2. Virgin most obedient, at thy presentation in the Temple, thou didst willingly offer the accustomed sacrifice of women; enable us so to follow thy example, that we may make ourselves a living sacrifice to God, by practising every virtue. Hail Mary. 3. Virgin most pure, thou didst despise the reproach of men whilst observing the precept of the law; ask for us grace always to keep our hearts pure, whatever the world may think of us. Hail Mary.

4. Virgin most holy, by offering thy Son, the Divine Word, to his eternal Father, thou didst make heaven glad; present our poor hearts to God, that by his grace they may be kept free from mortal sin. Hail Mary.

5. Virgin most humble, in consigning Jesus into the arms of the holy Simeon, thou didst fill his spirit full of heavenly joy; consign our hearts to God, that he may fill them full of his Holy Spirit. Hail Mary.

6. Virgin most diligent, in ransoming thy Son Jesus according to the law, thou didst co-operate in the salvation of the world; ransom our poor hearts from the slavery of sin, that they may be ever pure in the sight of God. Hail Mary.

7. Virgin most meek, on hearing the prophecy of Simeon, foretelling thy sorrows, thou didst humbly resign thyself to the good pleasure of thy God; make us always resigned to the dispositions of his Providence, and enable us to bear all troubles with patience. Hail Mary.

8. Virgin most compassionate, when thou didst fill the soul of Anna the prophetess with light, by means of thy Divine Son, thou didst magnify the mercies of God, in that she recognised Jesus as the Redeemer of the world; enrich our spirit too with heavenly grace, that we may joyfully reap in full

measure the fruits of our Lord's redemption. Mary.

Hail

9. Virgin most resigned, although thou didst feel thine own soul transfixed with sorrow, foreseeing all the bitter Passion of thy Son, yet knowing the grief of Joseph thy spouse for thy sufferings, thou didst console him with holy words; pierce through and through our souls with true sorrow for our sins, that we may one day come to rejoice with thee in everlasting bliss, partakers of thy glory. Hail Mary.

Novena

IN PREPARATION FOR

THE FEAST OF THE

WI

ANNUNCIATION

(Commencing March 16)

WITH wonder I revere thee, holiest Virgin Mary, for of all God's creatures thou wast humblest on the very day of the Annunciation, when God himself exalted thee to the sublimest dignity of his own Mother. O mightiest Virgin, make me, wretched sinner that I am, know the depths of my own nothingness, and at once, with all my heart, humble myself beneath the feet of all. Ave Maria.

2. When, Mary, holiest Virgin, Gabriel the archangel hailed thee in thy Annunciation, thou wast raised by God above all angel choirs; yet didst thou then confess thyself the handmaid of the Lord (Ecce ancilla Domini.) O Mary, obtain for me humility and angelic purity, that I may so live on earth as ever to be worthy of the blessings of my God. Ave Maria.

true

3. With thee I rejoice, O Virgin ever blest, because by the sole fiat uttered by thee so lowly, thou

PP

didst draw down from the bosom of the Eternal Father the Divine Word into thine own pure bosom. O draw, then, my heart to God; and with God draw grace into my heart, that I may ever bless thy Fiat, and with devotion cry, O mighty Fiat! O Fiat efficacious! O Fiat to be venerated above all Fiats! Ave Maria. 4. Mary, mighty Virgin, thou, on thy Annunciation, wast found by Gabriel the archangel on thy watch, quick to do God's will and correspond with the desires of the august Trinity for man's redemption, giving thy consent in order to redeem the world. Let me, whatever happens, good or ill, turn ever to my God, and with resignation say, Fiat, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum (Be it unto me according to thy word.) Ave Maria.

5. I see that thy obedience, holiest Mary, wrought so close a bond between thy God and thee, that all creation never shall know again union so fair and perfect. (Magis Deo conjungi nisi fieret Deus, non potuit: "She could not have been more united to God except by being God herself."-B. Albert Magnus.) My soul within me faints to see how sin hath severed me from God. Help me, then, gentle Mother, with true heart to do fit penance for my sins, that thy own loving Jesus may yet once more live in me and I in him. Ave Maria.

6. Beholding, holiest Mary, how by reason of thy modesty thou wast troubled when Gabriel the archangel stood before thee in thy house, I also when I come before thee am troubled for my monstrous pride; wherefore do thou, in thy incomparable humility, "which brought forth God for men, reopened paradise, and let the captive souls go free from hell beneath" (Quæ Deum hominibus peperit, paradisum aperuit, et animas ab inferno liberavit

St. Augus., Serm. de Sanct.), draw me, I pray thee' out of the deep pit wherein my sins have cast me, enabling me to save my soul. Ave Maria.

7. Though my tongue is unhallowed, yet, purest Virgin, I am bold to hail thee each hour of the day: "Hail, hail, Mary, full of grace"(Ave, ave, gratiâ plena.) From my heart I pray thee, replenish my soul with some little of that mighty grace wherewith the Holy Spirit overshadowed thee, and filled thee to overflowing. Ave Maria.

8. I believe, holiest Mary, that that mighty God, who was ever with thee, from thy conception (Dominus tecum), is, by his Incarnation in thy purest womb, made still more closely one with thee; make it thy care, I pray thee, that I may be with that same dear Lord Jesus, ever one heart and soul by means of sanctifying grace. Ave Maria,

9. O holiest Mary, shed over my heart and soul all heavenly benedictions, as thou thyself wast ever blest of God among all women (benedicta tu in mulieribus); for I have this sure hope, that if, dear Mother, thou shalt bless me while I live, then when I die I shall be blessed of God in the everlasting glory of heaven. Ave Maria.

Then the Litanies, &c.

V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

LET US PRAY.

GOD who, by the message of an angel, didst will that thy Divine Word shouldst take flesh of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant unto us thy suppliants. that we, who believe her to be verily the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with thee. Through, &c.

L

Novena of the Assumption.

1st Day, Aug. 6th.

GLORY OF MARY IN DEATH.

She was well prepared to die.

ET us meditate how glorious Mary was at the moment of her death, because in life she was so well prepared to die: first, by reason of her ardent longing to see her God and to be again united to her Son; and next, by the unapproachable merit of her consummate perfection. Then, reflecting how different we are from Mary in our own practice of preparation for our death, let us say:

1. Most holy Virgin, who, in order to prepare thyself for a holy death, didst live in continual desire after the beatific vision; oh, take from us all vain desires for the frail things of earth. Three Hail Marys.

2. Most holy Virgin, who, in order to prepare thyself holily to die, didst in life ever sigh to be united to thy Son Jesus; obtain for us fidelity to Jesus, even unto death. Three Hail Marys.

3. Most Holy Virgin, who, in order that thou mightest die holily, didst attain an unapproachable height of merit and of virtue; intercede for us, that we may know that virtue alone, and the grace of God, will lead us to salvation. Three Hail Marys.

Let us now give praise to Mary, so prudent in preparing for death; and whilst we exalt her glory, we will unite with the nine angel choirs who, on her Assumption into heaven, escorted her; singing with the first choir-

The hymn Tota Pulchra, p. 568, or the Litany of Loretto; then,