Novena Prayer to Reduce the Effect of Evil in the World

Maria, Rosa Mystica, fragrant rose of mysticism, wonderful flower of divine knowledge; of purity and of blinding beauty; of brilliant and shining glory; of power and overwhelming love...

To look at you and to inhale your heavenly perfume until we have, above all, taken something of your immaculate, pure, and perfect being into our inner selves.

To listen more attentively to every single word of yours which you have spoken not only in the past but even more so in the present, more frequently and more insistently.

We do not always want to listen and heed what you say.... what your picture and tears are already saying to us and asking us to do.

We now want to listen to your quiet motherly voice when it speaks to us so tenderly and consolingly with motherly understanding and concern.

We now want to open our hearts to you so that we remain loyal to Your Son's Will.

We now want to force ourselves not to say again "we have no time"; instead to endure your sad glance even if we should blush and must cast down our eyes in acknowledgment of our many shortcomings.

Mary, fragrant Rose of Mysticism, please help us to look inside ourselves and to examine ourselves well; help us to know ourselves better, especially in those areas of thought and deed which displease you; help us then to become more like you.

Please help us to work on ourselves so that your love will always shine through wherever we may be.

Let us consider the following: The extreme opposite to the Rosa Mystica are the dirtiest and most gruesome things in the world:

+ The destruction of God and man in modern art, by the mass media, in the press, on radio and television;
+ The destruction of all values and order before and in marriage, in education and at school;
+ The shameless fashion taken to extreme excesses. All of this carried right into our churches and into the holiest places.

We pray: Maria, Rosa Mystica, please protect us from all shamelessness and degeneration, preserve in us the sense for good and evil; prepare us to do battle in defense for all that is pure. Maria, Rosa Mystica, graciously hear us and pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent us Your Mother as a wonderful example of holiness and mysticism and especially as an ideal patroness for the priests and religious.

We ask You Lord to grant us Your help to imitate Your Most Holy Mother more and more and help us to become souls of expiation and victim souls for those priests and religious, who fail You. We ask this in Your Most Holy Name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Let us consider the following: It is not enough to observe how desolate and catastrophic the general situation is. First, one must be prepared not only to refuse to go with fashion but, as a penance, also to have to put up with something that is not really required, to go without something even if it is not sin. One ought to consider that one could also be guilty of sin committed by others, by setting a bad example for them.

We Pray: Maria, Rosa Mystica, grant us the true spirit of atonement, help us to fight the current of evil, and to often and voluntarily accept the unpleasant things we encounter in our day to day living, the more others fail you. Maria, Rosa Mystica, graciously hear us and pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent us Your Mother as a wonderful example of holiness and mysticism and especially as an ideal patroness for the priests and religious.

We ask You Lord to grant us Your help to imitate Your Most Holy Mother more and more and help us to become souls of expiation for those priests and religious, who fail You. We ask this in Your Most Holy Name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Let us consider the following: Pious pilgrims in particular should note that the reason prayers often do not bring the expected answer is because too little penance accompanies the prayers. One dresses just as comfortably and lightly as others and one complains about little daily inconveniences. What would Mary say to this? "Remember the power of prayer accompanied by penance!"

We pray: Maria, Rosa Mystica, grant that we do not forget true penance and reparation with all our prayers, at home and on journeys. Please grant us the right spirit when we come to you. Maria, Rosa Mystica, graciously hear us and pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent us Your Mother as a wonderful example of holiness and mysticism and especially as an ideal patroness for the priests and religious.

1. Our own effort to take time off to think and meditate; to move away from excessive and improper television programming, celebrations, leisure activities, etc.; to learn to differentiate, to learn to do without; to exercise moderation in food, drink and sleep, etc.

2. Availing ourselves to the Holy Sacraments and the use of Sacramentals [such as medals, scapulars, etc.], the Holy Rosary, the Holy Scriptures, and the life of Saints. In addition, a deeply religious and pious individual is needed as a spiritual director ["director" NOT "dictator"]. God Himself will help us through His Grace and His Guidance even in sorrow, when we are humiliated, disappointed, and suffer set-backs. We should become totally free for God, breaking away from all unnecessary attachments to the world and people, be free for the incomprehensible Glory of God.

We pray: Maria, Rosa Mystica, grant us your help and lead us in our efforts. Maria, Rosa Mystica, graciously hear us and pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, you have sent us Your Mother as a wonderful example of holiness and mysticism and especially as an ideal patroness for the priests and religious.

Let us consider the following: When God takes away from man everything which blocks his path to Him; when He helps you to leave everything; when He takes away one's close attachment to people and things; when He leads you into the very darkest "night of the spirit" without any consolations; when there is nothing but darkness and sorrow, and, yet, you can still say: "I believe!"

When one achieves that point, then, God is able to shower you with an abundance of His Graces, of His Wisdom and charisms without any hindrance.

We pray: (Let us dare to offer this prayer with total abandonment) "My Lord and my God, take everything from me that may prevent me from coming to you. Please grant me everything that brings me as close to you as You Will I am. Take me and do with me as You please!"