Our Lady of Lourdes Novena

The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes arrives in 9 days -- February 11. Coincidentally, this happens to be my birthday as well. As such, I thought it fitting to begin a novena -- a special sequence of prayers lasting 9 days -- asking of Our Lady of Lourdes her intercession on my behalf, for my healing from this cancer.

We begin daily with a prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes:

Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to manifest with life, sweetness, and beauty, in the grotto of Lourdes, saying to the child St. Bernadette, "I am the Immaculate Conception!" A thousand times we congratulate you on your Immaculate Conception. And now, O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, you know our wants, our troubles, our sufferings; deign to cast upon us a look of mercy.

By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors, and already many have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and physical. We come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain for us, O Loving Mother, the granting of our request -- my cure from cancer.

Through gratitude for your favors, we will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that we may one day share your glory.

O Lady of Lourdes, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon earth. You have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us; obtain for us from your Divine Son our special requests if it be the Divine Will.

Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
St. Bernadette, pray for us.

We continue with the prayers specific to each day, starting with Day One:

O Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, virgin and mother, queen of heaven, chosen from all eternity to be the Mother of the Eternal Word and in virtue of this title preserved from original sin, we kneel before you as did little Bernadette at Lourdes and pray with childlike trust in you that as we contemplate your glorious appearance at Loudes, you will look with mercy on our present petition and secure for us a favorable answer to the request for which we are making this novena -- my cure from cancer.

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious 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.

I welcome any and all who would join with me today and through the following 8 days in asking prayers for my healing from Our Lady of Lourdes.