Day Seven: Totally Yours
This Novena includes: Daily Opening Prayer, Readings from The Writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe (KW), Prayer Intention, “Grace for Today” and Daily Closing Prayer.
Daily Opening Prayer
You are all beautiful, Mary,
and the original stain is not in you.
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
you are the joy of Israel,
you give honor to our people.
You are the advocate of sinners.
O Mary,
Virgin most prudent,
Mother most merciful,
pray for us, intercede for us,
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a worthy dwelling for your Son, grant, we pray, that, as you preserved her from every stain by virtue of the death of your Son, which you foresaw, so, through her intercession, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe
A soul who has indeed offered itself up to the Immaculata to this point cannot but exert some influence on the environment around itself, albeit unwittingly. However, it is not content with that, but consciously strives and does all it can in order to win others, too, over to the Immaculata, so that others may become like it. For this reason, in the act of consecration, this soul prays to the Immaculata: “If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: ‘She will crush your head’ [Gn 3:15], and ‘You alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world’ [Office of the B.V. Mary]. Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.” And it adds: “Allow me to praise you, O Sacred Virgin. Give me strength against your enemies.”
That soul desires to achieve all this at its own expense, at the cost of its own work, at the cost of sacrificing what is has, of the sacrifice of itself, until the last drop of blood is shed.
Thus, it is ready to use all lawful means which its state in life, its condition, and circumstances afford. (KW 1329)
Prayer Intention
For all people seeking proper employment, education and housing.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, and for all those who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of Holy Church and all those recommended to you.
Grace for Today
Zeal for the Gospel and for the salvation and sanctification of all.
Daily Closing Prayer
Immaculate Virgin!
Your spotless spiritual beauty
is for us a living source of
confidence and hope.
To have you as Mother, Holy Virgin,
reassures us on the path of life
as a pledge of eternal salvation.
Because of this, O Mary,
we have recourse to you
with confidence.
Help us to build a world
where human life is always
cherished and defended,
every form of violence banished,
the peace of all tenaciously sought.
Immaculate Virgin!
grant that we may celebrate and adore
with renewed faith and ardent love
the holy mystery of the
Body and Blood of Christ.
At your school,
O Woman of the Eucharist,
teach us to remember the marvels
that God never ceases to work in
human hearts.
With motherly tenderness, Virgin Mary,
guide our steps always on the
path of good. Amen!
– Pope St. John Paul II