Pope Francis’s prayer to Mary Health of the Sick

August 24 is the feast day of Mary Health of the Sick, but it should go without saying that a prayer to the Blessed Mother under that title can be said any day. For example, Pope Francis included the following prayer in an address during a day of prayer and fasting on March 11, 2020¹.

A devotion to Mary Health of the Sick makes sense for runners or anyone else who is health conscious and concerned about personal fitness. Consider printing out the following prayer and slipping it into your running journal, placing it by your gym bag, or slipping it into your copy of the Magificat. And mark August 24 on your calendar app, to help you to remember the feast day!

Here is Pope Francis’s prayer²:

O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the Cross,
united with Jesus’ pain,
keeping your faith firm.

You, Salvation of the Roman people,
know what we need,
and we trust that you will provide for those needs so that,
as at Cana of Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this moment of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
He who took our suffering upon Himself,
and burdened Himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the Cross,
to the joy of Resurrection. Amen.

We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our pleas — we who are put to the test —
and deliver us from every danger. O glorious and blessed Virgin.
~ Amen

Looking for more? Browse though these: ishouldberunning.com/prayers

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Footnotes

1. The Church began to invoke our lady under the title “Health of the Sick” in the 17th century in response to the Plague that had gripped Europe. Therefore, Pope Francis implored the Blessed Mother under this title during the Day of Prayer and Fasting in March 2020, which was in response to the Pandemic that had just paralyzed the world by that time.
2. Video available here: https://youtu.be/ydrBkgiVRK4

Photo credit: Image of Pope Francis in 2016 is by Nacho Arteaga, on Unsplash

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