Holy Mary , Mother of God , we invoke you as the Help of Christians
because you afford help to Christians even in all temporal needs.
If, without being asked, you do so much, what will you do if we invoke your aid?
Though you are now enthroned in Heaven,
you still take an interest in our misery and relieve our wants.
You are still the Mother of God in Heaven as you were on earth;
Jesus, Who is Omnipotence Itself, remains your Son for all eternity.
Your love for us is now even more intense and more compassionate,
because you know our misery better in Heaven than you did in this mortal life.
You obtain sweet rest for all who are laden with trouble and pain;
you give comfort to the afflicted and healing to the sick.
Help of Christians, give me an unbounded confidence in you.
You can help me, for your prayer is all-powerful with God,
and you will help me, for you are my Mother and you love me as your child.
Let me pray to you with a pure and penitent heart, for I cannot expect help from you if I continue to offend your dear Son and even crucify Him again by my sins.
I wish to beg your help with perseverance,
even though for some time I may receive no help.
I know you will grant my petition at the right time.
Teach me to pray with resignation to the will of God,
Who knows what is best for me.
Obtain for me at least the grace of bearing my cross with patience.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen
About this day Solemnity :
Holy Mary , blessed Mother of God , brings us help especially in our spiritual needs. She is a most merciful Mother who rejects no sinner, no matter how far he may have strayed. She lovingly assists on his behalf and tries to reconcile him to her Son. She assists us in temptations. She is continually crushing the serpent's head by breaking evil's plans to capture souls by sin.
God Himself has said to the proud evil one :
"I will put enmities between thee and the woman—she shall crush thy head" (Gen. 3,15).
Instead of capturing others, evil is himself made a captive by Mary; like a chained slave he must obey her commands.
Mary is the Protectress of the Universal Catholic Church , through her intercession calamities have been averted from Christendom, fierce persecutions have ceased to rage, and enemies have been humbled to the dust.
Many feasts are expressions of gratitude toward her for the frequent and wonderful deliverance of Christian nations from the invasions of enemies, from schisms and wars, and from other sufferings.
She confirms us in good and obtains for us the grace of making progress in the path of virtue, for she desires nothing more ardently than that we all become partakers of the fruits of redemption, won for us by her Son. In our efforts to reach holiness, she supports us and obtains for us the grace of perseverance.
We can ask nothing of her that will give her greater pleasure or that she will grant more willingly than the grace to do good. Above all, Mary assists us in the hour of death, which is the most important moment in our life because upon that moment our eternity depends.
As the exalted Queen of heaven she takes the souls of her faithful servants under her protecting mantle, accompanies them to the judgment seat of her Son, and there she becomes their intercessor.
In 1863, a vision of Our Lady appeared to Don Bosco asking him to build a Church to honor her as Mary Help of Christians. Mother Mary's request: "This is my house, from here My Glory shall shine forth."
Don Bosco built the church under miraculous circumstances with financial help coming from practically unknown devotees.
In 1868, Don Bosco completed the grand Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin Italy. It has become the center of devotions and Mother Church of over 150 shrines dedicated to Mary Help of Christians around the world .
Don Bosco asked the artist Thomas Lorenzone to paint the picture of Mary Help of Christians. After three (3) years of work, the painting was finished and put in its place over the main altar of the Basilica.
Don Bosco's description of the painting was: Our Lady stands out in the center bathed in light and majesty. She is surrounded by ranks of Angels, who are doing her honor as their Queen. In her right hand she holds a scepter, the symbol of her power, and on her left arm she carries the Child with his arms outstretched as a sign of the graces and mercy he offers to all who have recourse to his royal Mother. At each side and underneath are the Holy Apostles and Evangelists, exalted in ecstasy as though exclaiming: "Queen of Apostles, pray for us" while gazing in wonder at the Holy Virgin. At the lower part of the painting is shown a portion of the City of Turin, with the Sanctuary of Valdocco in the foreground and the Sanctuary of Superga in the rear.
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