Day 2 – February 3 – Feast of Saint Blaise
Prayers-
Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to
manifest yourself shining with light, sweetness and beauty, in the Grotto of
Lourdes, saying to the child Saint Bernadette: "I am the Immaculate
Conception!" O Mary Immaculate, inflame our hearts with one ray of the
burning love of your pure heart Let them be consumed with love for Jesus and
for you, in order that we may merit one day to enjoy your glorious eternity. O
dispenser of His graces here below, take into your keeping and present to your
Divine Son the petition for which we are making this novena. (make your
request) O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes,
glorious in your assumption, triumphant
in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary,
Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.
O Mary, thou didst enter the world without stain; do thou
obtain for me from
God, that I may leave it without sin. Ave Maria…
O God, Who gladden us with the yearly festival of blessed Blaise, Your Martyr and Bishop, mercifully grant that, as we venerate the anniversary of his martyrdom, we may also rejoice in his protection. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Reading-
“A woman came to a house of our little Congregation in this kingdom to let one of the Fathers know that her husband had not been to confession for many years, and the poor creature could no longer tell by what means to bring him to his duty; for if she named confession to him, he beat her. The Father told her to give him a picture of Mary Immaculate. In the evening the woman once more begged her husband to go to confession; but he as usual turned a deaf ear to her entreaties. She gave him the picture. Behold! he had scarcely received it, when he said, "Well, when will you take me to confession, for I am willing to go?" The wife, on seeing this instantaneous change, began to weep for joy. In the morning he really came to our church, and when the Father asked him how long it was since he had been to confession, he answered, "Twenty-eight years." The Father again asked him what had induced him to come that morning. "Father," he said, "I was obstinate; but last night my wife gave me a picture of our Blessed Lady, and in the same moment I felt my heart changed, so much so, that during the whole night every moment seemed a thousand years, so great was my desire to go to confession." He then confessed his sins with great contrition, changed his life, and continued for a long time to go frequently to confession to the same Father.
“In another place, in the diocese of Salerno, in which we
were giving a mission, there was a man who bore a great hatred to another who
had offended him. One of our Fathers
spoke to him that he might be reconciled; but he answered: "Father, did
you ever see me at the sermon? No, and
for this very reason, I do not go. I
know that I am damned; but nothing else will satisfy me, I must have
revenge." The Father did all that
he could to convert him; but seeing that he lost his time, he said, "Here,
take this picture of our Blessed Lady."
The man at first replied, "But what is the use of this
picture?" But no sooner had he
taken it, than, as if he had never refused to be reconciled, he said to the
missionary, "Father, is anything else required besides reconciliation?—I
am willing." The following morning
was fixed for it. When, however, the
time came, he had again changed, and would do nothing. The Father offered him another picture, but
he refused it; but at length, with great reluctance, took it, when, behold! he
scarcely had possession of it than he immediately said. Now let us be quick; where is
Mastrodati?" and he was instantly reconciled with him, and then went to
confession.”
-Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church,
The Glories of Mary, Discourse for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception,
Example
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