FIFTH DAY
Meditation: MARY OUR PERPETUAL HELP
IN THE MISERIES OF THIS LIFE
Holy Job says:-- "Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries" (Job XIV, I.) The same idea is uppermost in that touching prayer of the Church: "Hail, holy Queen! Mother of Mercy!... to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning, and weeping in this valley of tears." Exiled from our heavenly home, we are compelled to drag on a miserable existence on this earth, once a paradise, now the abode of all miseries and afflictions. But we remember Mary, our heavenly Queen and Mother, and so we cry to her and send up to her from the valley of tears our sighs and prayers: for Mary is our perpetual help in the miseries and afflictions of this life-- Why weepest thou, afflicted souls? Ah, it may be, you have some dear relation, a son or daughter, a father or mother, a husband or wife, who has strayed from the path of virtue and turned away from GOD. Turn to Mary, she has a heart to understand your weeping. It is impossible that she could not sympathize with you in your sufferings and have compassion upon you. She understands our sufferings better than we do ourselves and cannot be insensible to them. There is none among the saints of GOD, who has such compassion upon our sufferings as the Mother of GOD. St. Jerome says: Even when Mary as yet lived, on this earth, her heart was ever full of tender compassion for every one, to such an extent that there never existed anyone who suffered as much in his own sufferings of others. "And now that she is in heaven," demands St. Peter Damien. "and has been raised to the dignity of Queen of Heaven, has she become oblivious of our earthly miseries? GOD forbid that we should even entertain such a thought. Such compassion as is found in Mary's heart, can never forget miseries and afflictions under which we groan." Mary then is our perpetual help in the miseries of this life.
PRAYER TO BE SAID EACH DAY AFTER THE MEDITATION
O Mother of Perpetual Help, behold me a miserable sinner at thy feet; I have recourse to thee and put my trust in thee. O Mother of Mercy have pity upon me. I hear thee called by all the refuge and the hope of sinners, be then my refuge and my hope. Help me for the love of Jesus Christ; stretch forth thy hand to me, who recommend and dedicate myself to thee as thy perpetual servant. I bless and thank GOD for having in His mercy given to me this confidence in thee, the pledge as I believe of my eternal salvation. Alas! Too often in past times have I miserably fallen, because I had not recourse to thee! I know that with thy help I shall conquer. I know that thou will help me if I recommend myself to thee; but i fear lest in the occasions of falling I should cease to call upon thee and so should lose my soul. This, then, is the grace I seek from thee; and I conjure thee, as far as I know how and can, to obtain it for me; namely, in the assults of hell always to have recourse to thee and to say to thee: O Mary help me; Mother of Perpetual Help, suffer me not to lose my God.
Five "Hail Mary's" to obtain the special favours you seek -- then: -- Holy Mary, assist the miserable, help the faint hearted, cheer those that weep, pray for the people be the advocate of the clergy, intercede for all devout woman; let all feel thine aid who implore thy perpetual help.
V. Thou has been for us, Our Lady, a refuge.
R. A helper in needs and tribulation.
LET US PRAY
Oh almighty and merciful GOD, who hast given us to venerate the picture of Thy most Blessed Mother, under the special title of Perpetual Help, graciously grant that, amidst all the changes of our journey through life, we may be so defended by the continual protection of the same Immaculate, ever Virgin Mary, that we may deserve to obtain the rewards of Thy eternal Redemption; Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit; world without end. Amen.