OCTOBER DEVOTION: DAY 29 – THE VIRTUES OF OUR LADY THAT BRING US CLOSER TO THE PATH OF CHRIST

DAY 29 PRAYER INTENTION: Today, pray yourself in particular; that you might be visited by Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, in order to that you might increase in her heroic virtues, and get closer to Christ, to the greater glory of God. Amen (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 of 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 29 REFLECTION: THE VIRTUES OF OUR LADY THAT BRING US CLOSER TO THE PATH OF CHRIST

At creation, we receive a call that invites us to know God, love Him, serve Him and be happy with Him forever in the afterlife. We Catholics respond to this call at baptism by following in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ accompanied by our Mother Mary. To get closer to this path is to live a life inspired by the “Virtues of Mary”. Reflecting on Mary’s virtues is a way to develop a Christian spirituality and connect to her call to follow the path of discipleship in Christ. There are many virtues of Mary, however, I shall briefly explain seven of them below:

Patience
Our Blessed Mother’s path was full of trials and suffering, but she endured her path with great patience. Imagine how painful it was for our Mother to see her Son on the cross, for example. The way she knew how to trust God with her destiny is a virtue that serves as an inspiration.

Prayer
The mother of Christ sought silence and contemplation in her prayers in her eternal search for a closer relationship with God. We are often told in Scripture that she “pondered the divine mysteries in her heart.” This reveals to us the level of her interior life and contemplation before God. This is an example of how to take the Lord with us, in our hearts and at all times and places.

Obedience
Furthermore, Mary was also an example of obedience to the desires of God, who entrusted her with an extraordinary mission in relation to man’s redemption. She said “YES” to the Lord, obeyed Him in everything, respecting the authority and divine plans of her own free will.

Motherly love
All humanity fits in the love that Mary feels for each of her children. As she became the mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, she also accepted the mission to care for each one of us, who are brothers of Christ; little wonder Christ entrusted that task to her on the Cross as “Mother of the Church.” In this way, love with the strength of the soul reaches us and touches us, inspiring us to imitate her virtues and take care of our space within Mary’s heart.

Mortification
This is a virtue of Mary that represents all her courage over the painful moment of seeing her own Son on the cross. Still, our mother embraced her life, full of sufferings and trials, and through this attitude, she gave another demonstration of her immense commitment to the causes of God.

Purity
He who is clothed with the virtues of Christ is pure. Mary is, therefore, the first human who was not only clothed with the virtues of Christ but also conceived and bore in her womb, the embodiment of all the virtues there is – our Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be a worthy bearer of Christ the purest of all and the source of all virtues, she must be pure herself. The purity of Mary has a special attraction, a real fascination in the innocence of children, in the chastity of intending couples, in the chastity of consecrated religious, in the chastity of the married, in the charity and generosity of people, and in the simple and humble faith, we demonstrate. As such, we must continually rely on the help of God, through the intercession of our “Mother Most Pure” that we may come to imitate her purity which has its roots in Christ.

Lively faith
Finally, we cannot forget the example of faith that Mary left us. Since receiving the message that she would be the mother of the Son of God, she stood firm with unshakable confidence in the Lord’s plans. She lived her destiny and the difficulties that presented themselves throughout her earthly life with maximum intensity. This virtue of Mary leads us to reflect the grandeur of the model left by our Mother for us, her children.

Above all, we have seen that in the course of our lives, our Blessed Mother becomes a sister of faith, who accompanies us and illuminates every step of our journey with Christlike virtues. Therefore, as we go through the maturing process in Christian spirituality, we have the opportunity as children of the Blessed Virgin Mary to grow in virtue as true disciples of Christ.

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.