eness
we may apply to her the words of Holy Scripture, "I have loved thee with
an everlasting love" (_Jer._ xxxi. 3). The eternal Father regarded Mary
as His beloved Daughter; the divine Son honored her as His dearest
Mother; the Holy Ghost loved her as His spotless Spouse. "And," says St.
Anselm, "they loved each other with an affection unsurpassed by any
other."

PRACTICE

INSPIRED by the contemplation of Mary's extraordinary privileges, St.
Anselm exclaims: "Thou, O Mary, art more exalted than the patriarchs,
greater than the martyrs, more glorious than the confessors, purer than
the virgins, and therefore thou, alone, canst achieve more than they can
without thee." Let us, then, rejoice that we possess such a powerful
advocate in heaven, and let us place implicit trust in her. But let us
also co-operate with the graces and favors which she obtains for us.
Moreover, let us remember that we grievously offend God and Mary if we
abuse what we obtain through her intercession to gratify our evil
inclinations, and that the graces she obtains for us for our salvation
will redound to our ruin if we do not use them for the glory of God and
the promotion of our soul's welfare.

Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of the Novena).

Litany of Loreto (located in the list of approved litanies).

_Prayer_

WE HAIL thee, Mary, who, sprung from the royal line of David, didst come
forth to the light of heaven with high honor from the womb of holy Anna,
thy most happy mother.

Hail Mary, etc.

Ejaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).

THIRD DAY

Mary, the Child of Royalty

Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).

MEDITATION

ACCORDING to her lineage, as traced in two Gospels, Mary numbers among
her paternal and maternal ancestors the holiest and most renowned
personages of the Old Testament. We find amongst them Abraham, the
friend of God, the father of Israel and of all the faithful; then David,
the man after God's own heart, the inspired Royal Prophet; and Solomon,
the wise and mighty king, and the whole line of the kings of Juda. On
her mother's side she belonged to the tribe of Levi, and was descended
from its noblest and most prominent family, that of Aaron the High
Priest, and was therefore a relative of the High Priests of the Old
Testament. Thus royal and sacerdotal prestige distinguished Mary's
lineage.

PRACTICE

THE Blessed Virgin was not proud of her illu