NINTH DAY

The Mother of Sorrows and a happy Death

Opening Prayer

Remember, O Virgin Mary, most sorrowful of the afflicted daughters of Eve, that from
all ages it has never been known that anyone imploring your assistance failed to gain your
compassion and protection. Animated with the confidence which this inspires, I come to you, O
Queen of Martyrs and Virgin Mother, as a contrite sinner, weeping and imploring your help. Do
not, O Mother of Jesus crucified, despise my suppliant voice, but hear and grant my petition.
Amen.

The blessed mother who watched her divine son pass through the horror of crucifixion,
who stood by the cross and heard from the sacred lips those heart-rending words, “ My God, why
have you forsaken me,” might well be considered the patroness of a happy death. Through her
close intimacy with her divine son’s tragedy, she has gained our sympathy, she has merited our
attention, and she has won our esteem. Mary not only went up to the slopes of Calvary, but kept
guard close to her divine son even until death. From his birth, through his years as a youth, even
until the last flickering light of life, Mary stood by. And when the hand of death was evident,
Mary was there to console with her immaculate tears the son whose words, My God, why have
you forsaken me,” pierced her heart as she poured out again and again her maternal sympathy
and love .

Patroness of a happy death, she might well be. She stood at the foot of the cross awaiting
the death of the same Christ who on the last day will be our judge, to reward or punish us for our
good or bad lives. And when that dread hour comes for us, as it must come for all we, too, might
ask the mother of sorrows to help us in our time of trail. We, too, might ask for the assistance we
need in the most important venture of our lives, the passage into eternity. So much depends upon
the state of our soul when the angel of death will come to conduct us to the judgment seat of
God. To all, this moment must come; it is inescapable, it is more certain than any other thing in
this life. Nobody scape, rich, poor, those in the seats of the mighty, those groveling in poverty
and want. Every soul must face the moment when his make believe will be held accountable for
his life, his every act, his every word and thought. And then will be the supreme moment, the
moment on which will depend our eternity, our everlasting reward, or our everlasting
punishment.
 When we are on the threshold of eternity, when we enter this vestibule of death, when we
are about to start the journey from which man has ever returned , we might well ask for the help
of Mary, the mother of sorrows, to be our guide, to be our aid and to be our consolatrix and
helper.

REFLECTION

1. Does this thought bring you closer to your God and to the blessed Mother? Does the
thought of death make you more earnest and more zealous in preparing for the most
important moments of your life?
2. Do you try to share with others this devotion to the mother of sorrows, the devotion
especially of making the lady of sorrows your patroness in the hour of death?

PRAYER

Mother of sorrows, by that intense martyrdom which you suffer at the foot of the cross
during the three hours agony of Jesus, deign to aid us who are the children of your sorrows, in
our last agony, that by your prayer we may pass from our bed of death, to the blessedness of
heaven. Intercede with the father for us that we may obtain the favor which we ask in this novena
( here mention your petitions) if it to be the greater honor and glory of God and the good of our
own souls.

Litany of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,

Have mercy on us.

⃰ Pray for us.

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did find no room in the inn,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who was forced to take refuge in a stable,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did lay your Firstborn in a manger,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did witness the circumcision of your Son,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did hear that your Son was set as a sign that should be contradicted,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did hear that your own soul should be pierced with a sword,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did fly into Egypt with your son,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did grieves for the murder of the innocents,

Mother of Sorrows,
 Who for three days did, sorrowing, sought your Son, lost in the Temple when he was
twelve years old,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did note the constant hatred of the Jews against Him,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who on the day of the Last Supper did bid farewell to your Son going to Jerusalem to
die,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did learn that he was betrayed by Judas, and led away captive,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did see him delivered up as a criminal by the chief priest.

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did hear that he was falsely accused,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did learn how his Blessed Face was struck,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did learn that he was most cruelly treated by Jews and the soldiers,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did hear your Son rejected for Barabbas,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did behold him beaten with scourges and crowned with thorns,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did hear the sentence pronounced against him,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did go to meet your Son loaded with the Cross,

Mother of Sorrows,
 Who did see his Blessed Hands and Feet pierced with nails,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did receive the last words of Jesus upon the Cross,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did stand by him in his agony,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who did receive into your bosom the lifeless body of your Son taken down from the
Cross,

Mother of Sorrows,

Who after the Body of Jesus was buried, did return home all sad and desolate,

O Queen of Martyrs,

O Strength of the weak,

O Refuge of sinners,

O Comfort of the afflicted,

⃰Deliver us from sin and evil, O Queen of Martyrs.

Through the most bitter passion and death of your Son,

Through the most moving sorrow of your heart,

Through your most exceeding sadness and desolation,

⃰Deliver us from sin and evil, O Queen of Martyrs.

Through your extreme anguish,

Through your sighs and tears,

Through your maternal compassion,

Through your most powerful patronage,

From immoderate sadness,

From a faint-hearted spirit,

From the snares of the devil,

From every occasion and danger of sin

From hardness of heart,

From impenitence,

From sudden and unprovided death,

From eternal damnation,

We sinners, implore you hear us.

That you would grant to preserve us by your patronage in true faith, hope, and charity,

We implore you, hear us.

That you would grant to obtain for us perfect sorrow and repentance for our sins,

We implore you, hear us.

That you would grant to bring consolation and assistance to those who call upon you,

We implore you, hear us.

That you grant to help us in our agony of death,

We implore you, hear us.

That you would grant to obtain for us a happy death,

We implore you, hear us.

Mother of God,

We implore you, hear us.

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, O Lord.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Chris, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us

V. In all our tribulations and afflictions,

R. Help us, O Virgin Mary.

Let Us Pray

Imprint, O afflicted Mother, on my repentant heart, your Seven Sorrows, and the five bleeding
wounds which your dear Son bore, that I may experience repentance and true love; repentance
to endure for Jesus and for your every sorrows; love to despise every other for his sake and for
yours. Live crucified Jesus and heartbroken Mary, for ever and ever. Through the same Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

Recite three Hail Mary’s for the intention you have in this Novena.