FIRST DAYThe entire novena can be found here
THE TITLE OF OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of Jesus and our tender Mother, we invoke thee under the title of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, because thou art the Mother of the Savior who lives in the Eucharist, and because it was from thee that He took the Flesh and Blood with which He there feeds us! We invoke thee under that title because, again, thou art the sovereign dispensatrix of all graces and, consequently, of those contained in the august Eucharist, also, because thou didst first fulfill the duties of the Eucharistic life, teaching us by thy example how to assist properly at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how to communicate worthily, and how to visit frequently and piously the Most Blessed Sacrament.
V. Pray for us, O Virgin Immaculate, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
R. That the Eucharistic Kingdom of Jesus Christ may come among us!
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our God, who having become Man to make us sharers in The Divinity, art truly our Bread in the adorable Eucharist, grant, we beseech Thee, that in venerating so great a Mystery, we may be mindful of the most sweet Virgin Mary, of whom Thou didst will to be conceived by the operation of the Holy Ghost! Grant, also that we may imitate the worship that she rendered while on earth to this most august Sacrament, so we may behold Thy Eucharistic Kingdom spread and flourish throughout the whole world! O Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever! Amen.
PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
O Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the glory of Christians, the joy of the universal Church, and the hope of the world, pray for us. Kindle in all the faithful a lively devotion to the most Holy Eucharist, so that they may be worthy to receive Holy Communion every day.
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us. Let us with Mary Immaculate adore, thank, supplicate, and console the most sacred and beloved Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
History of the Title of Our Lady of the Most Blessed SacramentThanks for Madelena for sharing.
Feast Day, May 13
St. Peter Julian Eymard, of France, had a strong devotion to the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady and began his priestly life in the Society of Mary. “But his heart burned with the desire to establish perpetual adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament exposed upon a royal throne and surrounded by a large court of adorers. On February 2, 1851, at the shrine of Fourvière, the most Blessed Virgin had made him understand its necessity. ‘All the mysteries of my Son have a religious order of men to honor them. The Eucharist alone has none . . . .’ After several years of prudent reflection and interior combat, encouraged by Pope Pius IX, he founded the Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Paris on May 13, 1856” (St. Peter Julian Eymard: Apostle of the Eucharist Novena, p. 20).
The title of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament was first given to Mary by St. Peter Julian Eymard in May 1868, while speaking to his novices. A few years later he described what her statue should look like: "The Blessed Virgin holds the Infant in her arms; and He holds a chalice in one hand and a Host in the other." He exhorted them to invoke Mary: "Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us who have recourse to thee!"
Later, Pius IX enriched the invocation with indulgences. Twice, St. Pius X did the same. On December 30, 1905, he granted a 300 days indulgence to the faithful who pray: “Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.”
"This title, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, is perhaps the most meaningful of all," said St. Pius X.
In 1921 the Sacred Congregation of Rite authorized the Blessed Sacrament Congregations to celebrate each year, on the 13th of May, a "solemn commemoration of the Blessed Virgin," with the intention of honoring Mary under the title of "Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament." And of course this Feast is still celebrated today with great joy by all the spiritual sons and daughters of St. Peter Julian Eymard.
Pope Bl. John XXIII codified the title of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament when he declared St. Peter Julian Eymard a saint on December 9, 1962, at the end of the last session of the Second Vatican Council.
OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
On May 13 we celebrate the most recent feast and title given to Our Blessed Mother, that of "Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament." Some believe this title to be prophetic, particularly for our times, and perhaps the greatest honor the church could bestow upon her. Let us ponder some of the reasons why this may be true.
St. Peter Julian Eymard, known as "The Priest of the Eucharist" and "The Apostle of the Eucharist" founded the "Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament" at Paris on May 13, 1856. Previous to this he served as a priest for sixteen years in the Society of Mary. He developed a very special love for the Eucharist at a very young age, which was inspired by his Mother's Eucharistic devotion. He also had a tremendous love for Our Lady. During the years of his daily prayer and adoration of our Eucharistic Lord, St. Peter Julian was given the awareness from Our Lady "All the mysteries of my Son have a religious order of men to honor them. The Eucharist alone has none..." With the encouragement of Pius XI, St. Peter Julian Eymard founded the new congregation to first, and foremost, perpetually adore Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament and to spread Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration throughout the world; second, to honor Mary, The Mother of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
"Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament" was the title that St. Peter Julian Eymard gave Our Lady as Mother and model to his new Congregation, his new Eucharistic family. As he stated so often, the Blessed Mother was the first and most perfect adorer of Jesus, the Incarnate Word. Our Lady adored Jesus from the very first moment of conception in her womb. She continued her adoration throughout his earthly life. After Jesus ascended into heaven, according to our early church fathers and theologians, Our Blessed Lady continued to adore and receive Jesus in the Eucharist. St. John the beloved Apostle would have provided the Eucharist for Our Lady, as he cared for her and ministered to her wants. The early church historians write that Our Lady spent most of her days and nights in Adoration of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. In the times of the early church the Eucharist was generally reserved in the homes of Christians. Our Lady's daily communion and adoration united her to Jesus even more closely than during His thirty years with her at Nazareth.
St. John Damascus points out, in his 6th century writings, "the body of Christ in the Holy Eucharist is the very same body born of the Virgin Mary." When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist we receive the Son of Mary. Where we find the Son we find the Mother, in adoration.
"Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament" is the channel by which Jesus comes to us! She is also the channel by which we go to Jesus, heaven has ordained it thus. Our heavenly Mother is our most powerful intercessor with her Son Jesus, our most persuasive advocate. When we pray the Holy Rosary we ask her to pray for us, and pray she does. Many Mariologists have noted that devotions to Mary lead us to Jesus in the Eucharist. Wherever there are shrines dedicated to Mary her Son reigns in the Holy Eucharist where he is received, worshiped and adored. Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, wrote in his Marian encyclical of 1988, "The piety of the Christian people has always rightly sensed a profound link between devotion to the Blessed Virgin and worship of the Eucharist." He later stated in a public address in Rome in June of 1994, while talking about the Eucharist, "I would also like to repeat my invitation to you to make Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament a habitual practice in all Christian communities."
Our Eucharistic Lord is the center of all other devotion within our church and the primary source of grace and mercy. Only heaven knows for sure if the Mary 13, 1856 founding of the "Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament" by St. Peter Julian Eymard and their entrustment to Our Lady under the title of "Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament" was a prophetic foreshadowing of her May 13, 1917 Fatima apparition. What is of importance is that we receive and adore Jesus in the Eucharist. Let us pray that the role and title of "Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament" be properly understood by her children so that we can honor her in the way she most desires, by giving adoration and glory to her Son in the Most Blessed Sacrament!
