Novena to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Day 8 - August 13 - SS. Hippolytus and Cassian
Prayers
Almighty and Eternal God, who
hast assumed the body and soul of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy
Son, to celestial glory: grant, we beseech Thee, that always minded toward
heavenly things, we may be sharers in the same glory. Through the same Jesus
Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty
God, that the venerable festival of Thy blessed Martyrs Hippolytus and Cassian
may increase our devotion and advance our salvation. Through Our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Reading
“During the lifetime of this holy
youth, who was wholly devoted to the love of Mary, it happened that on the
first day of August, he heard a sermon of Father Peter Canisius, in which,
preaching to the novices of his society, he fervently urged upon all, the
important advice, to live every day as if it might be the last of their life,
after which they were to be presented at the divine tribunal. The sermon being
finished, St. Stanislas told his companions that this counsel had been for him
especially the voice of God, for that he was to die on that very month. He said
this either because God had expressly revealed it to him, or at least be cause
he gave him a certain internal presentiment of what afterwards happened. Four
days after the blessed youth went with Father Emmanuel to St. Mary Major, and
beginning to speak of the approaching festival of the Assumption, he said:
“Father, I believe that on that day there is seen in paradise a new paradise,
the glory being seen there of the mother of God crowned queen of heaven, and
seated so near the Lord above all the choirs of angels. And if it is true that
every year, as I believe it to be certain, this festival is renewed in heaven,
I hope to see the next one.” The glorious martyr St. Lawrence having fallen to
the saint by lot as his monthly patron, according to the custom of that society,
it is said that he wrote a letter to his mother Mary, in which he prayed her to
obtain for him that he might be a spectator of this festival of hers in
paradise. On St. Lawrence’s day he received communion, and after it supplicated
the saint to present that letter to the divine mother, by interposing his
intercession that the most holy Mary might graciously hear his prayer. At the
close of this very day a fever came upon him, and although it was very light,
he, however, from that hour esteemed it for certain that he had obtained the
favor asked for film, namely, an early death. Indeed, on going to bed he said
joyfully, with a smiling countenance: “From this bed I shall never arise.” And
speaking to Father Cladius Aquaviva, he added: “I believe that St. Lawrence has
already obtained for me the grace from Mary that I should be in heaven on the
festival of her Assumption.” But no one thought much of these his words. The
vigil having arrived, his malady continued to appear light, but the saint told
a brother that he should die the next night, and the brother answered: “Oh,
brother, it would be a greater miracle to die of so slight an illness, than to
be cured.” But, behold, after noon he fell into a deadly swoon, and then came a
cold sweat, and he entirely lost his strength. The superior hastened to him,
and Stanislas prayed him to order him to be placed on the bare floor, that he
might die as a penitent, which was granted in order to satisfy him, and he was
laid on the floor on a mattress. Then he made his confession, received the
viaticum, not without the tears of all present, for when the divine sacrament
was brought into the apartment, his eyes kindled with celestial joy, and his
whole countenance was radiant with holy love, so that he seemed a seraph. He also
received extreme unction, and meanwhile did nothing but now raise his eyes to
heaven, now look upon, kiss, and lovingly press to his breast, an image of
Mary. A father said to him: “Of what use is it to wear that rosary around your
hand, if you cannot recite it?” He answered: “It serves to console me, for it
is something belonging to my mother.” “Oh, how much more,” said the Father,
“will you be consoled by seeing her, and kissing, in a short time, her hands in
heaven! “ Then the saint, with his countenance all on fire, raised his hands,
thus to express his desire of finding himself soon in her presence. Then his
dear mother appeared to him, as he himself declared to those around him, and
soon after, at the dawn of day on the fifteenth of August, he expired as a
saint, his eyes fixed on heaven, without a motion, so that not until
afterwards, when the image of the most holy Virgin was presented, and he made
no movement towards it, it was perceived that he had already gone to kiss in
paradise the feet of his beloved queen.”
-Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop
and Doctor of the Church, The Glories of Mary, Example from First Discourse on
the Assumption
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