st; sun without
blemish, because free from original sin. With all our hearts we pray to
thee, O Mary, to vouchsafe in thy goodness to be born again in spirit in
our souls, that, led captive by thy loveliness and sweetness, they may
ever live united to thy most sweet and loving heart.

Hail Mary, etc.

Ejaculation (located on the first day of the Novena).

EIGHTH DAY

The Joy of the Just in Limbo at Mary's Birth

Preparatory Prayer (located on the first day of the Novena).

MEDITATION

FOR four thousand years the just in limbo sighed for redemption, and
sent up to Heaven the plaintive cry, "O that Thou wouldst rend the
heavens, and wouldst come down!" (_Is._ xiv. 1.) "Drop down dew, ye
heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just; let the earth be
opened and bud forth a Saviour" (_Is._ xlv. 8). What joy must have
filled the souls of the just when they heard the welcome tidings of the
birth of Mary, the virgin Mother of the promised Messias; how great
their consolation at the rising of that dawn which preceded the Sun of
Justice, whose splendor was to illuminate the darkness of them that sat
in the shadow of death!

PRACTICE

A JOY similar to that which filled the captive souls in limbo at Mary's
birth now fills the souls in purgatory when we implore her to come to
their relief. Contemplating the immense love of the Most Holy Trinity
for Mary, we may not doubt but that, by her intercession, she might at
once deliver all the suffering souls from their prison, if such were in
accordance with God's will. But God's wisdom and providence have decreed
otherwise. Therefore Mary does not pray for the release of all souls in
purgatory, but recommends them, in conformity with God's will, to His
mercy. St. Bernardine of Sienna applies to Mary the words of Holy
Scripture, "I have penetrated into the bottom of the deep and have
walked in the waves of the sea" (_Ecclus._ xxiv. 8), and says: "She
descends into that sea of suffering and soothes the pains of the poor
souls." St. Denis the Carthusian remarks, that when the name of Mary is
mentioned in purgatory, the souls there imprisoned experience the same
relief as when a sick person hears words of consolation on his bed of
pain.

Therefore let us entrust our prayers for the souls in purgatory to Mary.
She will present our petitions to God, and thus presented, He will
speedily hear and graciously grant them.

Prayer of the Church (located on the first day of