Prayer of a Sinner to Our Lady of Ransom

September 24 is the feast day of Our Lady of Ransom.

Who is our Lady of Ransom?

Acknowledging that we are sinners, we ask for God’s forgiveness over and over. However, knowing the wretched creatures we are and how we often choose evil over good, we ask for our Lady of Ransom to come to our aid.

“Do thou pity me, my Mother Mary, by whom I can have recourse, who is more compassionate, or in whom I can have greater confidence than in thee?”

When we’ve failed and we realize that we can do it alone, we can go to our Lady. Our Lord made her Mother of the Church, “Behold thy Mother.” We should always go to her when we need help. She will lead us to her Son.

Prayer of a Sinner to Our Lady of Ransom

O my Sovereign Queen and worthy Mother of my God, most Holy Mary: I, seeing myself, as I do, so despicable, and loaded with so many sins, ought not to presume to call thee Mother, or even to approach thee; yet I will not allow my miseries to deprive me of the consolation and confidence that I feel in calling thee Mother; I know well that I deserve that thou shouldst reject me; but I beseech thee to remember all that thy Son Jesus has endured for me, and then reject me if thou canst.

 I am a wretched sinner, who, more than all others, have despised the infinite majesty of God; but the evil is done. To thee have I recourse; thou canst help me: my Mother, help me!  Say not that thou canst not do so; for I know that thou art all powerful, and that thou obtainest whatever thou desirest of God; and if thou sayest that thou wilt not help me, tell me at least to whom I can apply in this my so great misfortune. 

Either pity me, or I will say, with the devout Saint Anselm, “O, my Jesus, forgive me, or do thou pity me, my Mother Mary, by whom I can have recourse, who is more compassionate, or in whom I can have greater confidence than in thee?”  

Oh, no; neither on earth, nor in Heaven, can I find anyone who has more compassion for the miserable, or who is better able to assist me, than thou canst, O Mary.  

Thou, O Jesus, art my Father, and thou, Mary, art my Mother. You both love the most miserable, and go seeking them in order to save them.  I deserve hell and am the most miserable of all. But you need not seek me, nor do I presume to ask so much. 

I now present myself before you with a certain hope that I shall not be abandoned. Behold me at your feet; my Jesus, forgive me; my Mother Mary, help me!