# A sequence of prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
*2015-08-22*

> On the feast of the Queenship of Mary, Bill Young explores a series of traditional, untitled prayers dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

## Celebrating the Queenship of Mary

Good afternoon. This is Bill Young and welcome to the Prayer N Lunch podcast. Today is Saturday, August 22nd, the feast day of the Queenship of Mary. We are continuing our marathon of prayers to Our Lady, and today we are looking at a sequence of prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In my prayer book, there are about 15 or 16 of these prayers; they are generally untitled and have no listed author. I have never prayed them before, so I thought today would be a great day to start.

## Seeking Mercy and Grace

The first prayer in this sequence addresses Mary as a mother who remains with open arms, imploring her divine Son for mercy and compassion for the poor and needy. It asks her to intercede so that we may receive His holy love, holy fear, and holy grace, and that we may never commit a mortal sin. It is a plea for the same love and trust that saintly souls have for Jesus, asking that our faith, hope, and love may grow, and that we may be taught to accomplish His divine will at all times.

## Intercession for the World and the Dying

The prayer continues by asking the Holy Virgin to bless our families and deliver them from all evil. It specifically asks for her help for dying sinners, requesting that she ask her divine Son to forgive them and free them from the torments of hell. There is a broader plea for her intercession before her Son so that the whole world may be saved, and a specific request for her to pray for our beloved country, freeing it from the evils that threaten it.

## A Final Plea for Protection

The prayer concludes by asking Mary to pour forth the shining rays of God's mercy through our Lord Jesus upon our souls, and to remain close to us through all the dangers we encounter in life. As is tradition with this sequence, the prayer is closed with three Hail Marys and the Glory Be.

*Through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Heaven, we can seek the grace to avoid mortal sin and the mercy needed for the salvation of the whole world.*