DAY 1: THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

33 DAYS PREPARATORY PRAYER FOR THE RE-CONSECRATION OF NIGERIA TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

My dearest friends, in line with the Marian year, we are beginning a 33 days prayer today September 8 to October 10, 2017. We are going to consecrate Nigeria to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I strongly believe that this prayer would transform the ugly situation in Nigeria. It is time to change the change. Join us.

DAY 1.
(September 8, 2017).
THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

V. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful.
R. And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created.
R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray: Oh God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation, through Chris our Lord. Amen.

HYMN TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
1. O come to the throne of grace,
O come to the heart most pure!
To Mary, our hope of life,
In whom salvation is sure.

O Lady of Fatima, hail!
Immaculate Mother of grace;
O, pray for us, help us today,
Thou hope of the human race!

2. Immaculate Heart! we kneel
To consecrate all to thee:
The present, its pain and joy—–
The future, all it may be.

O Lady of Fatima, hail!
Immaculate Mother of grace;
O, pray for us, help us today,
Thou hope of the human race!

OPENING PRAYER
We pray you, Lord, to bestow on us your servants the gift of your heavenly grace, that as our salvation began by the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so this devout Solemnity of her nativity may afford us an increase of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

ROSARY:

SCRIPTURE READING : Isaiah 28:15-18.
Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, For we have made lies our refuge, And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”
Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it.

REFLECTION:
The kings of Israel were, at some time, fond of forming alliance with other nations for their protection instead of trusting in God. Remember that this was the mistake of King Ahaz during the Syro-Ephraimite War which necessitated the prophecy on the promise of the Messiah (cf. Isa 7). Of course, that has not always paid them well because instead of freedom, they always got into more bondage. Such is equally the bondage we get into when we trust more in material security and immoral acts as in Isa 28:15. But God offers us a better alternative (cf. Isa 28:16-18); he tells us to destroy our man-made foundations and he would build a better and stronger foundation which, “One who trusts in it will not be put to shame” (Isa 28:16). Why not turn back from your unrighteousness and cling to this King of Righteousness who would never fail you? Call on him for your needs, for he never fails.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER:
a. For our families.
b. For the Church.
c. For Nigeria.

PRE-CONSECRATION PRAYER OF NIGERIA TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
Lord God, we thank you for the gift of our country Nigeria. You made it a fertile ground for the work of missionaries, guided by the power of the Holy Spirit. Your Word is now firmly established in our land such that we have not only become missionaries to ourselves but also to other nations.

As your Son Jesus Christ reposed in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so have we reposed Nigeria in her arms by making her our Patron Saint. As a nation, we are going through turbulent moments, with hunger, pain, killing, kidnapping and many other atrocities being committed against each other. We believe that never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help or sought her intercession was left unaided. And so we come before her again, sinful and sorrowful, and desiring to re-consecrate Nigeria to her Immaculate Heart. May she intercede on our behalf to stabilize our ship of state.

We present ourselves as a nation, renouncing our past faults and offences. We resolve to imitate the exemplary life of our Mother Mary. Help us to renew and rectify the vows of our Baptism; rejecting Satan and all his works and empty promises. Obtain for us the grace for a perfect consecration of our nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We seek her continual intercession and maternal protection.

May this this re-consecration bring forth peace, unity and tranquility to the nation and foster communion and service so as to radiate the joy of the Gospel for the common good of our country.

We make our prayer through your son, our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, Pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us.

CONCLUDING PRAYER.
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of Salvation. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.