Prière Introductive
Introductory Prayer for Each Day
To be said before the meditation of the day.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, who didst lovingly cooperate in the work of our redemption, and who art now our advocate and helper in all our needs, we come before thee with childlike confidence. We desire to consecrate this novena to thy honour, in thanksgiving for thy many benefits, and to implore thy aid in our present necessities. We choose thee as our guide and protector in this vale of tears. Be thou our model in the practice of virtue, and our refuge in the hour of temptation. We beseech thee, O loving Mother, to obtain for us from thy Divine Son the graces we seek in this novena, and above all, the grace of a holy life and a happy death. Amen.
Jour 1 : Day 1: Our Perpetual Help
Méditation
Let us consider how for nine days the Apostles, in obedience to their Divine Master, persevered in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, awaiting the coming of the Holy Ghost. So too let us, in the company of our Blessed Mother, begin this holy novena, placing our petitions in her hands. She is our Perpetual Help, not because she has the power of herself, but because the Lord has willed that she, who gave us the Author of Grace, should be the channel of all graces. She is the aqueduct through which the waters of divine mercy flow to us. Let us, therefore, approach her with great confidence.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a miserable sinner who has recourse to thee and confides in thee. O Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear thee called by all the refuge and the hope of sinners; be then my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me; stretch forth thy hand to a fallen creature, who recommends himself to thee, and who devotes himself to thy service for ever. I praise and thank God, who of His great mercy hath given me this confidence in thee, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation.
Jour 2 : Day 2: Mary, Mother of God
Méditation
Mary is our Help because she is the Mother of God. The dignity of being the Mother of the Word Incarnate is the foundation of all her other privileges. Because she was chosen for this sublime office, she was conceived without sin, she remained a perpetual virgin, and she was assumed body and soul into heaven. As the Mother of the Redeemer, she became the spiritual Mother of all mankind. It was at the foot of the Cross that her Son gave her to us, saying to Saint John, and in him to all of us, ‘Behold thy Mother.’ Let us honour her with the love and confidence of true children.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, it is thy title that inspires in me such great confidence. I come to implore thy assistance in the difficulties that press upon me. I am weak, and the devil, my enemy, is strong. But thy aid is more powerful than hell. O Mary, I have recourse to thee. Thou wilt not abandon me. Obtain for me, by the power thou wieldest as the Mother of God, the grace to be ever faithful to thy Son and to thee.
Jour 3 : Day 3: Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted
Méditation
Mary is justly called the Comforter of the Afflicted. As she stood by the Cross of her dying Son, she united her sorrows to His for the salvation of the world. No heart has ever known sorrow like unto her heart. Therefore, she is most compassionate towards us in our own trials. She knows our pains, our anxieties, our bereavements. She looks upon us with a mother’s tenderness, and her heart is moved to pity. In every affliction, let us fly to her, for she will either deliver us from it, or obtain for us the grace to bear it with patience and merit for heaven.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Comforter of the Afflicted, my heart is heavy with the weight of my trials. I cast myself into the arms of thy mercy. See the tears I shed, and have pity on me. Thou didst suffer with thy Son; teach me to suffer with Him and for Him. Intercede for me, that I may receive the strength to carry my cross with resignation to God’s holy will, and that my sufferings may serve for the purification of my soul.
Jour 4 : Day 4: Mary, Model of Humility
Méditation
Let us meditate upon the profound humility of our Blessed Mother. Though raised to the highest dignity, she ever remained the humble handmaid of the Lord. ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.’ This humility was the foundation of all her virtues. It drew upon her the eyes of the Most High and made her worthy to become the Mother of the Saviour. Pride is the source of our ruin; humility is the path to grace. Let us ask Mary to obtain for us a share in her profound humility, that we may please God and overcome the temptations of the enemy.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Queen of Humility, how ashamed I am of my pride and vanity. I have sought my own glory instead of the glory of God. Obtain for me, O loving Mother, a truly humble and contrite heart. Teach me to know myself, to despise the praises of men, and to seek only to please God. Grant that, following thy example, I may find grace in His sight and be exalted in the kingdom of heaven.
Jour 5 : Day 5: Mary, Mirror of Purity
Méditation
Mary is the Virgin of virgins, the mirror of purity. Conceived without the stain of original sin, her soul was a garden of delights for the Holy Trinity. Her mind was ever fixed on God, and her heart was a furnace of divine love. This perfect purity made her a worthy tabernacle for the Son of God. We, who are so often stained by sin, must look to her as our model and protector. She crushes the head of the serpent of impurity. Let us invoke her in temptation and consecrate our minds, hearts, and bodies to her, that she may preserve them pure and spotless.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Lily of Purity, I blush to appear before thee, for my sins have sullied my soul. But I come to thee, for thou art the refuge of sinners. O Mary, obtain for me a deep sorrow for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment. Protect me in temptation. Grant me the grace to love holy purity above all things and to guard my senses, that I may one day be worthy to see God in heaven with thee.
Jour 6 : Day 6: Mary, Model of Obedience
Méditation
Consider the perfect obedience of Mary to the will of God. From the moment of the Annunciation to her last breath, her life was a continual ‘fiat’—’let it be done.’ She obeyed in poverty at Bethlehem, in exile in Egypt, in the hidden life at Nazareth, and in the supreme agony at Calvary. In all things, she sought not her own will, but the will of the Father. Our own self-will is the cause of our unhappiness. Let us learn from Mary to embrace God’s will in all the circumstances of our lives, whether joyful or sorrowful, for in His will is our peace.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Model of Obedience, my will is weak and inconstant. I often rebel against the designs of God’s providence. Obtain for me the grace to unite my will to the will of thy Divine Son. Teach me to say in all things, ‘Father, not my will, but Thine, be done.’ Help me to accept with patience the crosses He sends me and to see His loving hand in every event of my life.
Jour 7 : Day 7: Mary, Health of the Sick
Méditation
Mary is the Health of the Sick. How many have been cured of bodily ailments through her intercession! The shrines dedicated to her throughout the world bear witness to her healing power. But she is, above all, the physician of our souls. She obtains for us the grace of repentance, the healing of our spiritual wounds caused by sin, and the strength to avoid future falls. When we are sick in body, let us have recourse to her; but let us be even more earnest in seeking her help for the diseases of our soul, which is infinitely more precious.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Health of the Sick, I come to thee with confidence in my infirmities of body and soul. Thou knowest my sufferings. If it be God’s will, obtain for me health of body. But above all, I implore thee to heal my soul. Cure my pride, my anger, my impatience, and all the evil inclinations that afflict me. Obtain for me a robust faith, a firm hope, and an ardent charity, that I may serve God with a healthy and fervent spirit.
Jour 8 : Day 8: Mary, Gate of Heaven
Méditation
Mary is the Gate of Heaven. Through her, the Saviour came into the world, and through her, we hope to enter into paradise. She is the advocate who pleads our cause before the throne of her Son. She is the Mediatrix who obtains for us all the graces necessary for salvation, especially the grace of a happy death. At the hour of our death, the devil will make his final assault. It is then that we shall most need the protection of our Mother. Let us be devout to her during our life, and she will not fail to assist us in our last moments, to lead our soul safely to the feet of Jesus.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, Gate of Heaven, I place the hour of my death into thy hands. From this moment, I beg thee to be with me in my final agony. Do not permit me to lose my soul, for which thy Son shed His Precious Blood. When my voice can no longer invoke thy name, and my eyes are closing to the light of this world, remember the prayers I now offer thee. Be my advocate, protect me from the enemy, and lead me into the eternal kingdom of thy Son.
Jour 9 : Day 9: Mary, Our Queen and Mother
Méditation
As we conclude this novena, let us resolve to cherish a lifelong devotion to our Mother of Perpetual Help. Let us thank her for the graces we have received and renew our confidence in her powerful intercession. A true child of Mary is never lost. Let us wear her scapular, recite her rosary, and invoke her holy name frequently. Let us strive to imitate her virtues, that we may be worthy of her protection in this life and enjoy her company for all eternity in heaven. She is our Mother, our Queen, our Hope, and our Perpetual Help.
Prière du jour
O Mother of Perpetual Help, I thank thee for all the graces thou hast obtained for me during this novena and throughout my entire life. I consecrate myself anew to thy service. I promise to have recourse to thee in all my necessities, to speak of thy glories to others, and to love thee with all my heart. Accept me as thy perpetual servant and child. And now, O loving Mother, I present to thee the intention of this novena. (Here state your petition). I know that thou art all-powerful with God. I trust entirely in thy merciful intercession. Obtain for me this grace, if it be according to God’s holy will; if not, obtain for me what is most needful for my salvation. Amen.
Prière Conclusive
Concluding Prayer for Each Day
To be said after the specific prayer of the day.
Behold, O Mother of Perpetual Help, at thy feet a wretched sinner, who has recourse to thee and confides in thee. O Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear thee called by all the refuge and hope of sinners; be, then, my refuge and my hope.
Assist me, for the love of Jesus Christ; stretch forth thy hand to a miserable fallen creature, who recommends himself to thee, and who devotes himself to thy service for ever. I bless and thank Almighty God, who in His mercy has given me this confidence in thee, which I hold to be a pledge of my eternal salvation.
Recite three Hail Marys.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. (3 times)
Contexte Historique
Neuvaine structurée en 9 jours.