OCTOBER DEVOTION: UNDERSTANDING THE MARIAN TITLES IN THE LITANY OF LORETO (PART 2) – DAY 7: “HELP OF CHRISTIANS” (AUXILIUM CHRISTIANORUM)

DAY 7 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray for all those Christians living in difficult regions and still bearing witness for Christ (and His Gospel) through experiences of rejection, imprisonment, and even martyrdom. May they be visited, consoled, and helped by Our Lady, Help of Christians, to the greater glory of God (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 most 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 7: REFLECTION

“HELP OF CHRISTIANS” (AUXILIUM CHRISTIANORUM)

After the invocation: “Comforter of the Afflicted,” comes “Help of Christians” (Latin, Auxilium Christianorum), which is the fourth of a series of four similar invocations in the Litany of Loreto: “Health of the Sick,” “Refuge of Sinners,” “Comforter of the Afflicted,” and “Help of Christians.” Immediately comes the twelve invocations of Mary as “Queen,” bringing an end to the Litany. How could this Marian title (Help of Christians) be understood today, being the 7th day of our October Devotion (and also coincidentally, the Feast of the Holy Rosary)? What led to its advent and festive celebration?

First, the early Christians in Greece and Egypt, invoked the Mother of God with the Greek name “Boeteia,” that is, “the one who brings help from heaven.” Mary is truly the one who brings us the necessary help from heaven, as recorded in the words of St. John Chrysostom (345 A.D.): “You, Mary, are the most powerful help of God.” We can see that this title of Our Lady has always been present throughout the history of the Church. The Church has always seen the Mother of the Redeemer as an effective aid at all times.

Second, the invocation “Help of Christians” was introduced in the Lauretana litany by São Pius V, as a result of a historical event in 1571, when the whole of Christendom was saved by Mary (Help of Christians) because Catholics throughout Europe prayed the Rosary. The great battle of Lepanto occurred on October 7th, 1571. For this reason, a day was chosen as the feast of the Holy Rosary (7th October) in 1573 by Pope Pius V in thanksgiving for the decisive victory of Christianity over Islamism. This victory took place on October 7, 1572, in Lepanto in Greece. On that day, Our Lady prodigiously delivered all of Christendom from the destruction of a Mohammedan army of 282 boats and 88,000 soldiers. With this great miracle coming from God through the hands of Mary, the Pope asked that the invocation of “Help of Christians” be added in the litany, so that we never forget the victory we received by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. However, it is said that “in 1809, Napoleon’s men entered the Vatican, arrested Pius VII and brought him in chains to Grenoble, and eventually Fontainbleau. His imprisonment lasted five years. The Holy Father vowed to God that, if he were restored to the Roman See, he would institute a special feast in honour of Mary. Military reverses forced Napoleon to release the Pope, and on May 24th  1814, Pius VII returned in triumph to Rome. Twelve months later, the Pope decreed that the feast of Mary Help of Christians, be kept on the 24th of May” (cf. Catholic News Agency). When John Bosco was born (August 16, 1815) during this period, he became one of the greatest devotees and propagators of the Devotion to Mary, “Help of Christians.” This became the preferred Marian title for the entire large Salesian family. In all these facts, the Church recalls the prophetic phrase in the book of Judith: “Woe to the nations that rise up against my people! On the day of judgment, the Almighty Lord will punish them ”(Jt. 16:17).

The symbolism of the image of “Mary, Help of Christians” is very beautiful. Our Lady has the Baby Jesus in one of her arms and a sceptre in the other. This means that because of the power she receives from the Child Jesus, she becomes powerful and sovereign over the entire universe; as a result, she has the power to assist us in all our necessities.

Therefore, in times of danger and crisis, we must remember that we have a mother who helps, defends and protects us. Popes and kings invoked her. Pope John Paul II himself recognized Mary’s protection in the episode in which he suffered an attack. Let us continually invoke Mary, the “Help of Christians,” and even more, today (being the feast of the Holy Rosary), so that our homes and communities might be protected from all threats against our Catholic (Christian) faith.

Let us pray

Almighty God, deepen in our hearts our love of Mary Help of Christians. Through her prayers and under her maternal protection, may the light of Christ shine over our world, and may it be granted harmony, justice and peace. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Great job reflecting on Day 7! Click here for Day 8 – “Queen of Angels”