O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen. Preparatory Prayer. (_To be Said Every Day._) O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. Thou art the secure refuge of penitent sinners, and I therefore may rightly have recourse to thee; thou art the Mother of mercy, and therefore thou canst not but be melted into tenderness by my miseries; thou, after Jesus Christ, art all my hope; thou canst not, then, but be pleased with the tender confidence which I have in thee. Make me worthy to be called thy child, that I may be able to say with confidence, Show thyself to be a Mother. Following this prayer on each day, nine Hail Marys and a Glory be to the Father are to be said, and then the following: First Day. Behold me at thy most holy feet, O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with thee exceedingly that from all eternity thou hast been chosen to be the Mother of the eternal Word, and been preserved from original sin. I thank and bless the most Holy Trinity for having enriched thee with these privileges in thy conception; and I humbly implore thee to obtain for me grace to overcome those sad effects which original sin has wrought in me. Ah, do thou enable me to conquer them, and nevermore to cease to love my God. Here is to be recited the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, or the following: Hymn. _V._ Thou art all fair, O Mary. _R._ Thou art all fair, O Mary. _V._ And the original stain is not in thee. _R._ And the original stain is not in thee. _V._ Thou art the glory of Jerusalem. _R._ Thou art the joy of Israel. _V._ Thou our people’s special honor. _R._ Thou the advocate of sinners. _V._ O Mary. _R._ O Mary. _V._ Virgin prudent above all. _R._ Mother too most merciful. _V._ Pray thou for us. _R._ Intercede for us with Jesus Christ Our Lord. _V._ In thy conception, holy Virgin, thou wast immaculate. _R._ Pray for us to the Father, Whose Son thou didst bring forth. _Let Us Pray._