OCTOBER DEVOTION: UNDERSTANDING THE MARIAN TITLES IN THE LITANY OF LORETO (PART 2) – DAY 1: INTRODUCTION

DAY 1 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray for all families struggling to make a living and those in need of peace. May our Lady of Peace visit them (Also add your own intention…)

Now, say the 20 decades of the Rosary…

At the end of the 20 decades, say the following Prayers:

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! St. Joseph, pray for us!

Litany of Loreto

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

God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us (Repeat after each invocation)

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,
pray for us (Repeat after each invocation)
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Mercy,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother of Hope,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Saviour,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower if ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Solace of Migrants,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most Holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord God, that we, your servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Prayer to Saint Joseph after the Rosary

To you, O Blessed Joseph, we come in our trials, and having asked the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently ask your patronage also. Through that sacred bond of charity which united you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the fatherly love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you to look graciously upon the beloved inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased by his blood, and to aid us in our necessities with your power and strength.

O most provident guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ. Most beloved father, dispel the evil of falsehood and sin. Our most mighty protector, graciously assist us from heaven in our struggle with the powers of darkness. And just as you once saved the Child Jesus from mortal danger, so now defend God’s Holy Church from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity. Shield each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your help, we may be able to live a virtuous life, die a holy death, and obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

DAY 1: REFLECTION

Many Catholics usually say the Litany of Our Lady after the Rosary, but few are well aware of the great theological and symbolic values of their invocations. While several of the invocations are obvious nor would they need any explanation; however, many Catholics would find a hard time understanding many of the invocations, such as: “Tower of David”, “Mirror of Justice”, “Seat of Wisdom”, “House of Gold”, etc. Why “Tower of David” and not “Tower of Abraham or Moses?” Why “Mirror of Justice?” What connection does our Lady have with all these titles? What is the origin of these invocations? Wouldn’t it be spiritually more beneficial to invoke her titles knowing their meanings? During the month of May, I took out my time to explain a greater part of these titles. Therefore, as we journey through this Marian month of October, I shall explain the meaning of the remaining titles: “Gate of heaven, Morning star, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of Angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of all Saints, Queen conceived without original sin, Queen assumed into heaven, Queen of the most holy Rosary, Queen of families, Queen of peace.” Before delving into their meaning, it is pertinent to consider its origin and composition.

The word ‘litany’ is derived from the Latin ‘litania’, which springs from Ancient Greek ‘λιτανεία’ (litaneía) coming from λιτή (litê), meaning “supplication”. Litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Judaic worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions and consisting of a number of petitions. It is a kind of call-and-response prayer, where invocations and supplications uttered by the person leading the prayer are answered by the congregation. The most notable use of litanies in Jewish liturgy are during the “Ten Days of Repentance.” The Ten Days of Repentance are the days between ‘Rosh Hashana’ (the Jewish New Year) and ‘Yom Kippur’ (The Day of Atonement). Therefore, during this period, ‘supplicatory prayers’ (litanies) such as ‘Avinu Malkeinu,’ are recited during the ‘Rosh Hashanah’ and ‘Yom Kippur’ liturgies. Also, certain ‘Selichot’ prayers also take the form of a litany during the Jewish month of Elul.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear why the Church (carved out from Judaism) since its earliest times prays in a litany-like (supplication – call and response prayer) form. This is seen in the faithful who went in procession to the different churches. There are, of course, numerous litanies, depending on what is requested in the various processions. One of the many litanies we have is that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as Litany of Loreto.

The Litany of Loreto was composed by pilgrims. It all began in the year 1291, when the house in which Our Lady lived in Palestine was said to have miraculously transported to the city of Loreto (Italy), the happy news spread quickly, initiating numerous pilgrimages. As time went by, a series of pleas to Our Lady was composed by the pilgrims who went there to invoke her intercession. Subsequently, this litany was sung daily at the Sanctuary of Loreto, and the pilgrims who returned from there popularized it throughout the Catholic world overtime. This litany is called ‘lauretana’ because it has its origin in Loreto, Italy. It is also important to note that not all were composed in Loreto. Some invocations have been added by the Popes throughout the ages. Apparently, some extra invocations/titles are added by some regions to honour the protection of Our Lady or denote an affiliation to her but the central body of litanies remains the same.

In the light of its composition, we notice that at the beginning of the Lauretana, the invocations are not addressed to Our Lady, but to Our Lord and the Most Holy Trinity; for we say, Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us, etc., after which we invoke the Eternal Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Why is this so? Everything in Our Lady leads us to her divine Son, and through Him to the Most Holy Trinity, which is our ultimate end. This is something that non-Catholics do not understand or do not want to understand, for many of them see the Litany prayer already as a deviation, because to them, a lot of honour is given to Mary more than the Trinity, but they are wrong. After the introduction of the litany (to our Lord and the Trinity), three invocations follow, in which we pronounce the name of our Lady (Holy Mary) and remember two of her main privileges: being Mother of God and Virgin of Virgins. Next, there is a group of invocations to honour Our Lady’s Maternity, and another group of invocations to honour Her Virginity. Then, some invocations of her mercy and a group of invocations of her as a glorious and powerful Queen.

Obviously, the invocations with symbolic figures are quite difficult to understand. Probably, our civilization has become closed to symbolism, and what could even be evident in other times, today has been obscured by the exclusivity granted to the practical spirit. Contemporary life itself contributes to this. So, for example, it would be difficult to explain to a people who live in closed and dangerous cities, the beauty of a star or the significance of the moonlight, so also it is when we talk about some titles of our Lady in this modern age.

Therefore, my dear friends in Christ, I invite you to journey with me in these coming days of the month of October in understanding better her titles as contained in the litany.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

O Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of the most holy Rosary, you were pleased to appear to the children of Fatima and reveal a glorious message. We implore you, inspire in our hearts a fervent love for the recitation of the Rosary. By meditating on the mysteries of the redemption that are recalled therein may we obtain the graces and virtues that we ask, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Blessing
Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, may Almighty God bless + you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Great job praying and reflecting on Day 1! Click here for Day 2 – “Gate of heaven”

Shalom!
© Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Paroquia Nossa Senhora de Fatima, Vila Sabrina, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com

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PS: Have you prayed your Rosary today?