November 29, 2011
First Tuesday of Advent
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Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Today I desire to give you hope and joy. Everything that is around you, little children, leads you towards worldly things but I desire to lead you towards a time of grace, so that through this time you may be all the closer to my Son, that He can lead you towards His love and eternal life, for which every heart yearns. You, little children, pray and may this time for you be one of grace for your soul. Thank you for having responded to my call."(November 25, 2011)
Today we can begin a novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! Nine days of prayer to Our Lady ending on her special feast day! I think it would be great to pray this novena, asking that we can receive the grace of this time, the grace for our souls to draw close to Jesus.
It is also a beautiful time to contemplate the incredible miracle of conception. We all were conceived! We are all miracles of God's love. At the moment of our conception God leaps down with His love and grace, endowing us with our soul and giving us all the gifts and talents that we can use to praise Him and serve Him for eternity! We are not mistakes, no matter the circumstances. From that very moment when we begin life, God is calling us and rejoicing in us, desiring us to love Him and live with Him forever.
Some of us need healing from that earliest of moments. This novena would be a good time to ask for healing of our memories in terms of our conception. Did we feel loved and wanted at that moment? Did we come into a violent or angry situation? Did we enter into a broken family? Was our mother or father ill or sad? Whatever the brokenness, it can be revealed and healed through prayer. Our Lady wants us to enter into the grace of this time. Part of that grace is our healing, deep within, so tha
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t we can accept love and accept our lives as the gifts they are.
Let's pray for each other for healing of memories in terms of our conception, and rejoice with Our Lady at her incredibly holy and healthy conception, provided for her by her Son, Jesus, in advance through His redemptive death. (This always turns me around a little, but it does make sense!) Mary is such a sign of hope for us. She can help us grasp the hope we are given in Christ, and be healed of any shadows that try to cover our conceptions with lies. God loves us infinitely, and we are His little children. Our conceptions are all joy!
Here is the first day of the Novena. (I found this on the EWTN website, and the link to it is below. It contains the Prayer to the Immaculate Conception, a daily prayer, and the Litany)
PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
Day One
O 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 me as I implore your powerful intercession. O most Holy Mother, who by your blessed Immaculate Conception, from the first moment of your conception did crush the head of the enemy, receive our prayers as we implore you to present at the throne of God the favor we now request… (State your intention here…)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin
Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, have mercy on us
Lord, have mercy on us
Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us God the Holy Spirit, …
Holy Trinity, one God, …
Holy Mother of God, pray for us
Holy Virgin of virgins, …
Mother of Christ, …
Mother of Divine Grace, …
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 Savior, …
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 honor, …
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, …
Comforter 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 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. Grant we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we, Thy servants, may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body: and, by the glorious intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy eternal gladness. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
You can find the whole novena here:
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/immaculate.htm
In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2011
I'm Deacon John, age 75, ordained 4/25/87 as a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Brooklyn; now semi-retired in Central Florida with Wife Marianne. 
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