September Devotions

SELECTION OF PRAYERS, READINGS & MEDITATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER
IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY
(New Readings & Meditations Posted Each Day throughout September)

LITANY OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY
1 of 3

(For private use only)

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, conceived without sin, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Mother of Christ, Pray for us.
Mother of Our Savior Crucified, Pray for us.
Mother most Sorrowful, Pray for us.
Mother most tearful, Pray for us.
Mother most afflicted, Pray for us.
Mother most lonely, Pray for us.
Mother most desolate, Pray for us.
Mother pierced by the sword of sorrow, Pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, Pray for us.
Comfort of the sorrowful, Pray for us.
Help of the needy, Pray for us.
Protectress of the forsaken, Pray for us.
Support of widows and orphans, Pray for us.
Health of the sick, Pray for us.
Hope of the troubled, Pray for us.
Haven of the ship-wrecked, Pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Hope of the despairing, Pray for us.
Mother of mercy, Pray for us.

Through thy poverty in the stable of Bethlehem,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy sorrow at the prophecy of Simeon,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy sad flight into Egypt,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy anxiety when seeking thy lost Child,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy grief when seeing thy divine Son persecuted,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy fear and anxiety when Jesus was apprehended,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy pain caused by the treason of Judas and the denial of Peter,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy sad meeting with Jesus on the way of the Cross,
Have mercy on us.
Through the tortures of thy loving Heart at the Crucifixion of Jesus, Have mercy on us.
Through thy agony at the death of Jesus,
Have mercy on us.
Through the sword of sorrow that pierced thy heart when the side of Jesus was transfixed by the lance,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy lamentations over the dead Body of thy divine Son lying on thy bosom,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy deep mourning at His tomb,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy desolation after the burial of Jesus,
Have mercy on us.
Through the tears thou didst shed for thy beloved Son,
Have mercy on us.
Through thy wonderful resignation to the will of God in all thy sufferings,
Have mercy on us.

O Queen of peace, Have mercy on us.
In all our tribulations, Have mercy on us.
In our illnesses and pains, Have mercy on us.
In our sorrows and afflictions, Have mercy on us.
In our need and destitution, Have mercy on us.
In our fears and dangers, Have mercy on us.
In the hour of our death, Have mercy on us.
On the Day of Judgment, Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, O Sorrowful Virgin
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Let us pray:
We beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, let Thy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the hour of Thy Passion, implore Thy mercy for us, both now and at the hour of our death, Who livest and reignest, world without end. R. Amen.

LITANY OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY
2 of 3

(For private use only)

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Mother crucified, Pray for us.
Mother sorrowful, Pray for us.
Mother tearful, Pray for us.
Mother afflicted, Pray for us.
Mother forsaken, Pray for us.
Mother desolate, Pray for us.
Mother bereft of thy Child, Pray for us.
Mother transfixed with the sword, Pray for us.
Mother consumed with grief, Pray for us.
Mother filled with anguish, Pray for us.
Mother crucified in heart, Pray for us.
Mother most sad, Pray for us.

Fountain of tears, Pray for us.
Abyss of suffering, Pray for us.
Mirror of patience, Pray for us.
Rock of constancy, Pray for us.
Anchor of confidence, Pray for us.
Refuge of the forsaken, Pray for us.
Shield of the oppressed, Pray for us.
Subduer of the unbelieving, Pray for us.
Comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Medicine of the sick, Pray for us.
Strength of the weak, Pray for us.
Harbor of the wrecked, Pray for us.
Allayer of tempests, Pray for us.
Solace of mourners, Pray for us.
Terror of the treacherous, Pray for us.
Treasure of the faithful, Pray for us.
Eye of the Prophets, Pray for us.
Staff of the Apostles, Pray for us.
Crown of martyrs, Pray for us.
Light of confessors, Pray for us.
Pearl of virgins, Pray for us.
Consolation of widows, Pray for us.
Joy of all saints, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble, in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

V. Pray for us most Sorrowful Mother of God
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Imprint, O Sorrowful Mother, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love—sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee; love, to despise every love for thee. R. Amen.

The above litany was written in Latin by Pope Pius VII in 1809 during his captivity under Napoleon Bonaparte.

LITANY OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY
3 of 3

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 Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Mother of Sorrows,  Pray for us.
Mother whose soul was pierced by the sword, Pray for us.
Mother who fled with Jesus into Egypt, Pray for us.
Mother who sought Him sorrowing for three days, Pray for us.
Mother who saw Him scourged and crowned with thorns, Pray for us.
Mother who stood by Him while He hung upon the Cross, Pray for us.
Mother who received Him into thine arms when He was dead, Pray for us.
Mother who saw Him buried in the tomb, Pray for us.

O Mary, Queen of Martyrs, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, comfort of the sorrowful, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, help of the weak, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, strength of the fearful,   Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, light of the despondent, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, nursing mother of the sick,   Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, refuge of sinners, Save us by thy prayers.
Through the bitter Passion of thy Son, Save us by thy prayers.
Through the piercing anguish of thy heart, Save us by thy prayers.
Through thy heavy weight of woe, Save us by thy prayers.
Through thy sadness and desolation, Save us by thy prayers.
Through thy maternal pity, Save us by thy prayers.
Through thy perfect resignation, Save us by thy prayers.
Through thy meritorious prayers, Save us by thy prayers.
From immoderate sadness, Save us by thy prayers.
From a cowardly spirit, Save us by thy prayers.
From an impatient temper, Save us by thy prayers.
From fretfulness and discontent, Save us by thy prayers.
From sullenness and gloom, Save us by thy prayers.
From despair and unbelief, Save us by thy prayers.
From final impenitence, Save us by thy prayers.

We sinners, beseech thee, hear us.
Preserve us from sudden death, We beseech thee, hear us.
Teach us how to die, We beseech thee, hear us.
Succor us in our last agony, We beseech thee, hear us.
Guard us from the enemy, We beseech thee, hear us.
Bring us to a happy end, We beseech thee, hear us.
Gain for us the gift of perseverance, We beseech thee, hear us.
Aid us before the Judgment Seat, We beseech thee, hear us.
Mother of God, We beseech thee, hear us.
Mother, most sorrowful, We beseech thee, hear us.
Mother, most desolate, We beseech thee, hear us..

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. Help us, Most Sorrowful Mother of God
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Let us pray:
O Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy dear Mother Mary, whose soul the sword pierced in the hour of Thy Passion, may intercede for us, now and in the hour of our death, through Thine own merits, O Saviour of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God, world without end.
R. Amen.

TODAY'S PRAYERS, READING & MEDITATION
(Tuesday, September 30th)

Our Lord stated to Berthe Petit: “My Mother’s Heart has the right to the title of Sorrowful. I desire that it be set before her title of Immaculate because She herself has won it. The Church has recognized what I Myself did for My Mother: her Immaculate Conception. Now it is necessary and it is my wish, that this title which is by right My Mother’s should be understood and recognized. This title She earned by her identification with all My sufferings, by her sorrow, her sacrifice, her immolation on Calvary, and indeed for the salvation of mankind.” (Words of Our Lord to Berthe Petit).

Opening Prayer to the Sorrowful Heart of Mary
composed by the St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief, beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thy innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only-begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins.

I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. O make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins; and that, persevering till death in His grace, I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow, and of mercy, pray for us.

Spiritual Reading

What was the profound cause of Mary’s sorrows on Calvary? Every Christian soul for whom practice has made the Stations of the Cross familiar will answer: the cause of Mary’s sorrows, as of those of Jesus, was sin. Happy the souls for whom that answer is a vital truth, who experience true sorrow at the thought of their own sins—a sorrow that only grace can produce in them.

We understand but little of the sorrows of Mary, for little grieves us except what wounds our bodies, our self-love, our vanity, or our pride. We suffer too from men’s ingratitude, from the afflictions of our family or our native land. But sin grieves us but little. We have but little sorrow for our faults considered as offenses against God. In theory, we admit that sin is the greatest of evils since it affects the soul itself and its faculties, and since it is the cause of the disorders which we deplore in society; it is only too evidently the cause of the enmity between classes and nations.

But, in spite of that, we do not experience any great sorrow for the faults, whereby we contribute more or less ourselves to the general disorder. Our superficiality and our inconstancy prevent us from seeing what an evil sin is; precisely because it strikes so deep it cannot be known by those who look only at the surface. In its manner of ravaging souls and society, sin is like one of those diseases which affect vital but hidden organs, and which the sufferer is ignorant of even while they near a crisis.

Meditation

To experience salutary grief, grief for sin, it is necessary truly to love God whom sin offends and sinners whom it destroys. The saints suffered from sin in the degree in which they loved God and souls. St. Catherine of Siena recognized souls in the state of mortal sin by the insupportable odor which they exhaled. But to know just how far grief for sin can go, one must turn to the heart of Mary. Her grief sprang from an unequalled love for God, for Jesus crucified, and for souls—a love which surpassed that of the greatest saints, and even of all the saints united, a love which had never ceased to grow, a love which had never been restrained by the slightest fault or imperfection.

If such was Mary’s love, what must her grief have been! Unlike us who are so superficial, she saw with piercing clarity what it was that caused the loss of so many souls” the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, the pride of life. All sins combined to add to her grief; all revolts against God, all outbursts of sacrilegious rage, such as that which reached its paroxysm in the cry “Crucify Him” and in utter hatred of Him who is the Light Divine and the Author of Salvation.

Mary’s grief was deep as was her love, both natural and supernatural, of her Son. She loved Him with a virginal love, most pure and tender; loved Him as her only Son, miraculously conceived, and as her God.

To understand Mary’s Dolors, one would need to have received, as did the stigmatics, the impression of the wounds of the Saviour; one would need to have relived with the mystics His physical and moral sufferings, and to have shared with Him the hours of His Passion and Death. We shall try once more to speak of this matter when considering Mary as Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix, and the reparation which she offered with, and by, and in her Son.

Mary’s love in her Dolors was meritorious for us and for her also. By her sufferings she grew in Charity as well as in Faith, and Hope, and religion; she grew in fact in all the virtues—those of humility, and meekness, and supernatural courage suggesting themselves especially to the mind. Her virtue in suffering was heroic in the highest degree. Thereby she became Queen of Martyrs.

On the hill of Calvary, grace and charity overflowed from the Heart of Jesus to the heart of His mother. He it was who sustained her, just as it was she who sustained St. John. Jesus offered up her martyrdom as well as His own, and she offered herself with her Son, who was more dear to her than her own life. If the least of the acts of Nazareth increased Mary’s charity, what must have been the effect of her participation in the Cross of Jesus!

Final Prayer to the Sorrowful Heart of Mary

O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! Thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son—through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother’s tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy Sorrows, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition.

To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile?

Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.

On July 2nd, 1940, Berthe Petit heard Our Lord say to her: “This is the last help which I give before the end of time: the recourse to My Mother under the title which I desire shall be hers throughout the whole world.”

O Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!