HELP OF CHRISTIANS

(1) MARY, 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.

(2) MARY, you bring us help especially in our spiritual needs. You are a most merciful Mother who rejects no sinner, no matter how far he may have strayed. You lovingly interest yourself in his behalf and try to reconcile him to your Son. You assist us in temptations. Your are continually crushing the serpent's head by breaking Satan's plans to capture souls by sin. God Himself has said: "I will put enmities between thee and the woman—she shall crush thy head" (Gen. 3,15). Instead of capturing others, Satan is himself made a captive by you; like a chained slave he must obey your commands.

You confirm us in good and obtain for us the grace of making progress in the path of virtue, for you desire nothing more ardently than that we all become partakers of the fruits of redemption, won for us by your Son. In our efforts to reach holiness, you support us and obtain for us the grace of perseverance. I can ask nothing of you that will give you greater pleasure or that you will grant more willingly than the grace to do good.

Above all, you assist us in the hour of death, which is the most important moment in our life because upon that moment eternity depends. As the exalted Queen of heaven you take the souls of your faithful servants under your protecting mantle, accompany them to the judgment seat of your Son, and there you become their intercessor.

Help of Christians, I know you do all in your power to save my soul. May I also do my part and allow you to save me. If I fall into sin, obtain for me the grace of repentance. If I am tempted, give me help to fight with determination against the temptation that I may overcome it. Be with me especially in the hour of my death, when the devil will put forth every effort to win my soul.

(3) MARY, you are the Protectress of the universal Catholic Church. Through your 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 you for the frequent and wonderful deliverance of Christian nations from the invasions of enemies, from schisms and wars, and from other sufferings.

Help of Christians, show yourself the Protectress of the Catholic Church and destroy the wicked designs of her enemies, especially in these times of persecution.

Almighty and merciful God, Who in the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary provided never-ending assistance for the defense of the Christian people grant, we beg of You, that, strengthened by such help, we may do battle during life and be able to obtain victory over the treacherous foe in death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Feast of Mary, Help of Christians, May 24)