HOLYDAY of OBLIGATION:  The Glorious Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Body and Soul, into Heaven: August 15th:  Novena begins August 6th:

The Catholic Church teaches inerrantly that The Blessed Virgin Mary wast conceived without sin in Her Holy Mother, Saint Anne’s womb, that She imitated Her Son, Jesus, perfectly, and that She never sinned.  Since death is  the reward for sin, she did not have to die.  According to Venerable Mary of Agreda’s, The Mystical City of God, our Lord Jesus Christ asked His Mother when She was 72 years old if She wanted to die, as it was time for Her to leave this earth.  She asked to die, in order to imitate Her Son perfectly.  Then, on the third day after Her Sacred Death, our Lord returned Her Sacred Soul to Her Sacred, Incorrupt Body and gloriously assumed Her, Body and Soul, into Heaven to take Her Place at His Right Hand.  There, She reigns as Queen of Heaven and earth and of the universe, as The Mother of God.  When it comes right down to it, it makes perfect sense to believe that The Blessed Virgin Mary never sinned — God and sin do not mix.  If our Blessed Lady had had original sin or any other sin on Her Soul, God The Son would NEVER have taken The Form of a Human Baby in Her Womb.  There is no time in Heaven, and God sees everything:  past, present, and future, at the same time.  Thus, He knew from all eternity that His Son would take The Form of a Human, to live, suffer, and die on a Cross, to redeem the human race.  Therefore, He decided, when He created The Blessed Virgin Mary in Her Mother’s Womb, to apply The Infinite Merits of His Son’s Most Sacred Death on The Cross, to Her, thus redeeming Her in advance, from original sin.  God also confirmed Her in grace, as are the Saints in Heaven, so that, even though She had free will and could choose between different good actions to perform, She could not sin and betray Him, as Eve had done.  The Blessed Virgin Mary is The New Eve.  As God The Son decided to come to earth through The Blessed Virgin Mary, and not come as an independent adult, He appreciates it very much when we go to Him, through Her, His closest Ambassador/Intercessor for us in Heavens.  Since we sin, our Lord hears our prayers, but our sin muffles them.  When we ask His Mother to petition Her Son, our Lord, for us, She purifies our prayers and makes them more acceptable to Him.  He often grants our requests because we go through His Mother, our Heavenly Mother.  (some taken from St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary).

NOTE:  August 15th is normally a Holyday of Obligation, to be treated as a Sunday for attending Holy Mass, praying, resting, doing  acts of charity, participating in recreation, etc., but, unfortunately, a few years ago, the Bishops of the U.S., decided to take away the obligation of attending Holy Mass for certain movable Feasts, including this one, when they land on Monday or Saturday.  Since we, along with almost the whole world, seem to be in a state of crisis, the last thing we need to do is to neglect an important opportunity to seek God’s grace and favor through His Mother, so I would definitely NOT miss Holy Mass on what is normally a Holyday of Obligation, whether it be obligatory or not.  Call the various Catholic churches in your area, during the day, to find out when they will celebrate Holy Mass on August 15th.  There are going to be a few, which will celebrate it in the evening, so that you can get there after work, if you can’t take the day off.  There will also be several churches, who will have Holy Mass on the Vigil of the Assumption if you absolutely cannot get there on the day.  If you want to know at what time Holy Mass is in your area or in any other area, especially when you are going to be travelling, because, travelling is not normally an excuse accepted by our Lord, to miss Holy Mass — it is a mortal sin, if it is not an emergency situation — go to masstimes.org, and put in the city or zip code.  Then, be sure to call the parish, to verify the time of the Holy Mass, because the website is not always kept up to date.

“Novena to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary I

Mary, Queen Assumed into Heaven, I rejoice that after years of heroic martyrdom on earth, Thou hast at last been taken to the throne prepared for Thee in Heaven by The Holy Trinity.

Lift my heart with Thee in the Glory of Thine Assumption above the dreadful touch of sin and impurity.  Teach me how small earth becomes when viewed from heaven.  Make me realize that death is the triumphant gate through which I shall pass to Thy Son, and that someday my body shall rejoin my soul in the unending bliss of Heaven.

From this earth, over which I tread as a pilgrim, I look to Thee for help.  I ask for this favor:  (Mention your request).

When my hour of death has come, lead me safely to The Presence of Jesus to enjoy the vision of my God for all eternity together with Thee. Amen.

Novena to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary II

Majestic Queen of Heaven and Mistress of the Angels, Thou received from God the power and command to crush the head of satan.  Therefore, we humbly beg of Thee, send forth the legions of Heaven, that under Thy Command they may seek out all evil spirits, engage them everywhere in battle, curb their pride, and hurl them back into the pit of hell. “Who is like unto God?”

With firm confidence we present ourselves before Thee, our most Loving Mother, afflicted and troubled as we are, and we beg Thee to let us understand the love, which Thou hast for us by granting this petition, if it be according to The Will of God and profitable for our salvation:  (mention your request).

Good and Tender Mother, Thou shalt ever be our hope and the object of our love. O Mother of God, send forth the Holy Angels to defend us and drive far from us the cruel foe.  Holy Angels and Archangels, defend and keep us.”

(taken from:  http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/assumption_mary.htm)

“O Virgin Immaculate, Thou, who by a singular privilege of grace wast preserved from original sin, look in pity upon our separated brethren, who are nevertheless Thy children, and call them back to the center of unity.  Not a few of them, although separated from The Church, have kept a certain veneration for Thee; and do Thou, generous as Thou art, reward them for it, by obtaining for them the grace of conversion.  Thou wast conqueror of the infernal serpent from the first instant of Thine existence; renew even now, for it is now more necessary than ever before, Thine ancient triumphs; glorify Thy Divine Son, bring back to Him the sheep, that have strayed from the one fold and place them once more under the guidance of the universal Shepherd, who holds the place of Thy Son on earth; let it be Thy Glory, O Virgin, who destroyest all heresies, to restore unity and peace once more to all the Christian people.”  Amen.    (Raccolta #627)

5. Prayers of Thanksgiving for Our Lady’s Assumption.

Adore The Eternal FATHER with a PATER [“Our Father”], Ave [“Hail, Mary”] , and Gloria [“Glory Be”]; then say, I ADORE Thee, Eternal FATHER, my LORD and my GOD, in union with all of the Heavenly Host, rendering Thee infinite thanks for every grace and favor, which Thou hast granted to Mary, Most Holy Virgin, Thy Well-Beloved Daughter, and, above all, for that height of power to which Thou didst exalt Her by Her Assumption into Heaven.

Adore The Eternal SON with a PATER [“Our Father], Ave [Hail, Mary”], and Gloria [“Glory Be”]; then say I ADORE Thee, too, Eternal SON, my GOD, my LORD, and my REDEEMER, in union with all of the Heavenly Host, rendering Thee infinite thanks for every grace and favor, which Thou hast granted to Mary, Virgin Most Blessed, Thy Well-beloved Mother, and, above all, for the gift of highest wisdom with which Thou didst glorify Her on Her Assumption into Heaven.

Adore The HOLY GHOST with a PATER [“Our Father], Ave [Hail, Mary”], and Gloria [“Glory Be”]; then say, I ADORE Thee also, O HOLY GHOST, The PARACLETE, my GOD and my LORD, and in union with all of the Heavenly Host I render Thee infinite thanks for every grace and favor, which Thou hast granted to The Most Blessed Virgin, Thy Most Loving Spouse, and, above all, for that most perfect and divine Charity with which Thou didst inflame Her Most Holy and Most Pure Heart in the act of Her Most Glorious Assumption in Heaven.  In the Name of Thy Most Chaste Spouse, I humbly beg of Thee to grant me the grace of remission of all of my most grievous sins, which I have committed from the first moment when I was able to sin until this day, for all of which I grieve exceedingly, firmly purposing rather to die than ever again offend Thy Divine Majesty; and relying on the high merits and most powerful protection of this Thy Most Loving Spouse, I beg of Thee to grant me the most precious gift of Thy Grace and Divine Love, by vouchsafing me those lights and special helps, whereby Thine Eternal Providence has determined to will my salvation, and to bring me to Thyself.

Then, [pray] three times:
HOLY Mary, all ye Holy Men and Women, Saints of GOD, intercede for us to our LORD, that we may merit His Help and be saved.  Amen.

To The Most Blessed Virgin:

I ACKNOWLEDGE Thee, and I venerate Thee, Most Holy Virgin, Queen of Heaven, Lady and Mistress of the Universe, as Daughter of The Eternal FATHER, Mother of His Well-Beloved SON, and Most Loving Spouse of The HOLY SPIRIT.  Kneeling at the feet of Thy Great Majesty, with all humility I pray thee, through that Divine Charity with which Thou wast so bounteously enriched on Thine Assumption into Heaven, to vouchsafe me favor and pity, placing me under Thy safest and most faithful Protection, and receiving me into the number of Thy happy and highly-favored servants.   Deign, Mother and Lady Most Tender, to accept my miserable heart, memory, will, powers, and senses, internal and external; govern them all in conformity to The Good Pleasure of Thy Divine Son, as I intend by my every thought and deed to give Thee Glory and Honor. And, by that wisdom with which Thy Well-Beloved Son glorified Thee, I pray and beseech Thee to obtain for me light, that I may clearly know myself and my own nothingness, and, in particular, my sins, that so I may hate and loathe them; and that I may discern the snares of the infernal enemy, and all of his modes of attack, whether open or hidden.  Above all, Most Tender Mother, I beg of Thee the grace of N.____________.

[Pray] three times,
Virgin of all virgins,     To thy shelter take us, Gentlest of the gentle,
Chaste and gentle make us.

Let us pray.
PARDON, O LORD, we beseech Thee, the sins of thy servants; that we, who of our own actions know not how to please Thee, may be saved by the intercession of The Mother of Thy SON, our LORD. Through The Same CHRIST our LORD. Amen.  May The Almighty and Merciful LORD, FATHER, SON, and HOLY
GHOST, bless and preserve us. Amen.

(5 Pius VII, Mem. July 19, 1822, Tak­en from:  http://www.saintsworks.net/books/The%20Raccolta%20-%201910.pdf, pp. 15–16)

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