NOVENA PRAYER

Mother of Perpetual Help * look at us your children. * We are proud to be your children * and happy to call you Our Mother. * We are not all we ought to be * so we come to you our Mother. You are always ready to accept us as we are, * to encourage us to do better, * in spite of temptations and weakness.

As we look at your picture, we remember your life on earth. * You had many crosses and trials * but you knew how to face them. * You had faith and trust in God. * You relied on His loving fatherly goodness. * Help us to be like you. * We too have our trials and troubles. * We are often worried and confused. Give us courage. * Strengthen our faith. * Help us to make one more effort when we are inclined to despair.

As you stood at the foot of the cross * you found it hard to see how God could allow His Son * to suffer such agony. * Yet, you never lost faith.

Help us to learn from your example to face our trials * with confidence and trust in God. * Sometimes loving Mother, * we are so worried about our own problems, * we forget about God and the needs of others. * We want to be like you. * You forgot about yourself and your own problems when you saw others in need. * Help us to remember * that the troubles and sorrows of others * are sometimes greater than our own. * So, Mother Mary, * while we pray with you for our own special purpose * we include those all of your children in need: * the sick and the dying, * the lonely and the broken heart, * the poor and the oppressed, * in a word, all who need your perpetual help. * Amen.