r redemption, and in which He was to
return to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. He will call
her Mother, and regard her with all the filial tenderness of a child for
his mother. She will love Him in return with a true mother's affection
and devotion. As the Mother of Sorrows she will weep over His inanimate
body taken down from the cross. But like Himself, she will leave the
tomb, and reign at His side as the queen of heaven. How great, then,
must have been His joy at the birth of this child!

The Holy Ghost, too, rejoiced at Mary's birth. He infused into her the
plenitude of His holy love, for she was destined to become the Mother of
God. And how Mary will love God, from whom she received so many and so
great graces, and whom she is to bear in her arms as her real and true
Son! This, her divine Son's love for mankind, will be imparted also to
her. Therefore the Holy Ghost rejoices at this child, who received into
her heart the fulness of His grace, and shall be the helper of those who
have recourse to her.

PRACTICE

RAISE your spirit above time and space; try to contemplate well the
mystery of Mary's predestination. To make us realize the great
privileges conferred upon her, the Church applies to her the words of
Holy Scripture, "He that shall find me, shall find life, and have
salvation from the Lord" (_Prov._ viii. 35). Only when we consider Mary
as the Mother of God, do we arrive at a right conception of her great
dignity. Hence St. Bonaventure exclaims, "God might have created a more
beautiful world; He might have made heaven more glorious; but it was
impossible for Him to exalt a creature higher than Mary in making her
His Mother."

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, beauteous moon, O Mary most holy, who didst shed light
upon a world wrapped in the densest darkness of sin. Humbly prostrate at
thy feet, we give thee our homage, and with all our hearts we pray thee
to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in spirit in our souls,
that led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness they may ever live
united to thy most sweet and loving heart.

Hail Mary, etc.

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

SEVENTH DAY

The Angels Rejoice at Mary's Birth

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

MEDITATION

DESCRIBING God's power and wisd