Our Lady of Perpetual Help

A few weeks ago I was filled with a desire to pray a novena to Our Lady. I decided to find out when the next Marian feast day was, and I discovered that there was a feast day to Our Lady of Perpetual Help coming up.

I don’t know why, but I had never heard of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Despite not knowing anything about this particular devotion to Our Lady, I decided to go ahead and pray it. I did some googling, and found one on the internet.

Now for those who don’t know, a novena is a ‘devotion consisting of praying for (typically) nine consecutive days’. Novena’s can involve praying the rosary, or small prayers said throughout the day. Typically novena’s are prayed with a particular intention in mind, and can end on a particular feast day.

I was set! I had found a novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and I just had to wait for the nine days prior to the feast day to begin.

Now, due to an unexpectedly busy day, on the day that I was meant to begin the novena, I completely forgot about it and only realised the next day. I was so annoyed at myself, and considered not doing it at all, but decided that it was better to be a day late than not to do it at all. Sure, I wouldn’t finish on the actual feast day, but at least I would be praying the novena, and somehow I could sense that I really needed to pray it.

So I began the novena. Each day, for nine days, I would pray the prayers and reflect on the icon. As the feast day (27 June) approached, and I neared the end of the novena, I began to feel a little disappointed at the thought that the intention of my prayer may not be answered. I quickly caught myself and settled on the fact that praying the novena was enough. Mary knew what was on my heart and I had no doubt she would deliver that prayer to Jesus. Or so I kept telling myself.

On Tuesday the 28^th of June, I finished the novena. I wasn’t sure if my prayers would be answered, but I was grateful to have had those nine days to prayerfully reflect on this icon.

The following day (29 June), I was in the office doing some work. I decided to go into the admin office to collect something. As I was standing there, our Deacon walked in and placed something on the desk. I looked down to see what it was, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a prayer card with the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help!

I gave it a second, (and third) glance and I could barely manage a “where did you get that?!” to the Deacon. He said he had just taken some missals to the church and had found this prayer card while paging through them. He thought he’d just bring it into the office in case someone wanted it. Uhm – I wanted it!

I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.....

Receiving this prayer card was more than just a sign from Mary. To me it was the gentle (or not so gentle) assurance that Mary hears each of our prayers. We may not get the answers we want, but she listens. In her I have truly found my perpetual help.

Mary is so many things to so many people. She is a Mystic Rose, a Good Counsel, and she is always our Perpetual Help. She offers us hope, and encourages us to trust in God, even when things seem unclear or prayers seem unanswered.

I still have so much to learn about Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I’ll probably follow this up with a post about the history of this icon and devotion to it. For now, I just thought I would share in the joy and consolation I feel in knowing that Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, is always there to listen, guide and give us her hope and her help. I pray this brings you comfort, and gives you the confidence to turn to Our Lady who leads us always to her Son, Jesus Christ.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

I’ll be praying for you xx