faith.
O Mother of God, who didst experience the most bitter pain at the loss of thy Son, have compassion on us when, through our own fault, we lose Jesus by sin. Help us to seek Him with sorrowful hearts and never to rest until we have found Him again.
Prière du jour
O most afflicted Mother, by the merit of this third sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the grace to seek Jesus earnestly should I ever have the misfortune to lose Him. May I never be separated from Him again.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 4 :
Day 4: The Fourth Sorrow – Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary
Méditation
Let us meditate on the fourth sorrow of the Blessed Virgin: her meeting with Jesus on the way to Calvary. As her Son carried the heavy Cross, bruised, scourged, and crowned with thorns, she met Him on that sorrowful path. Their eyes met, and in that glance, their hearts exchanged the deepest sorrow. No tongue can tell the pain of that meeting, as the Mother saw her beloved Son reduced to such a pitiable state, and the Son saw the martyrdom of His beloved Mother’s heart.
O sorrowful Mother, who didst share so intimately in the Passion of thy Son, grant that the memory of His sufferings may be ever engraved upon my heart.
Prière du jour
O most sorrowful Mother, by the merit of this fourth sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the grace to carry my own crosses with courage and resignation, following in the footsteps of thy divine Son.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 5 :
Day 5: The Fifth Sorrow – The Crucifixion of Jesus
Méditation
Let us meditate on the fifth sorrow of the Blessed Virgin: the Crucifixion and Death of her Son. She stood at the foot of the Cross, watching Jesus in His three hours of agony. She heard His last words, saw the last drop of His Precious Blood shed for our salvation, and witnessed His death. Her heart was crucified with Him. In that moment, she became the Mother of all mankind, as Jesus gave her to us in the person of Saint John.
O Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand so faithfully by the Cross, stand by me also in the hour of my death. By thy sorrows, I implore thee to obtain for me a true contrition for my sins.
Prière du jour
O most afflicted Mother, by the merit of this fifth sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the grace to crucify my flesh with its passions and desires. May I die to the world and live for God alone.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 6 :
Day 6: The Sixth Sorrow – Mary Receives the Body of Jesus
Méditation
Let us meditate on the sixth sorrow of the Blessed Virgin: when the sacred Body of her Son was taken down from the Cross and laid in her arms. This is the moment of the Pietà. With what unutterable grief did she behold the wounds, the bruises, the torn flesh of her beloved Jesus! The Body which she had conceived without stain, nourished with tenderest care, and loved with an incomparable love, now lay lifeless and disfigured in her lap. The sword foretold by Simeon now pierced her soul through and through.
O Mother of Sorrows, whose heart was filled with a sea of bitterness, teach us to see in the wounds of Jesus the price of our redemption and the malice of our sins.
Prière du jour
O most sorrowful Mother, by the merit of this sixth sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the grace to receive Jesus with love and devotion in the Most Holy Eucharist. May I be a comfort to those who suffer.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 7 :
Day 7: The Seventh Sorrow – The Burial of Jesus
Méditation
Let us meditate on the seventh and last sorrow of the Blessed Virgin: the burial of her Son. She accompanied the sacred Body to the sepulchre, and with her own hands, helped to place it in the cold tomb. As the great stone was rolled to close the entrance, her heart was buried with her Son. What desolation, what loneliness filled her soul as she returned to Jerusalem, leaving behind the mortal remains of all that she loved on earth! Yet, in this profound darkness, her faith in His promised Resurrection never wavered.
O most desolate Mother, who didst endure such profound grief with unshaken hope, be our strength in times of darkness and our hope in the face of death.
Prière du jour
O most afflicted Mother, by the merit of this seventh sorrow, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the grace of final perseverance. May I live and die in the love of thy Son, to rise with Him in glory on the last day.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 8 :
Day 8: The Solitude of the Blessed Mother
Méditation
Let us meditate on the solitude of the Blessed Virgin after the burial of her Son. The Apostles were scattered, their faith shaken. The world seemed to have triumphed. Only Mary, in the silence of the Cenacle, kept the flame of faith alive for the whole Church. She alone awaited with perfect certainty the fulfillment of her Son’s promise. Her solitude was not one of despair, but of prayerful, hopeful waiting. She pondered all the mysteries of the Passion in her heart, uniting her desolation to the will of the Father.
O Mother of Holy Hope, in our moments of loneliness and when faith seems dim, be our light and our guide. Teach us to wait with patience and confidence for the dawn of God’s consolation.
Prière du jour
O most sorrowful Mother, by the merit of thy holy solitude, obtain for us the grace of unwavering faith, especially in times of trial and darkness. Help us to find in prayer our refuge and our strength, and to trust always in the promises of Christ.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Jour 9 :
Day 9: The Fruits of Sorrow and Hope
Méditation
Let us meditate on the fruits of the sorrows of our Blessed Mother. Her sufferings were not in vain. By sharing so perfectly in the Passion of Christ, she became the Mediatrix of all graces, the Mother of Mercy, and the Comforter of the Afflicted. Her sorrows have become a source of immense grace for all her children. In contemplating her fidelity, her patience, her love, and her hope, we find the model for our own lives. Her heart, once pierced by the sword of sorrow, is now a fountain of compassion for all who fly to her protection.
O glorious Queen, whose sorrows have been turned into eternal joy, look upon us, thy children, who still journey in this vale of tears. Let the memory of thy sufferings give us strength in our own.
Prière du jour
O Mother of God, we thank thee for the example of thy virtues. By the merit of all thy sorrows, obtain for us the grace to bear our sufferings in a manner pleasing to God, to grow in holiness through our trials, and to attain the eternal joy of heaven, which thou now dost possess. Grant us the special favor we ask in this novena, if it be for the glory of God and the good of our souls. Amen.
Recite one Our Father and seven Hail Marys.
Prière Conclusive
Concluding Prayer
O Mother of Sorrows, who stood by the Cross of Jesus, grant that we, your children, may learn from you to stand by the crosses of our own lives with faith, hope, and love. By the memory of your seven sorrows, we implore you to look with mercy upon us and upon the whole world. Obtain for us true sorrow for our sins, the grace to amend our lives, and perseverance in good until death. Through your powerful intercession, may we be found worthy of the promises of Christ.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin and Mother Mary: grant that we, who call to mind her sorrows, may, through the glorious merits and prayers of all the saints who faithfully stood beneath the Cross, obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Contexte Historique
Neuvaine structurée en 9 jours.