September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows[1]
Since the 16th century
Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her
feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set
aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of
Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the
Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our
Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was,"
says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and
ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal
Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As
a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated
through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to
the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of
all His members."
[1]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=762
Saturday Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
say hourly upon waking till you go to sleep
1. Through
the consent of Our Lady, the New Eve, the Son of God became Man and crushed the
head of the ancient Serpent who had deceived the first Eve. By the Blessed Mother’s
assistance, we are able to take part in her Son’s victory over the Devil and
his legions. The Hail Mary: Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: First Station
At Morning
O most holy Virgin,
Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when
you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son,
look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender
commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my
sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing
joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that
henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this
one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and
to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
2. The
Memorare to Our Lady: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it
known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, and sought
your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to
you, O Virgin of Virgins, my mother; to you I come, before you I stand, sinful
and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions; but in
your clemency hear and answer me. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Second Station
3. Queen
of Heaven, Reign with your Son over the Enemy. Queen of Angels, Summon the
heavenly hosts to war. New Eve of the New Creation, Crush the head of the
Serpent. Our Lady of Victory, Come to our aid in battle. Help of Christians, Be
our comfort and strength. Virgin Most Powerful, Guard us from all harm. Holy
Mother of God, We fly to your protection. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Third Station
4. O
Mary, powerful Virgin, you are the mighty and powerful protector of the Church;
you are the marvelous help of Christians; you are terrifying as an army in
battle array; you alone have destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the
midst of our anguish, our struggles, and our distresses, defend us from the
power of the Enemy, and at the hour of our death, receive our souls in
paradise. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Fourth Station
5.
We fly to your protection, O holy Mother of God.
Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all
dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Fifth Station
At Noon
Mary, most holy Virgin
and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into
thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it
as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died
for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly
suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please
our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that
every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of
compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me,
reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my
last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories.
Amen.
6. Most
holy Virgin, who was pleasing to the Lord and became His mother, immaculate in
body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on the wretched ones who
implore your powerful patronage. The wicked Serpent, against whom was hurled
the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children
of Eve. So then, O Blessed Mother, our queen and advocate, who from the first
instant of your conception crushed the head of the Enemy, receive the prayers
which, united with you in our single heart, we implore you to present at the
throne of God; so that we may never fall into the snares that are laid out for
us, and may all arrive at the harbor of salvation. And in so many dangers, may
the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance and of
victory and of peace. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Sixth Station
7. O
Queen of Angels, Bane of Devils: The proud spirits of wickedness were
humiliated by your perfect humility; their rebellion was scattered by your
perfect obedience. Your fiat overthrew Eve’s baleful consent to the ancient
Serpent, crushing his head, exposing his deceits, and healing the wounds
inflicted by his venom, through the Son you conceived, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Come to our aid, Our Lady of Victory! When the battle rages, when our strength
fails, when the Enemy wounds us, when defeat seems certain: With your mantle,
cover and protect us; with your bright banner above us, dispel the darkness; so
that we may rally again in combat through the invincible power of your Son.
Then, when our warfare is complete, and our victory won, lead us from the battlefield
to His glorious Throne, so that we may join you there in a glad song of
everlasting triumph! AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Seventh Station
8. O
holy Virgin, Mother of God, my mother and patroness, I place myself under your
protection; I throw myself with confidence into the arms of your compassion. Be
to me, O Mother of Mercy, my refuge in distress; my consolation in suffering;
and my advocate with your Son, who is worthy to be adored, now and at the hour
of my death. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Eighth Station
At 3PM
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was
pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His
glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain
for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church
and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with
them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the
same Christ our Lord. Amen.
9. O
Mother of God, we take refuge in your loving care. Do not let our plea to you
pass unheeded in the trials that beset us, but deliver us from danger, for you
alone are truly pure, you alone are truly blessed. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Ninth Station
10. My
Queen and my Mother, I give myself entirely to you; and in proof of my
affection, I give you my eyes, my ears, my tongue, my heart, my whole being
without reserve. Since I am your own, keep me and guard me as your property and
possession. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: Tenth Station
11. August
Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the angels! You who from the beginning
have received from God the power and mission to crush the head of Satan: We
humbly beg You to send your holy legions of angels so that, under your command
and by your power, they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every
side, resist their bold attacks, and drive them away from here into the abyss
of eternal woe. O good and tender Mother, you will always be our love and hope!
O Mother of God, send your holy angels to defend us and to drive far away from
us the cruel Enemy. Holy angels and archangels, defend us, guard us! AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: 11th Station
12. Mary,
Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy, protect me from the Enemy and receive me at
the hour of death. AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: 12th Station
At Twilight
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of
Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the
agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of
sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past
trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before
thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in
the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf,
to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion,
together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united
efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I
resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having
so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of
those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop
of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which
trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart.
O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble
prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
13. We
fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our
necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers. O glorious and blessed Virgin.
AMEN. Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: 13th Station
14. Allow
me to praise you, Virgin, most holy; give me strength against your enemies!
Tender heart of Mary, be my safety! Do
the Mary Way of the Cross: 14th Station
At Slumber
Mary most sorrowful,
Mother of Christians, pray for us. Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual Warfare . TAN Books. Kindle
Edition.
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