Masses of the BVM: 24 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Blessed are you, holy Mary, wisest of virgins:
the Word of truth was cradled in your arms;
blessed are you, most prudent of virgins:
you have chosen the better part.
COLLECT
All-holy Father, eternal God,
in your goodness
you prepared a royal throne for your Wisdom
in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
bathe your Church
in the radiance of your life-giving Word,
that, pressing forward on its pilgrim way
in the light of your truth,
it may come to the joy
of a perfect knowledge of your love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Or:
God of wisdom,
in your desire to restore us to your friendship
after we had lost it by sin,
you chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
as the seat of your Wisdom.
Grant through her intercession
that we may not seek the wisdom of the proud
but with humility treasure your revealed wisdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
FIRST READING
Prov 8:22-31
Mary, seat of Wisdom.
A reading from the Book of Proverbs
Wisom says:
“The LORD begot me, the firstborn of his ways,
the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago;
from of old I was poured forth,
at the first, before the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no fountains or springs of water;
before the mountains were settled into place,
before the hills, I was brought forth;
while as yet the earth and fields were not made,
nor the first clods of the world.
“When the LORD established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when the LORD made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when the LORD set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside the LORD as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the children of men.”
The word of the Lord.
Or:
Sir 25:1-4, 18-21
Mary, seat of Wisdom.
A reading from the Book of Sirach
Wisdom sings her own praises,
before her own people she proclaims her glory
in the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,
in the presence of his hosts she declares her worth:
“From the mouth of the Most High I came forth,
and mistlike covered the earth.
In the highest heavens did I dwell,
my throne on a pillar of cloud.
“Then the Creator of all gave me his command,
and my Creator who formed me chose the spot for my tent,
saying, ‘In Jacob make your dwelling,
in Israel your inheritance.’
Before all ages, in the beginning, God created me,
and through all ages I shall not cease to be.
In the holy tent I ministered before him,
and in Zion I fixed my abode.
Thus in the chosen city God has given me rest,
in Jerusalem is my domain.
I have struck root among the glorious people,
in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.
“Come to me, all you that yearn for me,
and be filled with my fruits;
you will remember me as sweeter than honey,
better to have than the honeycomb.
Whoever eats of me will hunger still,
whoever drinks of me will thirst for more;
whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
whoever serves me will never fail.”
The word of the Lord.
RESONSORIAL PSALM
Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
℟. (John 1:14) The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem;
Zion, offer praise to your God.
Who has strengthened the bars of your gates,
blessed your children within you.
℟. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Brought peace to your borders,
and filled you to overflowing with finest wheat.
The LORD sends a command earthward;
his word runs swiftly!
℟. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The LORD also proclaims his word to Jacob,
decrees and laws to Israel.
God has not done this for other nations;
of such laws they know nothing.
℟. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
℟. Alleluia, alleluia.
O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord;
O blessed seat of Wisdom, you cradle in our hearts
the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ.
℟. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Mt 2:1-12
Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother.
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
Herod inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king the magi set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
The magi prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
the magi departed for their country by another way.
Or:
Lk 2:15b-19
Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
The shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place,
that the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Or:
Lk 10:38-42
Mary chose the better part.
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Jesus and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to Martha in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Lord, sanctify these gifts that we offer you,
and through the intercession
of the Virgin Mary in her glory
prepare in our hearts
a worthy dwelling for your Wisdom.
Through Christ our Lord.
PREFACE: Mary, Seat of Wisdom
Wisdom has Built Himself a House in the Chaste Womb of Mary.
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with your spirit.
℣. Lift up your hearts.
℟. We lift them up to the Lord.
℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
℟. It is right and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For in your infinite goodness,
when the fullness of time had come,
you accomplished through the Blessed Virgin Mary
the mystery of our reconciliation planned before all ages.
Wisdom built himself a house
in the chaste womb of the Virgin Mary,
the Creator of time came to be born
in this world of time,
so that as the new Adam
he might undo the ancient inheritance of sin
and renew us in his own resplendent image.
With all the Saints and Angels
we praise you for ever:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Proverbs 9: 5, 6b
Come, eat my bread,
drink the wine I have prepared for you;
walk in the way of wisdom.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord our God,
through this holy sacrifice
pour into our hearts
the light of wisdom
which so wonderfully filled
the heart of the Virgin Mother,
so that we may know you in truth
and love you with fidelity.
Through Christ our Lord.
SOLEMN BLESSING
The following Solemn Blessing may be used:
The Lord be with you.
The people reply:
And with your spirit.
The Deacon or, in his absence, the Priest himself, says the invitation:
Bow down for the blessing.
Then the Priest, with hands outstretched over the people, says
Ordinary Time I
May the Father of all mercy,
through the love with which he cherished
the Mother of his Son,
bless you with health of mind and body.
℟. Amen.
May Jesus Christ, the blessed fruit of Mary’s womb,
adorn you with the virtues
that will make you more pleasing to him.
℟. Amen.
May the Holy Spirit,
whose power overshadowed the Blessed Virgin,
give you serenity and peace,
that you may live as one in mind and heart
in the household of the Church.
℟. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
℟. Amen.
Ordinary Time II
May God, who through the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin Mary
willed in his great kindness to redeem the human race,
be pleased to enrich you with his blessing.
℟. Amen.
May you know always and everywhere the protection of her,
through whom you have been found worthy to receive the author of life.
℟. Amen.
May you, who have devoutly gathered to celebrate this memorial of our Lady,
carry away with you the gifts of spiritual joys and heavenly rewards.
℟. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
℟. Amen.
Ordinary Time III
May the Father of mercies bless you
through the intercession of Blessed Mary ever-Virgin
through whom he chose to remedy the fall of our first parents.
℟. Amen.
May Jesus Christ, who in the womb of the Blessed Virgin
became our brother and our Savior,
free your hearts from every trace of sin.
℟. Amen.
May the Holy Spirit
increase in you the grace of true faith and of hope for heaven,
that you may walk in the ways of the Gospel
and so reach your eternal home.
℟. Amen.
And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
℟. Amen.
Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says:
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Or:
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Or:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
Or:
Go in peace.
The people reply:
Thanks be to God.