Our Lady of Sorrows

PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER

O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings. Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious. Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be….

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS

SEPTEMBER 6 THROUGH 14
FEAST DAY: SEPTEMBER 15

(The following prayers to be prayed every day for nine days)

OPENING PRAYER

Virgin most afflicted, how ungrateful have I been in the past to my God, in return for all His benefits. Now, I repent in bitterness of heart, humbly asking pardon for the offense done to His infinite goodness, and resolved by the help of heavenly grace to offend Him no more. Ah! by all the pains which thou didst suffer in the cruel Passion of thy dear Jesus, I pray thee, with fervent sighs, to obtain for me pardon and mercy for all my grievous sins. Obtain that the same sword which pierced thy soul may pierce mine also, that I may live and die in the love of my Lord, and share eternally in that glory, which He has purchased for me with His most Precious Blood. Amen.

THE SEVEN SORROWS OF OUR LADY
Prayers in Honor of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Approved by Pope Pius VII in 1815)

V: O God, come to my assistance;
R: O Lord, make haste to help me
V: Glory be to the Father…..
R: As it was in the beginning….
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 lost 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 Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

CLOSING PRAYER

Holy Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Martyrs, I do this day choose thee as my model, protectress, and advocate. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place my poor soul forever. Receive me as thy especial servant as a partaker in thy sufferings. Give me strength always to remain close to that Cross on which thy only Son died for me. All that I am and have, I consecrate to thy service. Accept every good work that I may perform, and offer it to thy Son for me. Dear Mother, help me to be worthy of the title: “Servant of Mary.” Stand by me in all my actions that they may be directed to the glory of God. As thou wert close to Christ, thy Son, on the cross, be near to me, thy child, in my last agony. Obtain for me, that I may invoke thine and His sweet Name saying with my lips and my heart: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I die in peace in your holy company.”

The Seven Sorrows of Mary
1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
5. The Crucifixion.
6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7. The burial of Jesus.

The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows

(Jesus said, “The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.”)

First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
“This was My Mother’s ‘Agony in the Garden’ in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring.”

PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy.”
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:

Litany
Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us. Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us. House of God, pray for us. Queen of Peace, pray for us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us. Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us. Queen of Mercy, pray for us. Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.

Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
“The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind.” PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger.” Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
“My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the ‘Temple,’ in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother’s Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again.” (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.) PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride.” Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
“My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church.” (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.) PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust.” Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Fifth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Nailed to the Cross: “Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Passion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings.” PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony.” Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother’s Arms:
“My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body.” PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth. Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany

Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
“My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of all they would hold dear to allow God’s Will and His Plan to replace their own.” PRAYER: “I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed.” Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany.