Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 9 ~

Scripture: Then Jesus said to them, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of time." (Matthew 28: 18-20)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: "Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people."

Meditation: As Holy Mary challenges and encourages us to follow her Son, she reminds us of our mission.
We are to bring to the whole world the Good News of Jesus Christ. Marked by His Spirit and consecrated in truth and love, the followers of Jesus work together to advance the Kingdom of God.

The "great news" of Holy Mother of God is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like Mary, as we hear and bear the Word of God, we carry on the mission of Jesus, the mission entrusted to His apostles and to all the baptized. Such is our mission-so plain and simple that it was entrusted to two young children on the mountain of La Salette.

With maternal concern, the Virgin encourages us one final time: "Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people."

Prayer: Holy Mother of the Church, watch over us, thy people. Help us who have heard the Word of God to proclaim it in work and deed. As thou were filled with the Holy Ghost and gave birth to the Savior, may we, filled with that same Spirit, advance the kingdom of unity and peace for which our Lord and Savior Jesus gave His life on the cross.

Our Father, Hail Mary

Invocation: Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. +Amen

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 8 ~

Scripture: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." (John 6: 35)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: "But you, (Maximin), surely you must have seen some (spoiled wheat) once, at (the field of) Coin ... your father gave you a piece of bread and said to you: 'Here, my child, eat some bread while we still have it this year...'"

Meditation: The fear of a future evil, the carefree attitude of a child, the concern of parents for their family, the sharing of bread-all details of life held in the memory and heart of the Virgin Mary at La Salette. Her solicitude invites us to trust in her concern for our welfare.

Her loving Son, Jesus, also reminded people how much our Heavenly Father watches out for our welfare. "If you, then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him." (Matthew 7:11)

The promise of shared bread and good gifts is a consoling message. This pledge reminds us that the Bread of Life willingly broke and gave himself to satisfy our deepest hunger for God. He continues to do so, and invites us to do the same.

Prayer: Holy Mother, ever attentive to our needs, awaken in us compassion for the hungry and the needy. Help us to share our Creator's concern for all human hungers-of body, heart, or spirit. Give us always a yearning for the Bread of Life, Jesus, thy Son and our Lord. Amen
(here our prayer petition)

Our Father, Hail Mary

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. +Amen

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 7 ~

Scripture: "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: "Do you say your prayers well, my children? You should say them well, at night and in the morning ... (people) go to Mass just to make fun of religion. In Lent they go to the butcher shops like dogs."

Meditation: The Virgin at La Salette questions us on the quality of those gestures of faith which link us to God, and serve as the source of our ongoing conversion. Each day, we are invited to express in prayer our free and constant dialogue with God. We remember the words of Jesus' own prayer: "Father ... not my will but yours be done." (Luke 22: 42) Each week, we are called to celebrate the Eucharist, the central memorial of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The presence of the Risen Lord in our gathering revives our faith, and helps us wait in hope until He will come again.
Each year, our Lenten penance, prayer and sharing strengthens our faith. With renewed vigor, we give our lives to God daily in service to our sisters and brothers.

Prayer: Holy Mary , the forever Immaculate Mother of God and first disciple of Jesus, make our lives a living prayer.
May we always be ready to pray, to celebrate God's presence and to follow Jesus faithfully every day.
Hold us close beside thee in the heart of the Church, ready to share the struggles and sufferings of all thy people. Amen
( here our prayer petition )

Our Father, Hail Mary

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.+Amen

Novena to our Lady of Ransom ( September 15 - 23)

Blessed be thou, O Mary, the honor and the joy of thy people!

On the day of thy glorious Assumption, thou didst take possession of thy queenly dignity for our sake; and the history of the human race are a record of thy merciful interventions.

The captives whose chains thou hast broken, and whom thou hast set free from the degrading yoke of the Saracens, may be reckoned by millions.
We are still rejoicing in the recollection of thy dear birthday; and thy smile is sufficient to dry our tears and chase away the clouds of grief.

And yet, what sorrows there are still upon the earth, where thou thyself didst drink such long draughts from the cup of suffering!

Sorrows are sanctifying and beneficial to some but there are other and unprofitable grief, springing from social injustice: the drudgery of the factory, or the tyranny of the strong over the weak, may be worse than slavery in Algiers or Tunis.

Thou alone, O Mary, canst break the inextricable chains, in which the cunning prince of darkness entangles the dupes he has deceived by the high- sounding names of equality and liberty.

Show thyself a Queen, by coming to the rescue. The whole earth, the entire human race, cries out to thee, in the words of Mordechai: ‘Speak to the King for us, and deliver us from death!’ Amen.


Our Lady of Ransom, pray for us!

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 6 ~

Scripture: "The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God." (Isaiah 35: 1-2)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: "If (my people) are converted, rocks and stones will turn into heaps of wheat..."

Meditation: Jesus who opens the eyes of the blind and makes the lame dance, comes to restore us to life. The constant temptation is to harden our hearts and narrow our vision, so that we miss His very presence.

Let us come to our Lord and Savior Jesus, who is the Way to follow, the Truth to be discovered, the Life to be enjoyed and shared. 
He is the One who can make the desert of our heart-and of our world-bloom and bear abundant fruit.

Mary's apparition on the barren slope of La Salette has unleashed a stream of life-giving water, bearing the promise of refreshment and renewal. Heeding Mary's call to conversion makes our own lives rich and fruitful.

Prayer: Virgin Reconciler, may thy unceasing prayer and loving concern for us bear fruit in the constant conversion of our minds and hearts. May our lives burst forth anew with love for thy Son. May we obtain the blessings thou and thy Son have promised and faithfully give Him thanks as our Savior and Lord.
( pause and pray the prayer petition)

Our Father..Hail Mary

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. + Amen

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 5 ~

Scripture: "This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own." (Isaiah 58: 6-7)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: "If the harvest is ruined, it is only on account of yourselves. I warned you last year. You paid no heed! Instead, you swore. The rest will do penance through the famine!"

Meditation: Mary's message startles us to an awareness of the evils of our world and to our own indifference. Today two-thirds of the world suffers or dies from hunger. Human rights are ignored across the face of the earth and injustice lies on our very doorstep. These signs cry out for our response.

If we listen to and act upon her words and those of her Divine Son Jesus our Lord and Redeemer, she promises that one day Jesus will say to us: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me whatever you did for one of these least...of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25: 34a, 35-36, 40b)

Prayer: Mother of Compassion, open our eyes to the sufferings of our sisters and brothers. Open our hearts and hands to share with these most needy of thy children the plenteous blessings of this earth. Inspired by thy words, Mary, may thy people continue to nourish and heal, to love and forgive, to build the world our God desires.
( pause and pray the prayer petition)

Our Father..Hail Mary

Invocation: 
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.+ Amen

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 4 ~

Scripture: "Six days you may labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God... For remember that you too were once slaves in Egypt, and the Lord, your God, brought you from there with his strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why the Lord, your God, has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."
(Deuteronomy 5: 13, 14a, 15)

Holy Mother Mary's Words: " Respect and keep what the Lord says : I gave you six days to work; I kept the seventh for myself"

Meditation: Yes, the seventh day belongs to God and God shares this gift with us. This consecrated time is meant to free us from the vicious cycle of production and consumerism. It points us to the greater reality of God's presence and our life of grace. We are restored to the divine image.

The One who made the Heaven and the earth has reserved this day for Himself to remind us that we are "God's children in Christ". (Romans 8:16). In sharing the Body of Christ we are called to be the Body of Christ. We are given into one another's care as were Jesus' Holy Mother and disciple at the foot of His Cross.

Prayer: Faithful Virgin of La Salette, thou uphold our dignity as free people and as children of God. May the Day of the Lord shine on us and give meaning to our work and our relationships so that in Jesus Christ we may give thanks to God.
( here our prayer petition)

Our Father..Hail Mary

Invocation: 
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. +Amen

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary

( written by Dr. Thomas A. Droleskey ~~ Christ or Chaos)

Today is the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, commemorating the victory won by King Jan Sobieski of Poland over the Mohammedans at the Gates of Vienna on September 12, 1683. The troops under the command of Jan Sobieski exclaimed "Jesus, Mary, Sobieski!" as they prayed their Rosaries and routed the Turkish forces.

Each of us does battle every day with the Turks, that is, with the forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. We must call upon the Holy Name of Mary, something we do at least one hundred fifty-three times every day if we pray all fifteen mysteries of Our Lady's Most Holy Rosary. This sweet name of the Mother of God must be on our lips at all times, and it must be exclaimed by public officials as she is honored as the Queen of Heaven and on earth, yes, of each and every nation on earth, including the United States of America. No one should be ashamed at any time to proclaim the Holy Name of Mary publicly. Indeed, we must do so with joy and confidence.

Saint Louis de Montfort taught us in True Devotion to Mary that those who are the consecrated slaves of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary should address others with a Marian salutation. How felicitous it is, therefore, to greet others with Ave Maria! or a Salve Regina! How glorious it is to make invocations such as "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, we love you, save souls!" or "Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation" or "Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and the hour of our death."

May Our Lady, she who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, help us to grow in this virtue, especially in this time of apostasy and betrayal.

A blessed Feast of the Holy Name of Mary to you all!

Sweet Name of Mary, be our salvation.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

+Amen

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 3 ~

Day Three
Scripture: "The angel of the Lord appeared to (the shepherds) and said, 'Behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2: 10)

Holy Mary's Words: "I am here to tell you great news."

Meditation: The good news spoken to Mary at her Annunciation brought forth a prayer of praise. This prayer, the Magnificat, not only expresses her deep joy and the conviction of her strong faith; it also recounts how God cares for and helps the needy, the downtrodden, the lost.

Like the Gospel, the message of Mary at La Salette is one of good news. Her words announce great joy-the joy of our salvation: sin is forgiven, death is destroyed, a broken world has been renewed.

The angels announced the Good News of Lord Jesus' birth-God breaking forth into our world. Holy Mother Mary at La Salette reminds us that God continues to break into our world, restoring and renewing the face of the earth. This is the Good News! This is the source of our joy!

Prayer: Gentle Virgin of La Salette, thou urge us to find joy in God our Savior. Gladly we hear thy words and pledge to spread this good news. May our lives give glory to thy Divine Son and be filled with joy in serving Jesus Christ, now and forever.
( pause and pray the prayer petition)

Our Father..Hail Mary

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.

Novena to our Lady of La Salette ~ Day 2 ~

SECOND DAY OF THE NOVENA : Freedom from Fear

Holy Scripture Says:
“Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.” (Luke 1: 30)

Our Lady Said:
“Do not be afraid!”

Meditation:
At her Annunciation, Mary's initial response to the presence and words of the Archangel Gabriel was one of anxious fear. Therefore, she could very easily sympathize with the reaction of fear, which overcame the two children, at her sudden appearance on the Holy Mountain of La Salette.
Her words, like those of the Archangel, were most welcome and reassuring to the anxious souls--"Do not be afraid!"
There is only one thing to fear—and that is sin! Venial Sin makes us pull away from God and Mortal Sin will even separate us from God entirely. We must fight both forms of sin and weep over our our past indulgence in these two forms of sin.
Our Lady comes to La Salette as a weeping Mother, for we do not weep sufficiently over our sins.
However, Holy Mother of God Mary, who was relieved of her fears, now seeks to relieve us of our own fears.
She who was "full of grace" and who “found favor with God,” now in turn seeks to find grace and favor for us as a Mother of Mercy.
Mary, who knew the God of her ancestors as a God of power and might, now encounters God in a most personal and intimate way.
At La Salette she speaks, from that privileged intimate relationship with God, to teach us that we, too, are “beloved of the Father”—despite our sins, if, like the Prodigal Son, we turn our back on them and return to the Father.
Saint John declares “perfect love drives out fear.” (1 John 4: 18) Mary came to know that “perfect love” as her own Son. May He cast out our fear as well, and perfect His love in us.
[quiet Reflection]

Our Prayer:
Remember, O Mother of Sorrows, how often fear of our past sins and failings discourages us and keeps us from God. Lovingly guide us away from sin and to Jesus, the source of grace. Drive out, too, dearest Mother, the fear we have of becoming true followers of Christ; which comes from a fear of what the world and those around us may think and say of us, if we truly started to live our Faith as it should be lived. As we take comfort in your kind and merciful invitation to draw ever closer to your Son, O Mother of Mercy, may your words melt our cold sinful hearts, so that we can both receive His mercy for ourselves, as well show His mercy to others. May you ever bring us an increase of His zeal for the glory of God, and so drive-out our lukewarmness and indifference. Finally, may you obtain for us the grace to experience His peace within us, and so banish all our fears and terrors. Amen.
[mention prayer petition]

Our Father, Hail Mary

Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. + Amen

Novena to Our Lady of LaSalette ~ September 10 - 18 ~ Day 1

FIRST DAY OF THE NOVENA
Our Lord and Our Lady want to help us.

Holy Scripture Says:
“Come to Me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is sweet and My burden light.” (Mt. 11:28-30)

Our Lady Said:
“Come near, my children...”

Meditation:
What a wonderful invitation! In all simplicity Mary at La Salette calls the two children to come NEAR. Her words echo her Son’s invitation to come to Him, that we may find rest from our burdens and refreshment for our flagging, wearied, anxious spirits. This, too, is Mary’s desire: that her children—meaning us as well—should feel welcomed and loved, despite our sinfulness and unworthiness, for she is a Mother of Mercy and she invites us to weep over our sins with her, and to be reconciled with her Son, Jesus Christ.
For Mary wishes us to come nearer to God, Who desires only good for us, despite our sinfulness. We must approach and listen to her words, spoken with the love and concern of Jesus. She and her Son wish that, during this La Salette Novena of prayer, we may “have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This is a wonderful promise and reward, in return for this special time of prayer and they want us to feel at home with them and sense the fullness of life that God wishes for us—which is a life of grace here below, leading to life of eternal joy and happiness up above. God loves me despite my sins and unworthiness. The devil seeks to discourage, while Mary looks to encourage! Jesus and Mary love me despite my unfaithfulness. They invite me to believe and trust in their love for me, and to unburden myself by weeping over my past sins and unfaithfulness.
[Quiet Reflection]

Our Prayer:
Virgin Mother of La Salette, we approach thy loving Son with confidence.
We place, before our Savior, our sins and failings, our labors and burdens, our cares and worries, our thoughts and feelings, our words and actions, during these days of prayer and reflection.
May Christ ease our burdens, and fill us with His presence and grant us His mercy.
With faith, we ask for His blessings to be poured upon us and upon those whom we hold close to our hearts.
[Mention Intention]

Our Father, Hail Mary

Final Invocation:
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.