NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS: DAY 9 (THAT ALL OUR LOBOURS, SUFFERINGS AND PAIN BE REWARDED BY GOD)

Introductory note to the Novena of Our Lady of Sorrows

In the serene embrace of our faith, we gather to embark on a journey of prayer and reflection during this Novena of Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lady, the Mother of Jesus, bore the sorrows of witnessing her beloved Son’s passion and death. Her heart, pierced by seven swords of anguish, stands as an enduring symbol of her love and devotion to God’s divine plan. As we commence this novena, we are invited to walk alongside the Blessed Virgin Mary, seeking solace in her sorrows and wisdom in her steadfast faith. Through her example, we learn the power of faith and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of life’s trials. During the next nine days, we shall be immersed in the lessons and reflections that emerge from the sorrows of Our Lady. Let us open our hearts to the lessons that these sorrows evoke, allowing them to penetrate us and change us to become better persons. As we undertake this novena, may we draw strength and inspiration from the journey of faith and patience of Our Lady, finding in her a source of comfort and hope.

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IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN.

Opening Prayer (Day 9)

Dear Mother Mary, as we reach the ninth and final day of this novena in your honor, we come before you with hearts filled with gratitude and love. Your Seven Sorrows have touched our souls and deepened our faith. We seek your intercession and guidance one last time during these nine days. (State your Petitions).

Meditation

From a sermon of St Bernard of Clairvaux (Culled by the Office of the Readings for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows)

“The martyrdom of the Virgin is set forth both in the prophecy of Simeon and in the actual story of our Lord’s passion. The holy old man said of the infant Jesus: He has been established as a sign which will be contradicted. He went on to say to Mary: And your own heart will be pierced by a sword. Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus – who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours – gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from his lifeless body, tore open his side. Clearly, it did not touch his soul and could not harm him, but it did pierce your heart. For surely his soul was no longer there, but yours could not be torn away. Thus the violence of sorrow has cut through your heart, and we rightly call you more than martyr, since the effect of compassion in you has gone beyond the endurance of physical suffering. Or were those words, Woman, behold your Son, not more than a word to you, truly piercing your heart, cutting through to the division between soul and spirit? What an exchange! John is given to you in place of Jesus, the servant in place of the Lord, the disciple in place of the master; the son of Zebedee replaces the Son of God, a mere man replaces God himself. How could these words not pierce your most loving heart, when the mere remembrance of them breaks ours, hearts of iron and stone though they are! Do not be surprised, brothers, that Mary is said to be a martyr in spirit. Let him be surprised who does not remember the words of Paul, that one of the greatest crimes of the Gentiles was that they were without love. That was far from the heart of Mary; let it be far from her servants. Perhaps someone will say: “Had she not known before that he would not die?” Undoubtedly. “Did she not expect him to rise again at once?” Surely. “And still she grieved over her crucified Son?” Intensely. Who are you and what is the source of your wisdom that you are more surprised at the compassion of Mary than at the passion of Mary’s Son? For if he could die in body, could she not die with him in spirit? He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since his.”

Prayer: Mary, Mother of Sorrows, on this day, we seek grace of receiving the reward of all our labours, sufferings, and pain of this present life. Obtain also for us, dear Mother, the grace to find meaning in our pain, to trust in God’s plan even when it is veiled in mystery, And to experience the consolation of your motherly presence.

THE SEVEN DOLORS (SORROWS) OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY – (Culled from EWTN online)

1. I grieve for you, O Mary, most sorrowful, in the affliction of your tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by your heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God. < Hail Mary…….. >
2. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of your most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and your sojourn there. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety. < Hail Mary….. >
3. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried your troubled heart at the loss of your dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge. < Hail Mary…….. >
4. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the consternation of your heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His cross. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude. < Hail Mary…….. >
5. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which your generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by your afflicted heart, obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel. < Hail Mary…….. >
6. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of your compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance before His Body was removed from the cross. Dear Mother, by your heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding. < Hail Mary…….. >
7. I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched your most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom. < Hail Mary…….. >

Let Us Pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the Hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, O Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

LITANY OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,
have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins,
pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified,
pray for us.
Sorrowful Mother,
pray for us.
Mournful Mother,
pray for us.
Sighing Mother,
pray for us.
Afflicted Mother,
pray for us.
Forsaken Mother,
pray for us.
Desolate Mother,
pray for us.
Mother most sad,
pray for us.
Mother set around with anguish,
pray for us.
Mother overwhelmed by grief,
pray for us.
Mother transfixed by a sword,
pray for us.
Mother crucified in thy heart,
pray for us.
Mother bereaved of thy Son,
pray for us.
Sighing Dove,
pray for us.
Mother of Dolors,
pray for us.
Fount of tears,
pray for us.
Sea of bitterness,
pray for us.
Field of tribulation,
pray for us.
Mirror of patience,
pray for us.
Rock of constancy,
pray for us.
Remedy in perplexity,
pray for us.
Joy of the afflicted,
pray for us.
Ark of the desolate,
pray for us.
Refuge of the abandoned,
pray for us.
Shiled of the oppressed,
pray for us.
Conqueror of the incredulous,
pray for us.
Solace of the wretched,
pray for us.
Medicine of the sick,
pray for us.
Help of the faint,
pray for us.
Strength of the weak,
pray for us.
Haven of the shipwrecked,
pray for us.
Calmer of tempests,
pray for us.
Companion of the sorrowful,
pray for us.
Retreat of those who groan,
pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous,
pray for us.
Standard-bearer of the Martyrs,
pray for us.
Treasure of the Faithful,
pray for us.
Light of Confessors,
pray for us.
Pearl of Virgins,
pray for us.
Comfort of Widows,
pray for us.
Joy of all Saints,
pray for us.
Queen of thy Servants,
pray for us.
Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled,
pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Thy mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Thy bitter Passion. Through Thee, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS

Our Lady of Sorrows, I present to you all my needs, sorrows, miseries, and sufferings. O Mother of Sorrows and Queen of Martyrs, who suffered so much to see Your Son scourged, mocked, and killed to save me, accept my prayers in this triduum. Kind Mother, grant me true contrition for my sins and a sincere change of life. Our Lady of Sorrows, who was present at the Calvary of Our Lord Jesus Christ, be also present in my “Calvaries.” I beg you for this grace that I so need (Make your petitions)… O Mother of Mercy and advocate of sinners, do not fail to support my soul in the affliction and spiritual combat that I am subject to fighting at all times. Our Lady of Sorrows, when the pains and sufferings come, don’t let me be discouraged. Mother of sorrows, wrap me in Your sacred mantle and help me through the valley of tears.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, sweetness, and hope! To you, we cry out, the exiled children of Eve. To you we sigh, groaning and weeping, in this valley of tears. Come then, our advocate, turn those merciful eyes of yours to us, and after this exile show unto us, the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus, O merciful, O pious, O sweet ever Virgin Mary.

Our Lady of Sorrows, strengthen me in the sufferings of Life. (3x) Amen

Shalom!
ⒸFr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Paroquia Nossa Senhora de Loreto, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com
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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?