# Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day Two
*2017-02-02*

> Bill Young reflects on St. Blaise’s feast day and leads the faithful through Day Two of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes, including prayers, the litany, and the Apostles’ Creed.

## St. Blaise – Feast Day Reflection

Good afternoon, I’m Bill Young. Today is Friday, February 3rd, the feast of St. Blaise, the patron saint of throat ailments. According to tradition, Blaise was a fourth‑century bishop who suffered persecution for refusing to worship false idols. He was tortured and beheaded, yet during his life he miraculously saved a boy whose throat was obstructed. That is why we invoke his intercession with the Blessing of the Throat. If you have not yet received the blessing this year, I encourage you to do so when the opportunity arises.

The historical details of St. Blaise’s life are uncertain, but the essential truth remains: he exemplifies the power of total surrender to Christ, as Jesus promised in John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

## Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – Day Two

We now continue with Day Two of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. The novena recalls Pope Pius IX’s proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1854, and the apparition of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous on March 25, 1858, when Mary identified herself as the Immaculate Conception.

We begin with the Litany of Our Lady of Lourdes, invoking her many titles:

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Mother of the Divine Savior, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, who chose a humble girl as your instrument, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, who caused a spring to flow from the earth, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, dispenser of heavenly gifts, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, to whom Jesus can refuse nothing, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, healer of every sickness, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, hope of pilgrims, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, advocate of the souls in purgatory, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, Virgin of the Holy Rosary, pray for us.

We conclude the litany with the prayer to the Lamb of God:

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Then we pray:

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the graces poured out through your Mother. Through her intercession, may we share in those gifts, love you more, and serve you faithfully. Amen.

## Prayer of the Day and the Apostles’ Creed

The novena calls us to pray the Our Father, the Creed, and the Hail Mary repeatedly. Here is the Apostles’ Creed as recited:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; descended into hell; on the third day rose again; ascended into heaven; and sits at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

We then repeat the Hail Mary several times, asking Our Lady of Lourdes to pray for us, especially at the hour of our death.

## Closing Prayer and Invitation

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we ask Our Lady of Lourdes to intercede for us and to help us grow in humility and trust in God. The novena also encourages us to arrange a confession in the coming days as an act of renewal.

May the Blessed Virgin continue to guide us on our pilgrimage of faith.

*St. Blaise reminds us of the power of surrender to Christ, and Our Lady of Lourdes invites us to deepen our trust through prayer and humility.*