Prayers

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary: texts of Orders, Congregations and Societies

(Under development)

This section reproduces the Proper texts of various religious Orders, Congregations and Societies for titles under which the Mother of God is venerated . In some propers, special texts are given for the Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin under a particular title. For others, the texts of principal feasts of the Blessed Virgin in the Order, Congregation or Society have been provided, after the format of the Saturday Memorial, in accordance with the General Instruction, nn. 240, 245, 250, 252,

Proper texts for the Saturday Memorial:

B.V.M.  of Sorrows (Passionist)
B.V.M. of Remedy (Trinitarian)
B.V.M. Lady of her Servants (Servite)
B.V.M. Mother of the Church (Servite)
B.V.M. Queen and Mother of Mercy (Servite)
B.V.M. the New Woman (Servite)
B.V.M. Mother of God (Dominican)
B.V.M. Queen of Virgins (Dominican)
B.V.M. Mother of Mercy (Dominican)
B.V.M. Mother of Grace (Dominican)
B.V.M. Queen of Apostles (Dominican)

Texts from the feasts, in the format of memorials suitable for Saturday celebration:

B.V.M. Mother of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit)
B.V.M. Help of Christians (Salesian)
B.V.M. Mother of Perpetual Help (Redemptorist)
B.V.M.  of Divine Providence (Barnabite)
B.V.M. Reconciler of Sinners (La Salette)
B.V.M. of the Miraculous Medal ( Vincentian)
B.V.M. Queen of the Apostles (Paulines)
Immaculate Heart of the B.V.M. (Claretian)
B.V.M and St. Joseph, the Holy Spouses (OSJ)


OUR LADY OF SORROWS


Office of Readings

Morning Prayer

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent:

For the sins of his own nation,
saw him hang in desolation,
Till his spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:

Christ, when thou shalt call me hence,
be thy Mother my defense,
be thy Cross my victory. Amen.

Or:

After Adam’s sad fault
his children saw their fate:
Justice had to be done

Lost grace, sorrow, rebellious flesh,
dark death, a blessed hope denied.
All these burdened a sinful race.

Who would aid Adam’s children,
fallen now so low?
Who could atone in full
if not God alone?

The searching ends.
God himself assumed the burdened flesh:
He suffers, atones,
and urged on by love for us
he himself redeems the guilty.

Nor is this all:
his Mother stands with him;
she joins her maternal sorrows
to his sufferings for those to be redeemed.

May all of us recall the sorrow Mary bore
to become the mother of us all,
with so gracious a heart
sharing the pain of the cross.

May honor be given the Father
and to his only Son,
and to the Spirit,
one God, for all ages. Amen.

PSALMODY

Ferial Psalmody

FIRST READING

Ferial reading

SECOND READING

From the Mariology of the Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God, priest
(Italian manuscript in AGCP, B, I, VIII, VI-15:Parte III apograph, ff. 83-85)

Let us have confident recourse to the protection of Mary

Before showing how confidently we can trust in the patronage of the Blessed Virgin, it will be well to consider our destitution and our pitiful situation.

It is unfortunate to have enemies; however, it is certainly more dangerous have them but not know them,. It will help us therefore to identify our enemies. We are human; we are sinful. As human beings, hell is our enemy; as sinners, heaven is our enemy. The devil unjustly wants us damned; God justly wants us punished. Thus we have heaven and hell against us and we are in the middle, expose dot both the wrath of God and the cunning of the devil. How can we protect ourselves from two oponents as powerful as these? Do not worry, my brothers and sisters. In Mary, we have a defender against the anger of heaven and the fury of hell. She can disarm the justice of God and defeat the designs of the devil. She frightens the enemy of our souls, for she is as strong as an army prepared for battle. She is that sturdy tower which no enemy can storm; a thousand bucklers hang upon it , all shields of valiant men. This armament is for our defense and the overthrow of our enemies. To be safe, we need only retreat to this tower and remain in it. If we have any further fear, let it be the fear of alienating ourselves from Mary and her protection. Let us then be confident and fear nothing.

Yet I hear someone object: we must dread not only the fury of the devil, but also the just anger of God who is, unfortunately, too often seriously provoked by our sins. This is what terrifies us; this is what makes us falter. It is true that good people have Mary as a protector in every crisis of life; but we are not good, we are sinners. God I vexed with is. Who can deliver us from him? No one can resist the Almighty. If he wants to punish us because of our sins, who can prevent him? Mary can by her intercession. She has more influence with God than the whole company of saints in heaven.

This is not my personal opinion, nor the exaggerated claim of a panegyrist. It is the considered opinion of a great pope, Benedict XIV, the fruit of his deep research: Mary’s intercession is indeed might, more powerful than that of all the saints. If this is so, how could God deny her request? Is it possible that the Son could say “no” to his mother, or that he could be refused by the Father? With Saint Bernard I will declare: The Son cannot deny the requests of the mother, nor will he remain unheard by the Father. Recall, the holy doctor continues, what the angel said to Mary, “You have found grace with God.” She will always find grace.

Therefore, do not fear. The grace we lost by sin, Mary found. She did not find grace lost by herself, because she never lost it. It was the grace we had lost that she found. Let us search for that lost grace; let us search for it through Mary. She always finds what she is looking for and can never look in vain. Mary’s quests are never fruitless; neither will our be if we seek our lost grace through her.

RESPONSORY

Blessed are you among women
for you have changed the curse of Eve into a blessing
through you the blessing of the Father has shone on us.

You stood near your Son at the foot of the cross,
suffering with him in order to welcome us as sons and daughters.
Through you the blessing of the Father has shone on us.

PRAYER

Let us pray

Lord our God,
in your infinite wisdom and love,
you complete the passion of your Son  
through the countless sufferings of his members.
You gave strength to the Mother of Sorrows
as she stood by the cross of your Son.
Help us to follow her example,
and stand by all her children
who need our love and comfort.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
 – Amen.

DISMISSAL

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

MORNING

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Lord who entrusted his own mother to us.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:

Let me share with thee his pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.

While my body here decays,
may my soul thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

Or:

O Jesus, redeemer of all nations
Victim of a heavenly love,
Hanging upon the hill of Calvary,
You wash away the whole world’s guilt.

Pour forth your grace
Into our anguished hearts
We confess our offenses
For we fear the justice we deserve

Comfort us, O kind mother,
Who, unshaken, but with transpierced heart,
Stand so strong during your humiliation.

Upon Golgotha you were made to share
in the work of redemption
and because of your tragic role
you have borne bitter sorrows.

O bravest of mother, in your soul
you have suffered the scourging,
the thorns and the wounds of your Son,
so that you might give back to us
both life and grace.

Remember us: stir up our hearts;
consume them in the flames of love;
snatch us from the fires of a loathsome hell.

O Jesus, who has suffered for your servants,
Glory to you, together with the Father
and the renewing Spirit, forever more. Amen.


READING
See Isaiah 61:10

I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God,
for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity,
like a bride adorned with her jewels.

RESPONSORY

The Lord has blessed you in his mighty power.
The Lord has blessed you in his mighty power.

Through you he has brought our enemies to naught.
in his mighty power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Spirit.
The Lord has blessed you in his mighty power.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. We extol you, O Sorrowful Virgin, the glory of all creatures. You are a daughter of the human race and the mother of God: in you heaven was reunited to earth and we were reconciled to God. Be forever the advocate of our race.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. We extol you, O Sorrowful Virgin, the glory of all creatures. You are a daughter of the human race and the mother of God: in you heaven was reunited to earth and we were reconciled to God. Be forever the advocate of our race.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us bless God the Father, who desires everyone to share in the paschal mystery of Christ. Recalling that Mary is the first fruit of that mystery, let us ask him:
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us

Holy Father, you sent your Son into the world to set all people free
– let us welcome him with ardent love as the thirsty and arid land receives the morning dew.
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us

Father of mercies, in whom the Holy Virgin placed her hope and whose word she kept with complete faith
– may we receive your word with ready faith and enduring hope.
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us

Most loving Father, when he who is life itself died on the cross, the faith and hope of the Virgin Mary lived on,
– let us see all the hardships of this life as sources of grace.  
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us

Father, author and lover of life, who Son even now is crucified and dying in his brothers and sisters,
– may we stand with Mary at the countless crosses of our unfortunate ones and bring them love and the hope of resurrection.
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us

Just Father, who in Mary, the new Eve, have given us the first fruits of the new age.
– grant that all our communities may be signs showing forth the new life that flows from the wounds of Christ.
Lord, may the queen of martyrs intercede for us


THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Let us conclude our prayer with the Lord’s prayer:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

PRAYER

Lord our God,
in your infinite wisdom and love,
you complete the passion of your Son  
through the countless sufferings of his members.
You gave strength to the Mother of Sorrows
as she stood by the cross of your Son.
Help us to follow her example,
and stand by all her children
who need our love and comfort.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
 – Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


OUR LADY OF GOOD REMEDY



Office of Readings

Mornings Prayer (Lauds)

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Mary, you accept our prayers
and lovingly grant remedy;
we ask you with humility:
remain with us continually.

Be with us if we fall in sin
and feel its cruel captivity:
break all the bonds which hold us chained,
and cleanse our hearts’ iniquity.

Help us when love is growing cold
and worldy lures lead us astray;
let heaven shine within our hearts
lest we forget salvation’s way.

Assist us in our sufferings,
when body soul or spirit fail.
Bring peace and calm into our lives
until the light of heav’n prevail.

Be with your children at death’s hour;
protect them in your great pity;
that with your aid, they may enjoy
rewards throughout eternity.

With grateful hearts we sing your praise
with hymns unto the Trinity:
for giving us in all our needs
the Virgin as a remedy. Amen.

Melody: LM

Or:

 O Mary, hope of faithful hearts,
raise up those fallen down.
From slavery to Satan’s power
free those who are your own.

The saddened seek your helping hand,
the suff’ring call your name;
and all who on the earth do dwell,
your patronage acclaim.

A mother’s care you manifest,
and help to all extend:
lift us above life’s threat’ning storms
by your protecting hand.

Regard your suppliants’ prayers and tears,
O Mother, of mercy well:
protect us in our struggles here
for you have conquered hell.

Our fathers placed beneath your care
our whole community;
protect it, make it thrive and grow
throughout eternity.

Stir up Your love in every heart,
O blessed Trinity:
and as our fathers did decree,
she shall our model be. Amen.

Melody: CM

 
Or:

O Virgin Mother of our God,
you are the daughter of your Son:
you are the highest work of God,
yet humblest of all creation.

The myst’ry hidden from the start
fulfilment reached through you at last.
You are the honor of our race
and our true glory unsurpassed.

A living temple you become,
a noble dwelling all adorned
so that the Most High Fashioner
was in you fashioned and man born.

In your pure womb the Son of God
became a living flame of love;
and through His warmth on earth appeared
for man the fruits of heav’n above.

May glory now to God ascend,
to Father and to Paraclete;
and to your Son be endless praise,
who robed you in His grace replete.

Melody: LM

PSALMODY

Week Psalm 1      Week Psalm 2       Week Psalm 3       Week Psalm 4

FIRST READING

(Reading)

SECOND READING

From the Apostolic Letter “Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity” by Pope John XXIII
(AAS LIII, 1961, 602-604)

The Trinitarian religious whose primary duties are to worship the Triune God with a special devotion, to promote this devotion and to aid the needy and those who suffer by performing works of mercy, have honoured the Virgin Mary – Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity – under the title of “Mother of Good Remedy” from the very beginnings of their Order.

Indeed, St. John de Matha, their founded and lawgiver, had a great love for the Virgin Mother of God. He founded and spread this holy Order under her protection and bequeathed to his sons and daughters the heritage of a strong Marian devotion. A singular love for the Mother of God has flourished among these religious throughout the ages, for she continually healed the sufferings of her suppliants; indeed, it still flourishes among them up to the present day.

The General Chapter of 1959, aware that such traditional devotion had become even stronger in the Order, decided to express the desire of all religious of the Order and to petition the Apostolic See that the glorious Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy, should be declared the principal, heavenly patroness of the Trinitarian Order.

We have willingly decided to grant this request, hoping that the friars of the Order will be inflamed to honor the Virgin Mary under this title with an even more ardent love. We also trust that they, moved by her example, will more intensely commit themselves to bring relief and remedy to the less fortunate. Therefore, after consulting with the Sacred Congregation of Titles, with full knowledge and mature deliberation, and with the fullness of our apostolic authority, by virtue of this document, we designate and declare the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Good Remedy, to be forever the heavenly, principal patroness of the whole Order of the Most Holy Trinity, along with St. Agnes, virgin and martyr. The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Good Remedy is to be given all the liturgical honors and privileges which are fittingly accorded to the patrons of religious Orders and Congregations; moreover, we grant the added faculty of celebrating her feast each year on October 8.
RESPONSORY

Most powerful Virgin, we come to you in dangers and adversities.
– You are our protection, you are our refuge, you are our Mother of Remedy.

You are the hope in which we trust; you are the Patroness to whom we run for help.
– You are our protection, you are our refuge, you are our Mother of Remedy.

Or:

From “The Book of Miracles of Our Lady of Remedy” by Paul Aznar, priest.
(Barcelona, 1626, pp. 27-28)

The mystery of the Incarnation and the glory of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As soon as the Blessed Virgin Mary gave her consent, God became incarnate in her womb. The Holy Spirit fashioned a perfect soul that he had ever created, and both were joined to the Person of the Eternal Word. Thus, God was made man, that man might become God. In a virginal bridal chamber, God was wed to humankind, and the Virgin Mary was raised to the dignity of the Mother of God.

The whole Trinity rejoices in this mystery of the Incarnation. The Eternal Father exults because of the Son whom he gives us as a gift. The Son rejoices to be made man for the salvation of humankind. The Holy Spirit exults in being the author of this awesome work of mercy and love for humanity.

The soul of Christ, created by God and raised to the sublimity of divinity and enriched by heavenly gifts and virtues, is joyful in being joined to the Person of the Redeemer. Who could ever adequately describe the unfathomable nature of this joy, since it is caused by a human soul being united to a divine Person who is infinite Goodness in himself?

And the Virgin Mary also rejoices in the conception of her Son. Through it she became the Virgin Mother of God – the Mother of the One who came to bring healing to our world. The Incarnation is indeed the event which established Mary as the Mother of the Remedy of the world. What a joy for Mary! What a joy that wells up from within her! If a simple shadowy cloud is transformed into something bright, translucent and resplendently beautiful when a ray of sunshine passes through it, how much more glorious must Mary have become when the Sun of Justice passed into her womb? She, who from the very beginning had been full of grace, now overflows with graces. The Virgin exults in this superabundance of grace, knowing that she has become the heavenly Mother of Remedy for all, both angels and men. May fervent thanks be given to the Holy Trinity for this great favour. Amen.

RESPONSORY

Rejoice, Virgin Mary; you are worthy of all praise;
– from you, Christ our God, the Sun of Justice, has risen.

He freed us from the curse and won for us God’s favour;
he destroyed death and granted us everlasting life.
– from you, Christ our God…

 
Or:

From “The Book of Miracles of Our Lady of Remedy” by Paul Aznar, priest.
(Barcelona, 1626, pp. 35-36)

Gratitude to the Trinity for the grace of Redemption

There is a reason why the Most Holy trinity desired the foundation of our holy Order and why it wished the Blessed Virgin Mary to be its patroness under the title of Our Lady of Remedy. Just as the divine Trinity chose the Virgin Mary to be Mother of the Son of God and a remedy for the human race, in the very same way, God willed that there should be a religious institute, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, in which Our Lady of Remedy would be venerated in a special way. This Order would be a perpetual reminder – and a promoter – of the endless praise that is due to God, One and Three, for the wondrous benefits which he gave us in his Son, the Redeemer of the world. In this way, all without exception, would be animated to thank God for the great blessings of the redemption which Christ our Lord, true God and true man, won for us through his sacred passion and merits.

When any Christian hears the name of Our Lady of Remedy, they should glory in it, for it brings to mind the central issue of the Redemption and should make them very thankful to our Lord and the Virgin Mary.

Actually, all religious families have been founded to praise God, day and night, because of the numberless marvels which he has worked for humankind. The orders of Basil, Anthony, Benedict, the Camaldolese, Carthusians, Jeronomites, Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Mercedarians, Minims, Jesuits – all the Institutes and local churches which flourish in Christendom with a variety of titles and attributes of our Lady – all of them exist for the specific purpose of rendering praise and thanksgiving to the divine Majesty of God. Nevertheless, God willed that our Order should serve as a stimulus to do this under the title of the Holy Trinity and the patronage of Our Lady of Remedy.

RESPONSORY

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his own Son, born of a woman,
– that we might become adopted sons and daughters.

The Son of God chose Mary as his Mother to heal the world,
– that we might become adopted sons and daughters.
 
Or:

From “The Book of Miracles of Our Lady of Remedy” by Paul Aznar, priest.
(Barcelona, 1626, pp. 71v-72v)

Why spread devotion to Our Lady?

The reason for which we should be devoted to blessed Mary is the fact that she is our Mother. “Show yourself a Mother”, the Church says in speaking to our Lady in the liturgy. The Lord himself stated, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father”. According to this, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and adopted children of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saint Augustine asserts that Christ made all the faithful sons and daughters of his Mother at the moment when, from the Cross, he looked toward John, who represented all of us, and said to his Mother, “Woman, this is your son”. She merited to be the mother of all the faithful because of her sorrow which were similar to those of childbirth. She loves us intimately and, for this reason, we should love her in return, responding to her love with our love. It is normal for children to love their mothers; how much more should they love a mother of this stature who holds such a great love for all her children.

Another reason moving us to devotion to our Lady is the zeal with which she watches over us from heaven. We should venerate her as our benefactress. Indeed, she is our advocate, the one who brings healing into our lives and the reward of eternal salvation. She even has power to remedy material needs, as can be seen from her mediation at Cana in Galilee. When the wine supply was exhausted, she pleaded with Jesus: “My Son, they have no wine. I beg you to provide some for them”. She quickly ordered the absolution jars to be filled with water, which the Lord transformed into the best of wine. Saint Augustine, in speaking of the Blessed Virgin Mary, states that, just as she is holier than all the saints, she is also more attentive to all of our needs.

Thus, you who have so many bodily and spiritual needs, in your home and family, have recourse to this Lady who is the Mother of God’s Remedy. Say to her, “My Lady, help me; gain for me the forgiveness of my sins, an increase in virtue, safety in my infirmities, remedy and healing to pass through all the trials of this life, and, especially, bring me to eternal life where I might see you and love you even more than I have loved you here on earth”.

RESPONSORY

Mary, source of divine remedy,
– you brought forth Christ, the Savior of all.

Save us always from all dangers, glorious and blessed Virgin;
– you brought forth Christ, the Savior of all.

Or:

From the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council.
(Lumen Gentium, nn. 63-65)

Mary as a type of the Church

Through the gift and role of divine maternity, Mary is united with her Son, the Redeemer, and with His singular graces and offices. By these, the Blessed Virgin is also intimately united with the Church. As St. Ambrose taught, the Mother of God is a model of the Church in the matter of faith, charity, and perfect union with Christ. For in the mystery of the Church, herself rightly called mother and virgin, the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar of both virginity and motherhood.

For, believing and obeying, Mary brought forth on earth the Father’s Son. This she did, knowing not man but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. She was the new Eve, who put her absolute trust not in the ancient serpent but in God’s messenger. The Son whom she brought forth is He whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, namely, the faithful. In their birth and development she cooperates with a maternal love.

The Church, moreover, contemplating Mary’s mysterious sanctity, imitating her charity, imitating her charity, and faithfully fulfilling the Father’s will, becomes herself a mother by accepting God’s word in faith. For by her preaching and by baptism she brings forth to a new and immortal life children who are conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God. The Church herself is a virgin, who keeps whole and pure the fidelity she has pledged to her Spouse. Imitating the Mother or her Lord, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, she preserves with virginal purity an integral faith, a firm hope, and a sincere charity.

In the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she exists without spot or wrinkle. Yet the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin. And so they raise their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as a model of all virtues. Devotedly meditating on her and contemplating her in the light of the Word made man, the Church with reverence enters more intimately into the supreme mystery of the Incarnation and becomes ever increasingly like her Spouse.

For Mary figured profoundly in the history of salvation and in a certain way unites and mirrors within herself the central truths of the faith. Hence when she is being preached and venerated, she summons the faithful to her Son and His sacrifice, and to love for the Father. Seeking after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her exalted model, and continually progresses in faith, hope, and charity, searching out and doing the will of God in all things. Hence the Church in her apostolic work also rightly looks to her who brought forth Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin, so that through the Church Christ may be born and grow in the hearts of the faithful also. The virgin Mary in her own life lives an example of that meternal love by which all should be fittingly animated to cooperate in the apostolic mission of the Church, and to foster the rebirth of humanity.

RESPONSORY

The salvation of the world has appeared to all who believe through the Virgin Mary.
– The splendour of her life illumines all the Churches.

Let us celebrate with great devotion the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
– The splendour of her life illumines all the Churches.

Or:

From the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council
(Lumen Gentium, nn. 66, partium 67:68-69)

Devotion to Mary increases devotion to the Holy Trinity

Mary was involved in the mysteries of Christ. As the most holy Mother of God she was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above all angels and men. Hence the Church appropriately honors her with special reverence. Indeed, from most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been venerated under the title of “God-bearer”. In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection. Especially after the Council of Ephesus, the cult of the People of God toward Mary wonderfully increased  in veneration and love, in invocation and imitation, according to her own prophetic words: “All generations shall call me blessed; because He who is mighty has done great things for me”.

As it has always existed in the Church, this cult is altogether special. Still, it differs essentially from the cult of adoration which is offered to the Incarnate Word, as well as to the Father and to the Holy Spirit. Yet devotion to Mary is most favourable to this supreme cult. The Church has endorsed many forms of piety toward the Mother of God, provided that they were within the limits of sound and orthodox doctrine. These forms have varied according to the circumstances of time and place and have reflected the diversity of native characteristics and temperament among the faithful. While honouring Christ’s Mother, these devotions cause her Son to be rightly known, loved, and glorified, and all His commands observed. Through Him all things have their being and in Him “it has pleased [the eternal Father] that… all his fullness should dwell”.

This most holy Synod deliberately teaches this Catholic doctrine. At the same time, it admonishes all the sons of the Church that the cult, especially the liturgical cult, of the Blessed Virgin, be generously fostered. It charges that practices and exercises of devotion toward her be treasured as recommended by the teaching authority of the Church in the course of centuries, and that those decrees issued in earlier times regarding the veneration of images of Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints, be religiously observed.

Let the faithful remember moreover that true devotion consists neither in fruitless and passing emotion, nor in a certain vain credulity. Rather, it proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God, and are moved to a filial love toward our mother and the imitation of her virtues.

In the bodily and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the Mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as she is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come, as a sign of sure hope and solace for the pilgrim People of God.

It gives great joy and comfort to this most holy Synod that among the separated brethren, too, there are those who give due honor to the Mother of our Lord and Savior. This is especially so among the easterners, who with ardent emotion and devout mind concur in reverencing the Mother of God, ever virgin.

Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayers to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honoured with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.

RESPONSORY

Most holy Virgin, fullness of the graces of the Trinity,
– make all peoples share in your perfect grace.

May the family of nations be gathered into the one People of God in peace and harmony;
– make all peoples share in your perfect grace.

HYMN Te Deum

PRAYER

The prayer is chosen from one of the following:

Let us pray

God,
you brought a remedy to the world
through the glorious Virgin Mary.
May we who are invoking her protection
be aided in all our necessities
and obtain eternal happiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Almighty ever-living God,
you brought a saving remedy to the world
through your only Son, our Redeemer.
As we honor his Mother
under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy,
may we always experience her protection
in all our spiritual and material needs.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.


Or:

Lord,
come to the aid of your people with your gift of peace.
May our trust in the protection
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
bring us freedom from all adversity
and safety in all dangers.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

 All-powerful God,
we rejoice in the protection of the holy Virgin Mary.
May her prayers help to free us from all evils
here on earth
and lead us to eternal joy in heaven.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.




INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ the Lord; he has given us Mary as our Mother and Remedy.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Mother of our Order blest,
placed as our patron from the start,
with heartfelt thanks we sing your praise
for all the blessings you impart.

Since our lips falter in this task,
unworthy sinners, we confess:
let heaven’s hosts sing hymns of praise
while we on earth your name now bless.

May those reborn through your Son’s blood,
O Virgin, never yield to sin;
nor let them ever be misled
by the false webs the world does spin.

Watch over us who pray to you,
protect our whole community:
shield us from sin, for we are yours,
entrusted by the Trinity.

May we rejoice in a clean heart,
grant us to live in purity;
by your right hand remove from us
all that impedes fidelity.

With grateful hearts we sing our praise
with hymns unto the Trinity:
for giving us in all our needs
the Virgin as a remedy. Amen.

Melody: LM

Or:

Hail, Remedy for all or ills!
Hail, Mother of our King!
Protect and keep our Order strong
beneath your shelt’ring wings.

Hail, glory of the Trinity,
O Virgin, full of grace!
As Mother of true Life and Light,
in your our hope we place.

O shining Star upon the sea,
who calms the ocean’s waves:
save all from shipwreck in this life
and guide them safely home.

Direct us in our daily way
to follow Christ, your Son,
that in our consecrated lives
we may all evil shun.

O Mother of Good Remedy,
receive our prayers above.
Make us worthy of your care
and grateful for your love.

We bring to you our hearts and minds,
a thankful offering:
as your own flock we wish to live
always your praise to sing.

O Queen, in you the fault of Eve
was finally undone.
May all creation know and praise
the presence of your Son.

Forevermore let praise resound
unto the Trinity.
May all be freely joined as one
within His Unity. Amen.

Melody: CM

Or:

O Virgin, splendour of God’s works,
life-giving fountain of all grace:
in you redemption was begun,
in you salvation first took place.

O Mother of God’s only Son,
through whom his grace to us drew near:
you are the portal of the Light
that drives away sin’s darkness drear.

 

To you our hymns of thanks belong,
of you our songs of praise resound!
Therefore, receive this offering
and make our lives with love abound.

Release the guilty from their chains;
free all from dread captivity;
let your maternal love extend
to save those bound by misery.

Praise God the Son, the Virgin-born,
and His All-Holy Father blest,
and God the Spirit, living fire:
the Three in One, by all confessed. Amen.

Melody: LM

PSALMODY

(Psalms)

READING
Cf. Wisdom 10:13, 17

She did not abandon the just man when he was sold, but delivered him from sin. She went down with him into the dungeon, and did not desert him in his bonds. She gave the holy ones the recompense of their labours, conducted them by a wondrous road, and became a shelter for them by day a starry flame by night.

RESPONSORY

Queen of mercy, grant us the help of your grace.
– Queen of mercy, grant us the help of your grace.

Grant relief; be a remedy to our sufferings.
– Grant us the help of your grace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Queen of mercy, grant us the help of your grace.

Or:

READING
Baruch 5:3-4

For God will show all the earth your splendour; you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

RESPONSORY

The Virgin Mary is exalted in heaven above all the angels and saints.
– The Virgin Mary is exalted in heaven above all the angels and saints.

She intercedes before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints,
– above all the angels and saints.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Virgin Mary is exalted in heaven above all the angels and saints.

Or:

READING                                                                                       
Galatians 4:4-5

When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted children.

RESPONSORY

You are the fullness of the graces of the Trinity, most holy Virgin Mary.
– You are the fullness of the graces of the Trinity, most holy Virgin Mary.

Make us sharers in your perfect grace,
– most holy Virgin Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– You are the fullness of the graces of the Trinity, most holy Virgin Mary.

Or:

READING
Ephesians 2:3b-5

By nature, all of us deserved God’s wrath, like the rest. But God is rich in mercy; because of his great love for us, he brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favour you were saved.

RESPONSORY

Accept us under your patronage, Mother of our Redeemer.
– Accept us under your patronage, Mother of our Redeemer.

We invoke your remedy and protection,
– Mother of our Redeemer.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– Accept us under your patronage, Mother of our Redeemer.

 CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

One of the following antiphons may be chosen:

Antiphons:

1.    Hail, Daughter of the Father! Hail, Mother of God the Son! Hail, Spouse of the Holy Spirit! Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity.

2.    Mary, open your heart to all and bestow from the fullness of your mercy : redemption to the slave, hearth to the sick, comfort to the afflicted, pardon to the sinner, grace to the just, joy to the angels.

3.    You are our haven in the stormy sea of life ; you are our solace ; you are the redemption of captives and the comfort of those in sorrow.

4.    We ask your protection, blessed Virgin ; under the wings of your maternal devotion and mercy, protect us and guide us.

5.    You are the virgin tabernacle of the Incarnate Word, the cherished daughter of the most high father, the beloved spouse of the Holy Spirit, the most noble dwelling of the Holy Trinity.

6.    You are the hope in which we trust ; you are the patroness to whom we run help, Virgin Mary.

 
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

The chosen antiphon is repeated

1.    Hail, Daughter of the Father! Hail, Mother of God the Son! Hail, Spouse of the Holy Spirit! Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity.

2.    Mary, open your heart to all and bestow from the fullness of your mercy : redemption to the slave, hearth to the sick, comfort to the afflicted, pardon to the sinner, grace to the just, joy to the angels.

3.    You are our haven in the stormy sea of life ; you are our solace ; you are the redemption of captives and the comfort of those in sorrow.

4.    We ask your protection, blessed Virgin ; under the wings of your maternal devotion and mercy, protect us and guide us.

5.    You are the virgin tabernacle of the Incarnate Word, the cherished daughter of the Most High Father, the beloved spouse of the Holy Spirit, the most noble dwelling of the Holy Trinity.

6.    You are the hope in which we trust ; you are the patroness to whom we run help, Virgin Mary.

 INTERCESSIONS

As suppliants, let us direct our prayer to God, One and Three, who wants us to honor Mary as the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the sacred Vessel of the Holy Spirit :
Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

You gave Mary to the world as a bright dawn and a star of the sea,
– may we always walk in the path of her virtue.
Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

You made Mary your dwelling place and tabernacle,
– prepare our hearts to welcome you as she received you.
Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

You lift up the lowly and fill the hungry with good things,
– raise up the fallen, come to the aid of the needy, break the bonds of captives.
Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

You brought peace, joy and remedy to the world through Mary,
– have mercy on all those who await your redemption.
Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

You made Mary the Mother and Patroness of our Order,
– may we all live a life worthy of our calling and make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force.
 Look upon Mary and hear our prayer.

 Or :

Let us extol God, the almighty Father, with great praisse, for he has given us Mary, the Mother of his Son and Spouse of the Holy Spirit, to be our patroness and remedy. Let us prayerfully say:
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

Trinity Most Holy, you brought a remedy to the world through Mary;
– through her intercession, grant healing to the afflicted, consolation to the sorrowful, forgiveness to sinners, and peace and salvation to all.
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, may your Church be of one heart and one mind,
– may the faithful devote themselves to constant prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

You made Mary our Mother,
– may we experience her maternal love.
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

You filled your servant Mary with your grace,
– grant our Order an abundance of your blessings.
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

You made Mary the Mother of mercy,
– may those who are in danger experience her maternal care.
Holy Trinity, keep us under Mary’s protection.

 
Or :

Let us praise God who sent his Son, born of the Virgin Mary, to redeem the world, and has poured our his Holy Spirit, in whom we call out, “Abba, Father!” Let us humbly pray:
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

You chose Mary, your beloved daughter, as the tabernacle of grace,
– fill the hearts of your children with the grace of your love.
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

You prepared the Virgin Mary as the most pure dwelling of your Son,
– make us tabernacles of your Word.
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

You made Mary the sacred vessel of the Holy Spirit,
– make us perpetual temples of your Spirit.
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

You kept Mary attentive to your Word, and made her your faithful servant,
– through her intercession, sanctify our Order that we may remain faithful to the spirit of our vocation.
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

You filled Mary with heavenly wisdom,
– may we grow in the knowledge of you and your Son through the Holy Spirit.
Bestow on us your favour, O Lord.

PRAYER

The prayer is chosen from one of the following:

Let us pray

God,
you brought a remedy to the world
through the glorious Virgin Mary.
May we who are invoking her protection
be aided in all our necessities
and obtain eternal happiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Almighty ever-living God,
you brought a saving remedy to the world
through your only Son, our Redeemer.
As we honor his Mother
under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy,
may we always experience her protection
in all our spiritual and material needs.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Lord,
come to the aid of your people with your gift of peace.
May our trust in the protection
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
bring us freedom from all adversity
and safety in all dangers.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

 All-powerful God,
we rejoice in the protection of the holy Virgin Mary.
May her prayers help to free us from all evils
here on earth
and lead us to eternal joy in heaven.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, LADY OF HER SERVANTS






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, QUEEN AND MOTHER OF MERCY






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE NEW WOMAN






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, QUEEN OF VIRGINS






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GRACE






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, QUEEN OF APOSTLES






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS


Office of Readings

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Most glorious your light does shine,
O Princess of our race,
Andn highest is your only shrine
Midst heaven’s populace.
Of David’s line to you we sing,
O Mary, with your Son, the King

Maternity, virginity –
Most wondrously are met;
An arbour for your progeny
Within your womb is set.
And he whom in that womb you bore
‘Tis He whom creatures shall adore.

Give ear to all who search and plead
Like beggars in the dark;
For you alone are light indeed
By which their eyes might mark
The scatt’ring of the shade of night
Which shrouds your Son, your sole delight.

‘Tis He to whom it is but just
That ev’ry knee should bend;
To him alone this prayer we thrust
But beg your sway commend:
That be dispelled the gloom of night
And be infused the joys of light.

This do you grant, O God of light
Both through your only Son
And with your Holy Spirit bright –
The Third of Three in One,
Who live with you in realms resplendent
And reign with you all time transcendent

PSALMODY

From the feria

FIRST READING

From the feria

SECOND READING


From the Regulations of the Association of the Clients of Mary Help of Christians, written by St. John Bosco
(Opere edite, 21, Rome 1976, 342-347)

Mary, Help of Christians

The title of Help of Christians attributed to the august Mother of the Saviour, is not something new. In the holy books themselves, Mary is spoken of as the Queen who stands at the right hand of her Divine Son, clothed in gold and surrounded with variety. This golden vesture and radiant surroundings, according to the spirit of the Church, are so many gems and diamonds, or titles, we are accustomed to use in addressing Mary. And so when we call the holy Virgin ‘Help of Christians’, we are only using a special title which befits her, as one of the diamonds on her golden garments. In this sense Mary has been greeted as the Help of the human race from the earliest ages of the world when Adam, after falling into sin, was promised a liberator; to be born of a woman, who would crush the head of the insidious serpent by her sinless foot.

The great Woman, indeed, is symbolized in the tree of life which existed in the earthly paradise; in the ark of Noah which saved the adorers of the true God form the universal deluge; in Jacob’s ladder which reached up to heave; in Moses’ bush which burned but was not consumed, and which is an allusion to Mary who remained a virgin after childbirth; in the ark of the covenant; in the tower of David which resisted all assaults; in the rose of Jericho; in the sealed fountain; in the garden, well cultivated and guarded by Solomon, she us symbolized in an outpouring of blessings; in Gideon’s fleece. Elsewhere she is called the star of Jacob, splendid as the moon, noble as the sun, rainbow of peace, pupil of God’s eye, rising dawn of consolation, Virgin and Mother of her Lord. These symbols and expressions which the Church applies to Mary manifest the providential designs of God, which he willed to make known even before her birth, as the firstborn of all creatures, the most excellent protectress, help and support and even redresser of the evils to which the human race is subject.

In the New Testament it is not only with symbols and prophecies that she is referred to as the helper of mankind in general, but she is also called the help, support and defense of Christians; and this no longer in figures, no longer is symbolic expressions; in the Gospel everything is reality and fulfillment of the past. Mary is greeted by the archangel Gabriel who calls her ‘full of grace’. God gazes upon the surpassing humility of Mary and raises her to the dignity of the Eternal Word. Jesus, the immense unfathomed God, becomes the Son of Mary. Of her he is born; by her he is educated and fostered, the Eternal Word made flesh obedient in all things to his eternal Mother. At her request, he works his first miracle in Cana in Galilee; on Calvary, she was constituted as the Mother of all Christians. The Apostles took her as their guide and teacher of virtue. With her they gathered in the Cenacle to pray; with her they awaited in recollection the coming of the Holy Spirit. To the Apostles she addressed her last words before her glorious flight to heaven.

And from the height of her throne in glory, she turns her motherly gaze on mankind saying: From this highest and glorious throne I enrich with blessings those who love me and enhance with heavenly favours their treasuries of grace. And hence there began from the time of her Assumption into heaven the constant and uninterrupted convergence of Christians on Mary, nor has it ever been said – as St. Bernard tells us – that anyone ever had trusting recourse to this loving Mother and was left forsaken. This is why every century, every year, every day, and we may say every moment in history has been marked with some great favour granted to those who have invoked her with faith. This too is the reason why every kingdom, every city and town, every family has a church, a chapel, an altar, a statue, a picture or some other sign which calls to mind the universal veneration for Mary, and at the same time recalls some of the man graces granted to those who have had recourse to her in life’s necessities.

RESPONSORY
Ps 34:2; Lk 1:48; Ps 66:16

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
– For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. Behold, henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me
– For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. Behold, henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed

Or:

From the writings of St. John Bosco, priest
(Meravigilie della Madre di Dio invocate sotto il titolo di Maria Ausiliatrice Torino 1868, c. Il et praef., pp. 25-28 et 5-8)

Mary has been constituted by God as the Help of Christians

When the Blessed Virgin Mary came to visit her, Saint Elizabeth was so filled with the Holy Spirit, that she was inspired to prophesy: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb
With these words, the Holy Spirit through the lips of Elizabeth extolled Mary as blessed and favoured by God and chosen by him to bring to men the blessing which was lost in Eve and for which mankind has been yearning for so many centuries.

To the congratulations of her kinswoman Mary, also inspired by God, replied: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. For he has looked with favour on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed

Now, in order that Mary’s glory might be extended to all generations, so that all might call her blessed, it was necessary that Mary should bestow upon every generation an extraordinary and lasting benefit so that the reason for gratitude and praise might be ever present. This continuous and marvelous benefit is none other than the help Mary gives to men – a help that is extended to all ages, places and people.
The title of “Help of Christians” attributed to the august Mother of the Redeemer is not new in the Church of Christ, but in these latter times, it has been proclaimed of the Blessed Virgin Mary for a special reason. Not only for private favours is Mary being invoked, but especially because of the serious and imminent danger that threaten the faithful. Today the Catholic Church itself is attacked in its missions, in its institutions, in its head, in its doctrine, in its discipline. It is attacked as the Catholic Church, the pillar of truth and the teacher of all the faithful.

And it is precisely to obtain the special protection of heaven that we have recourse to Mary as the Mother of us all, the special helper of Catholics throughout the world and of their leaders
Hence we can truly say that Mary has been constituted by God as the Help of Christians and that in time of crisis she has shown herself to be the helper especially of those who suffer and fight for the faith.
May the Blessed Virgin help us to be faithful to the teachings of the faith, of which the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ, is the head, and obtain for us the grace of preserving in serving God on this earth, so as to join her one day in the kingdom of heavenly glory.

RESPONSORY
Lk 1:48-49; Ps 18:33

All generations shall call me blessed because he who is might has done great things for me
– and holy is his name.

God girded me with strength and set me on the heights
– and holy is his name.

SECOND READING

From the Apostolic Exhortation ‘Marialis Cultus’ of Paul VI

Christ is the only way to the Father, and the ultimate example to whom the disciple must conform his own conduct, to the extent of sharing Christ's sentiments, living his life and possessing his spirit. The Church has always taught this and nothing in pastoral activity should obscure this doctrine. But the Church, taught by the Holy Spirit and benefiting from centuries of experience, recognizes that devotion to the Blessed Virgin, subordinated to worship of the divine Savior and in connection with it, also has a great pastoral effectiveness and constitutes a force for renewing Christian living

The Blessed Virgin's exemplary holiness encourages the faithful to "raise their eyes to Mary who shines forth before the whole community of the elect as a model of the virtues." (cf. Lumen Gentium 65) It is a question of solid, evangelical virtues: faith and the docile acceptance of the Word of God; generous obedience; genuine humility solicitous charity; profound wisdom; worship of God manifested in alacrity in the fulfillment of religious duties, in gratitude for gifts received, in her offering in the Temple and in her prayer in the midst of the apostolic community; her fortitude in exile and in suffering; her poverty reflecting dignity and trust in God; her attentive care for her Son, from His humble birth to the ignominy of the cross; her delicate forethought ; her virginal purity; her strong and chaste married love. These virtues of the Mother will also adorn her children who steadfastly study her example in order to reflect it in their own lives. And this progress in virtue will appear as the consequence and the already mature fruit of that pastoral zeal which springs from devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

The Catholic Church, endowed with centuries of experience, recognizes in devotion to the Blessed Virgin a powerful aid for man as he strives for fulfillment. Mary, the New Woman, stands at the side of Christ, the New Man, within whose mystery the mystery of man alone finds true light; she is given to us as a pledge and guarantee that God's plan in Christ for the salvation of the whole man has already achieved realization in a creature: in her. Contemplated in the episodes of the Gospels and in the reality which she already possesses in the City of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary offers a calm vision and a reassuring word to modern man, torn as he often is between anguish and hope, defeated by the sense of his own limitations and assailed by limitless aspirations, troubled in his mind and divided in his heart, uncertain before the riddle of death, oppressed by loneliness while yearning for fellowship, a prey to boredom and disgust. She shows forth the victory of hope over anguish, of fellowship over solitude, of peace over anxiety, of joy and beauty over boredom and disgust, of eternal visions over earthly ones, of life over death.

RESPONSORY
Cf Lk 1:42

We sing your praises, holy Virgin Mary
– Him whom the heavens cannot contain you have carried in your womb

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb
– Him whom the heavens cannot contain you have carried in your womb

PRAYER

Lord our God,
 you chose the Virgin Mary
to be the mother and help of Christians;
by her prayers
give to the Church the strength of your Spirit
so that with patience and love
its members may overcome every trial
and share even now in the victory of Christ, your Son.
He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.


INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. On the feast of Mary, Help of Christians let us sing to the Lord.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

 Mary Immaculate, star of the morning,
Chosen before the creation began,
Chosen to bring, for thy * bridal adorning,
Woe to the serpent and rescue to man.

Here, in an orbit of shadow and sadness,
Veiling thy splendor, thy course thou hast run;
Now thou art throned in all glory and gladness,
Crowned by the hand of thy Saviour and Son.

Sinners, we worship thy sinless perfection;
Fallen and weak for thy pity we plead;
Grant us the shield of thy sovereign protection,
Measure thine aid by the depth of our need.

Bend from thy throne at the voice of our crying,
Bend to this earth which thy footsteps have trod;
Stretch out thine arms to us, living and dying,
Mary Immaculate, Mother of God.
Melody: LM

PSALMODY

(Psalms)

READING
Jud 13:18-20

Blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who has guided you to strike the head of the leader of our enemies. Your hope will never depart from the hearts of men, as they remember the power of God. May God grant this to be a perpetual honor to you, and may he visit you with blessings, because you did not spare your own life when our nation was brought low, but have avenged our ruin, walking in the straight path before our God."

RESPONSORY

O loving Mother of Christ, O worker of wonders.
O loving Mother of Christ, O worker of wonders.

You are our hope; to you we fly for help.
O worker of wonders

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
O loving Mother of Christ, O worker of wonders.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. O Mary, you rise like the dawn, alleluia; and bear the new Sun, alleluia.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. O Mary, you rise like the dawn, alleluia; and bear the new Sun, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS

At the beginning of this new day let us give thanks with Mary, Help of Christians, to our God and Saviour; and let us say:
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

Jesus, sun of justice, you were born of Mary, star of the morning:
–  grant that we might walk today in your, so that the evening may find us worthy of your benevolent gaze.
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

Christ our Saviour, in your Immaculate Mother you have symbolized the beginning of the Church:
–  grant that we may tend with all our strength to justice and holiness.
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

Christ Jesus, consolation of those who entrust themselves to you:
–  help us through the example of your Mother to carry the crosses we encounter on life’s pilgrimage.
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

Son of David, you enlighten us through your Mother’s eloquent silence on Calvary:
–  help us to understand and help those who are suffering.
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

Christ our Lord, through the mystery of your death and resurrection, you free mankind from evil:
–  grant that young people may overcome the various forms of slavery that exist in our times.
We hope in you, O Son of Mary

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Let us conclude our prayer with the Lord’s prayer:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
 
PRAYER

Lord our God,
 you chose the Virgin Mary
to be the mother and help of Christians;
by her prayers
give to the Church the strength of your Spirit
so that with patience and love
its members may overcome every trial
and share even now in the victory of Christ, your Son.
He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP


Office of Readings

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

INVITATORY

The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Holy Mary! Virgin Mother of God! Perpetual Help! Pray for us.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

The God whom earth and sea and sky
Adore and praise and magnify,
Whose might they own, whose praise they tell,
In Mary’s body deigned to dwell.

O Mother blest! the chosen shrine
Wherein the Architect divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Vouchsafed in hidden guide to lie:

Blest in the message Gabriel brought;
Blest in the work the Spirit wrought;
More blest, to bring to human birth
The long-desired of all the earth.

O Lord, the Virgin-born, to thee
Eternal praise and glory be,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.

Melody: Eisenach
Music: Johann H. Schein, 1586-1630
Text: Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609
Translator: J. M. Neale, 1818-1866

PSALMODY

FIRST READING

Ferial

SECOND READING  

From the Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguouri
(Part  I, Chapter IV, Section I)

To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.

Truly unfortunate are we poor banished  children of Eve; for, guilty before God of her fault, and condemned to the same penalty, we have to wander about in this valley of tears as exiles from our country, and to weep over our many afflictions of body and soul.  But blessed is he who, in the midst of these sorrows, often turns to the comfortress of the world, to the refuge of the unfortunate, to the great Mother of God, and devoutly calls upon her and invokes her!  

 The holy Church carefully teaches us her children with what attention and confidence we should unceasingly have recourse to this loving protectress; and for this purpose commands a worship peculiar to Mary.  And this is what Mary desires.  She wishes us always to seek her and invoke her aid; not as if she were begging of us these honors and marks of veneration, for they are in no way proportioned to her merit; but she desires them, that by such means our confidence and devotion may be increased, and that so she may be able to give us greater succor and comfort:  

She in the exercise of her mercy, knows not how to act differently from God; for, as he flies at once to the assistance of those who beg his aid, faithful to his promise, Ask, and you shall receive, so Mary, whenever she is invoked, is at once ready to assist him who prays to her

Nor should the multitude of our sins diminish our confidence that Mary will grant our petitions when we cast ourselves at her feet.  She is the mother of mercy; but mercy would not be needed did none exist who require it.  On this subject Richard of St. Laurence remarks, that as a good mother does not shrink from applying a remedy to her child infected with ulcers, however nauseous and revolting they may be, so also is our good mother unable to abandon us when we have recourse to her, that she may heal the wounds caused by our sins, however loathsome they may have rendered us

This good mother's compassion is so great, and the love she bears us is such, that she does not even wait for our prayers in order to assist us; but, as St. Anselm says, she is beforehand with those who desire her protection.  

Her love for us is so tender, that in our wants she anticipates our prayers, and her mercy is more prompt to help us than we are to ask her aid. And this arises adds Richard of St. Victor from the fact that the heart of Mary is so filled with compassion for poor sinners, that she no sooner sees our miseries than she pours her tender mercies upon us.  Nor is it possible for this benign Queen to behold the want of any soul without immediately assisting it

Should there be any one who doubts as to whether Mary will aid him if he has recourse to her, Innocent III thus reproves him: Who is there that ever, when in the night of sin, had recourse to this sweet Lady without being relieved? Such a case certainly never did and never will occur.
 
Let all, then, say, with full confidence in the words of that beautiful prayer addressed to the Mother of mercy, and commonly attributed to St. Bernard, Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that it is a ting unheard of in any age that any one had recourse to thy protection and was left unaided.

Therefore, forgive me, O Mary, if I say that I will not be the first unfortunate creature who has ever had recourse to you and was abandoned.

REPONSORY

Happy are you, Blessed Virgin Mary, and deserving of all praise.
– From you shines out the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, our Saviour and Redeemer.

Let us merrily keep this feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
– From you shines out the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, our Saviour and Redeemer.

PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus,
in reverencing this picture,
we reverence your mother Mary,
ever ready to help us.
May we never cease to pray for her help,
and so constantly feel the benefit of our Redemption.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have given us your own Mother Mary,
whose wonderful image we venerate,
to be our Mother ever ready to help us.
Grant, we beseech you,
that we, who continually seek her motherly aid,
may be found worthy to enjoy increasingly
the fruit of our redemption.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

MORNING PRAYER

INVITATORY

The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Praise to Mary, Heaven’s Gate,
Guiding Star of Christians’ way,
Mother of our Lord and King,
Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God
Choosing to fulfill his plan,
By your perfect act of love
Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways,
Halt the devil’s strong attack,
Walk with us the narrow path,
Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood,
Bring your children’s prayers to Christ,
Christ, your son, who ransomed man,
Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest,
Ever faithful to God’s call,
Guide us in this earthy life,
Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith
So that we may see your son;
Join our humble prayers to yours,
Till life’s ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son,
Praise the holy Paraclete;
Offer all through Mary’s hands,
Let her make our prayers complete.

Melody: Got sei dank 77.77
Music: Freylinghausen’s Gesangbuch, 1704
Text: Ave Maris Stella, 9th century
Translator: Rev. F. Quinn, O.P., et al.

Or:

O Glorious Lady throned in rest,
Amidst the starry host above,
Who gavest nurture from thy breast
To God, with pure maternal love.

What we had lost through sinful Eve
The Blossom sprung from thee restores,
And, granting bliss to souls that grieve,
Unbars the everlasting doors.

O Gate through which hath passed the King,
O Hall, whence Light shone though the gloom;
The ransomed nations praise and sing
Life given from the Virgin womb.

All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-born to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Melody: O gloriosa Domina, L.M.
Text: Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609
Translation: © Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

PSALMODY

READING
See Isaiah 61:10

I rejoice heartily in the Lord,
   in my God is the joy of my soul;
For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation,
   and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
   like a bride bedecked with her jewels

RESPONSORY

The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.
– The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.

He has taken her to live with him,
– his loved one from the beginning.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has chosen her,
his loved one from the beginning.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Mary, Queen of the world! Mary, ever Virgin! Mother of Christ our Saviour! Win us peace. Win us salvation.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
  all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Mary, Queen of the world! Mary, ever Virgin! Mother of Christ our Saviour! Win us peace. Win us salvation.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Savior of the world, by your redeeming might you preserved your mother beforehand from all stain of sin,
– keep watch over us, lest we sin.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

You are our redeemer, who made the immaculate Virgin Mary your purest home and the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit,
– make us temples of your Spirit for ever.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Eternal Word, you taught your mother to choose the better part,
– grant that in imitating her we may seek the food that brings life everlasting.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

King of kings, you lifted up your mother, body and soul, into heaven;
– help us to fix our thoughts on things above.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Lord of heaven and earth, you crowned Mary and set her at your right hand as queen,
– make us worthy to share this glory.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Or:

Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Sun of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising,
– grant that we may always live in the light of your coming.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.d.

Eternal Word, you chose Mary as the uncorrupted ark of your dwelling place,
– free us from the corruption of sin.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Savior of mankind, your mother stood at the foot of your cross,
– grant, through her intercession, that we may rejoice to share in your passion.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

With ultimate generosity and love, you gave Mary as a mother to your beloved disciple,
– help us to live as worthy sons of so noble a mother.
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Father,
you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary
to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit.
By her prayers
may we become a more worthy temple of your glory.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS






BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE


Office of Readings

Morning Prayer

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Provident Mother, sweet Mother of Jesus,
Oh, what a concern for your Son you expressed!
When lost in the temple, in worry but trustful,
You sought Him and joyful you found Him in there.

At Cana you pleaded for us, too, your children:
”They’re wanting, my Jesus, the wine of sheer gladness.”
Oh, give them the wine of pure grace and pure bounty.
They will, then, your Kingdom of justice e’er seek.

At Cana, persuasive, you called on us saying:
”Whatever He tells you, in earnest, perform it.”
Assurance you won’t have of greater fulfillment.
Oh, help us to listen, whenever He speaks.

This feast our Forefathers a legacy left us;
Delighted we make it our duty and glory.
In joyful thanksgiving your glories, dear Mother,
In chorus confessing, God Triune we praise.

Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!

Music: P. Magri
Text: Fr. Luciano M. Visconti, CRSP

PSALMODY

From the feria

FIRST READING

From the feria

SECOND READING

From the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the second Vatican Council
(Lumen Gentium, nn. 61-62)

Mary’s motherhood in the order of grace

The Blessed Virgin was predestined to be the Mother of God in the eternal plan for the
incarnation of God’s Word. By decree of God’s providence she was, here on earth, the
loving mother of the divine Redeemer, the noblest of all his companions and the humble
servant of the Lord. In conceiving Christ, in bearing him, in nursing him, in presenting
him to the Father in the temple, in sharing her Son’s passion as he was dying on the cross
by her obedience, her faith, her hope and burning love, she cooperated, in a way that was
quite unique, in the work of the Savior in restoring supernatural life to souls. She is
therefore a mother to us in the order of grace.

This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace — from the consent which she gave in
faith at the annunciation, and which she continued to give unhesitatingly at the foot of the
cross — lasts without interruption until all the elect enter into eternal fulfillment. When
she was taken up into heaven, she did not lay aside this saving role but she continues by
her intercession for all to gain for us the gifts of eternal salvation.

In her maternal love she cares for the brothers and sisters of her Son as they journey on
earth in the midst of dangers and hardships, until they are brought safely home to the
happiness of heaven.

The Blessed Virgin is thus invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate,
Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix and Mediatrix. These titles must not, however, be understood as in
any way detracting from, or adding to, the dignity and effectiveness of Christ, the one
Mediator.

No creature can ever be classed as an equal with the incarnate Word, the Redeemer. But
just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways by his ministers and his faithful
people, and as the goodness of God, one though it is, is, in different ways really shared
with creatures, so also the unique mediation of Christ does not exclude but brings about a
variety of shared cooperation, deriving from the one unique source.

The Church does not hesitate to acknowledge this kind of subordinate role in the person
of Mary. The Church has continuous experience of its effects, and commends it to the
hearts of the faithful, so that as they lean on her motherly protection they may be brought
into closer union with the Mediator, our Savior.

Alternative:

From the writings of Fr. John Semeria, CRSP
(Mater Divinae Providentiae, Nov. 1922, pp. 372-375)

Mother of Divine Providence

Our Blessed Mother has so many beautiful titles, mostly created by the simple and spontaneous piety of the Christian people inspired by the loving theology called “sensus fidei.” These titles are warm with affection and redolent with genuine goodness. They are poetic, luminous and warm. They express a truth and they express it effectively. A whole Marian theology is contained in them. By repeating them, ideas and loving feelings are intensified. Our title places us squarely at the center of true theology.

Mother: here is the synthesis of Mary’s greatness. She is Our Lady because she was a mother. Mother of Jesus Christ! This says it all. It is the very root of Our Lady’s “human” greatness. A woman achieves natural fulfillment by becoming a mother. Mother is the most august title of and for a woman. Even a queen is not happy if she is not a mother; and a mother has in her maternity the secret of a joy and a pride which a queen does not know. A mother is blessed among women, as Mary is blessed among mothers. That name of mother expresses the “divine” greatness of Our Lady. She is higher than all other creatures, because she is mother of Jesus, Son of Man, and Son of God. The divine greatness of the Son is reflected on His mother. Among mothers she is the blessed one; she is the blessed one because the fruit of her womb is called Jesus, it is Jesus Christ. Mary, mother of us all; in Jesus, universal mother, because she is a unique mother. Jesus’ love, action and sacrifice flood the world and the centuries, reaching to the ends of the earth, losing themselves in eternity. And where we find the widening effects of Jesus’ love, there we find the widening effects of Mary’s love as well. But this title, this condensed lyrical poem goes on: of Divine Providence.

Here Mary is placed in direct relationship with the Dogma of God’s Providence and, through this relationship, we are led to a most basic Dogma which Christianity shares with the most rudimentary forms of religion. Indeed whoever comes close, whoever simply desires to come close to God, to take the smallest step toward God, must believe not only that he exists, but also that he gives equal reward for human works, that he is the “provider” in the most basic and highest meaning of the word (cf. Hebrews 11:6). If there are no bridges between heaven and earth, does it matter if heaven exists or not, does it matter to us? This is why St. Paul proclaims that for our religious life the bare cold idea of a God does not suffice. God exists! So? What we need is the warmer, more luminous and more beneficial notion of a God who is provident. Who thinks of us, who is concerned about us. Christianity, a warm, alive religion; Christianity, the full revelation of God, starts here and somehow is all contained here. Because once Providence, God’s Providence, is accepted the rest follows, with an easy and marvelous logic of its own.

Everything in Christianity is absurd, everything would be absurd, if we were to deny or forget this great dogma of God’s Providence. Everything is easy if that dogma is joyfully accepted. Our entire concrete existence depends on it. Surely, Christian life is prayer; but one cannot pray to a God who is deaf by nature and impervious to our petitions. Christian faith calls for ordering our whole life toward a divinely established goal, or, to put it more simply, it calls for obedience to God. Now, we can really obey
only a God who summons us in love. Also, Christian life is mainly resignation to suffering, but we cannot be resigned to suffering unless it comes from the hands of a provident and loving father. Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, by her beautiful name and sweet title, leads us back to this authentic and wholesome Sacred Kernel of Christianity. Sweetly and relentlessly she introduces us into this atmosphere which we need to breathe in order to enjoy Christian vigor and strength. The Mother leads us to the Father.

RESPONSORY

Change our mourning into joy,
—so that full of life we can sing in honor of your name, O Lord.

Change our mourning into gladness and our affliction into salvation,
—so that full of life we can sing in honor of your name, O Lord.

PRAYER

O God,
whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things,
we humbly implore you through the intercession
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son,
to remove from us whatever is harmful
and to bestow on us only that which is helpful.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.





INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

O Provident Mother, sweet Mother of Jesus,
Oh, what a concern for your Son you expressed!
When lost in the temple, in worry but trustful,
You sought Him and joyful you found Him in there.

At Cana you pleaded for us, too, your children:
”They’re wanting, my Jesus, the wine of sheer gladness.”
Oh, give them the wine of pure grace and pure bounty.
They will, then, your Kingdom of justice e’er seek.

At Cana, persuasive, you called on us saying:
”Whatever He tells you, in earnest, perform it.”
Assurance you won’t have of greater fulfillment.
Oh, help us to listen, whenever He speaks.

This feast our Forefathers a legacy left us;
Delighted we make it our duty and glory.
In joyful thanksgiving your glories, dear Mother,
In chorus confessing, God Triune we praise.

Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!

Music: P. Magri
Text: Fr. Luciano M. Visconti, CRSP

PSALMODY

From the feria

READING
Judith 14:7-8

Blessed are you in every tent of Judah; and in every foreign nation, all who hear of you will be struck with terror. But now, tell me all that you did during these days.

RESPONSORY

Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth.
—Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth.

The Lord has filled you with grace
—more than all women on earth.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
—Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. My children, I will seek peace for you and I will provide goodness for you.


Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. My children, I will seek peace for you and I will provide goodness for you.

INTERCESSIONS

As we joyfully celebrate the solemnity of Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, let us
invoke Christ our Savior:
Lord Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, to redeem the world, you chose Mary to be your mother,
—grant us generously to cooperate, in purity of heart, to the work of redemption.
Lord Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, born of the Virgin and laid in a manger,
—grant us to love your poverty and to experience her maternal providence.
Lord Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, for thirty years you were obedient to Mary and Joseph,
—grant us to partake in the mystery of your obedience.
Lord Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, together with your mother, you journeyed into exile and preached the Good News,
—grant us to carry your Word to the ends of the world.
Lord Jesus, hear us.

Jesus, dying on the cross you gave us Mary as our mother,
—grant us never to forget her motherly love.
Lord Jesus, hear us.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Let us conclude our prayer with the Lord’s prayer:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

PRAYER

O God,
whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things,
we humbly implore you through the intercession
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son,
to remove from us whatever is harmful
and to bestow on us only that which is helpful.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, RECONCILER OF SINNERS


INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Conqueror of the serpent dire,
O Mother, sole in innocence,
unsullied lily rising fair
from midst the thornbush of mankind.

Protect us with your gentle light,
repentant as we own our crimes;
our mediatrix be and advocate
before your Son, our righteous judge.

For we have sinned, have lost our way,
lured by this fleeting world's delights;
have pity now upon our plight
and our atoning tears receive.

If sternly you reject our pleas,
to whom our prayer can we address,
or how can we avoid the flames
of foul Gehenna's gloomy depths?

Recall how from the blood-drenched Cross
to you once Christ did us entrust;
now, Mother, guide your shipwrecked sons
in mercy to salvation's port.

Jesus, to you all glory be,
who were of Virgin Mary born,
to Father and the Spirit too
all honor be for evermore. Amen.

PSALMODY

From the feria

SECOND READING

From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot
(Homily on the Nativity of Mary, The Aqueduct, 6-7)

Do you seek an advocate with the Son? Have recourse to Mary.

Let us consider with what tender devotion God wishes us to honor Mary since he has placed within her such fullness of all good; so that if there is anything of hope in us, if anything of grace, if anything of salvation, we may know it has been given to us through his gifts overflowing from her who went up (from the desert) flowing with delights.

Take away the sun which brightens the world; where is the light of day? Take away Mary, the star of the sea, of a vast and boundless sea; what is left but an encompassing mist, a shadow of death, the densest darkness.

Let us honor Mary, then, from our inmost hearts, with all our love, with every act of devotion; because this is the will of him who wishes us to have everything through Mary. You feared approaching the Father. Terrified by the mere sound of his voice, you hid yourself in the thicket (like Adam after the fall). He gave you Jesus as mediator. What can such a Son fail to obtain from such a Father? He will surely be heard because of his filial trust. The Father, indeed, loves the Son.

Yet, does he too fill you with awe? He is your brother, born of your flesh, tempted in every way that you are, though he is without sin, that he might learn compassion. This brother was given to you by Mary. Perhaps you fear in him the divine majesty since, even though he was made man, he still remained God. Do you seek an advocate with him? Have recourse to Mary.

In her you will find pure humanity not only because she is free of all defilement, but because she shares solely in human nature. I do not hesitate to say that Mary will surely be heard by reason of her trust. The Son will answer the prayer of the mother and the Father will hear the prayer of the Son.

Little children, behold the ladder of sinners, my greatest assurance, the whole reason for my hope. I ask you: Can the Son refuse his mother anything? Can he allow her pleas to go unheeded? Neither. The angel told her: You have found favor with God. Mary shall always find grace with God and grace alone is what we have need of. For it is by grace alone that we are saved.

RESPONSORY
See Judith 13:14

Praise the Lord, our God, who has not abandoned those who hope in him.
— In me, his handmaid, he has fulfilled the mercy he promised to the house of Israel.

He exalted me that I might make many peoples safe.
— In me, his handmaid, he has fulfilled the mercy he promised to the house of Israel.

Alternative:

SECOND READING

From the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council
(Lumen gentium, nn. 61-62)

Mary's motherhood in the order of grace

The Blessed Virgin was predestined to be the Mother of God in the eternal plan for the incarnation of God's Word. By decree of God's providence she was, here on earth, the loving mother of the divine Redeemer, the noblest of all his companions, and the humble servant of the Lord. In conceiving Christ, in bearing him, in nursing him, in presenting him to the Father in the temple, in sharing her Son's passion as he was dying on the cross by her obedience, her faith, her hope and burning love, she cooperated, in a way that was quite unique, in the work of the Savior in restoring supernatural life to souls. She is therefore a mother to us in the order of grace.

This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace —from the consent which she gave in faith at the annunciation, and which she continued to give un- hesitatingly at the foot the cross—lasts without interruption until all the elect enter into eternal fulfillment. When she was taken up into heaven, she did not lay aside this saving role but she continues by her intercession for all to gain for us the gifts of eternal salvation.

In her maternal love she cares for the brothers and sisters of her Son as they journey on earth in the midst of dangers and hardships, until they are brought safely home to the happiness of heaven.

The Blessed Virgin is thus invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate. Auxiliatrix and Mediatrix. These titles must not. however, be understood as in any way detracting from, or adding to, the dignity and effectiveness of Christ, the one Mediator.

No creature can ever be classed as an equal with the incarnate Word, the Redeemer. But just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways by his ministers and his faithful people, and as the goodness of God, one though it is, is, in different ways, really shared with creatures, so also the unique mediation of Christ does not exclude but brings about a variety of shared cooperation, deriving from the one unique source. The Church does not hesitate to acknowledge this kind of subordinate role in the person of Mary. The Church has continuous experience of its effects, and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that as they lean on her motherly protection they may be brought into closer union with the Mediator, our Savior.

RESPONSORY

Through the Virgin Mary the salvation of the world was made manifest to believers.
— Her glorious life enlightens all the churches.

With joy let us celebrate the constant intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary.
— Her glorious life enlightens all the churches.

PRAYER

Let us pray

God our Father,
by the precious blood of your Son,
you reconciled the world to yourself
and, as she stood beside his cross,
made his Mother the Reconciler of sinners.
By her kind intercession,
may we obtain the forgiveness of our sins.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

MORNING PRAYER

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of Mary.

HYMN

Bedewed with Christ's own precious blood,
our shameful deeds all purged away,
O Mother, now our hearts extol
your role as reconciler fair.

While still within his mother's womb,
replete with Holy Spirit's grace,
the Baptist to the world revealed
in you our bridge to Heaven's height.

As shades of night make quick retreat
when shine the sun's first rays on earth,
so when your light upon us dawns
each mourning heart is bathed in joy.

Cease not, O Mother, to pursue
all wanderers from their Father's home,
whom riches, greed still hold in sway,
whom vice in fetters still detains.

Grant that we may with constant tears
wash clean our hearts by sins defiled,
grant that we may for God alone
live out our lives, love Him alone.

Jesus, to you all glory be,
who were of Virgin Mary born,
to Father and the Spirit too
all honor be for evermore. Amen.

PSALMODY

From the feria

READING
See Judith 13:19, 20

The Lord so exalted your name that your praise shall never pass from the memories of those who tell of the might of God. For their sake you did not spare your own life.

RESPONSORY

The Almighty, O Mary, has done great things for you.
— The Almighty, O Mary, has done great things for you.

His mercy reaches from age to age.
— The Almighty, O Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Almighty, O Mary, has done great things for you.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. You are the mother of mercy, the refuge of sinners, the hope of the guilty; of you was born Christ, the dawn from on high who enlightens the world.
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. You are the mother of mercy, the refuge of sinners, the hope of the guilty; of you was born Christ, the dawn from on high who enlightens the world.

INTERCESSIONS

Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:
May your mother intercede for us, Lord.

Our Redeemer, from the cross you gave us your most loving mother,
— grant that the life we live may make us worthy to be called her sons.

You willed that, for our reconciliation, your mother should share in your passion,
— grant that we may fill up what is lacking in your sufferings for the Church.

You never cease calling us to your friendship through sincere repentance,
— grant that, after the example of Mary, we may grow in the spirit of charity, prayer and penance.

You conferred upon your people a royal priesthood for the glory of the Father.
— grant that, at the hands of Mary, we may unceasingly offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God.

You live in the Church and guide her always by the Holy Spirit.
— grant that, with the aid of Mary, the Mother of the Church, we may ever heed her voice with eagerness.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Let us conclude our prayer with the Lord’s prayer:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

PRAYER

God our Father, by the precious blood of
your Son, you reconciled the world to yourself
and, as she stood beside his cross, made his
Mother the Reconciler of sinners. By her kind
intercession, may we obtain the forgiveness of
our sins. We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.


IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY


Office of Readings

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

INVITATORY

The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

The God whom earth and sea and sky
Adore and praise and magnify,
Whose might they own, whose praise they tell,
In Mary’s body deigned to dwell.

O Mother blest! the chosen shrine
Wherein the Architect divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Vouchsafed in hidden guide to lie:

Blest in the message Gabriel brought;
Blest in the work the Spirit wrought;
More blest, to bring to human birth
The long-desired of all the earth.

O Lord, the Virgin-born, to thee
Eternal praise and glory be,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.

Melody: Eisenach
Music: Johann H. Schein, 1586-1630
Text: Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609
Translator: J. M. Neale, 1818-1866

PSALMODY

FIRST READING

Ferial

SECOND READING  

From the Letters of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, bishop
(Selected Spiritual Writings, Vol 3, pgs. 584-588, 593)

The Heart of Mary, the temple of the Holy Spirit

I have just received your most welcome letter in which you ask me to say something that will help you grow daily in devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Dear friend, you could not ask me to do anything more to my liking. I only wish that all Christians had such a hunger and thirst for this devotion. Love Mary, my friend, and love her very much.

God is wont to give grace to each creature according to the end for which He destines it. Now as God destined Mary to be the Mother, Daughter and Spouse of God Himself we may infer how great a Heart He gave her and with what great graces He adorned her.

There are two aspects which we must consider in Mary’s Heart, namely, her material heart and her formal heart, which is her love and will.

The Heart of Mary combines all these properties and more besides: 1) The Heart of Mary was not only a living member of Jesus Christ through faith and charity, but was also the origin and spring from which His humanity was taken. 2) The Heart ofMa1y was a temple of the Holy Spirit, and more than a temple, from the most precious blood that flowed from this Immaculate Heart, the Holy Spirit formed the Sacred Humanity in the most pure and virginal womb of Mary, in the great mystery of the Incarnation 3) The Heart ofMa1y has been the organ of virtues in a heroic degree, and singularly in charity toward God and toward men. The Heart of Mary is at this very moment a living and animate heart, lifted up to the sublimed height of glory. 5) The Heart of Mary is the throne from which all graces and mercies are dispensed.

Therefore, my friend, after Jesus, we must put all our trust and hope of our eternal salvation in her. O, happy is he who calls upon Mary, who turns to the Immaculate Heart of Mary with trust, for he will obtain the pardon of his sins, however many and grave they may be. He will obtain grace and finally the glory of heaven which I heartily desire for you and for all.

REPONSORY

Blessed are you, Virgin Mary, and worthy of all praise,
by your faith and love Christ was formed in your Heart.
– Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
you bore the Son of the eternal Father.
– Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Alternative:

Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus of Pope Paul VI, on devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
(nos. 17 and 18).

Mary is the attentive and praying Virgin

Mary is the attentive Virgin, who receives the word of God with faith, that faith which in her case was the gateway and path to divine motherhood, for, as Saint Augustine realized, “Blessed Mary by believing conceived Him [Jesus] whom believing she brought forth.” In fact, when she received from the angel the answer to her doubt , "full of faith, and conceiving Christ in her mind before conceiving Him in her womb, she said, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me’.”  It was faith that was for her the cause of blessedness and certainty in the fulfillment of the promise: “Blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled”. Similarly, it was faith with which she, who played a part in the Incarnation and was a unique witness to it, thinking back on the events of the infancy of Christ, meditated upon these events in her heart. The Church also acts in this way, especially in the liturgy, when with faith she listens, accepts, proclaims and venerates the word of God, distributes it to the faithful as the bread of life and in the light of that word examines the signs of the times and interprets and lives the events of history.

Mary is also the Virgin in prayer. She appears as such in the visit to the mother of the precursor, when she pours out her soul in expressions glorifying God, and expressions of humility, faith and hope. This prayer is the Magnificat, Mary’s prayer par excellence, the song of the messianic times in which there mingles the joy of the ancient and the new Israel. As St. Irenaeus seems to suggest, it is in Mary’s canticle that there was heard once more the rejoicing of Abraham who foresaw the Messiah (cf. Jn. 8:56) and there rang out in prophetic anticipation the voice of the Church: “In her exultation Mary prophetically declared in the name of the Church: ‘My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord. . . ’ ” And in fact Mary’s hymn has spread far and wide and has become the prayer of the whole Church in all ages.

At Cana, Mary appears once more as the Virgin in prayer: when she tactfully told her Son of a temporal need, she also obtained an effect of grace, namely, that Jesus, in working the first of His “signs,” confirmed His disciples’ faith in Him.

Likewise, the last description of Mary’s life presents her as praying. The apostles “joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” We have here the prayerful presence of Mary in the early Church and in the Church throughout all ages, for, having been assumed into heaven, she has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation. The title Virgin in prayer also fits the Church, which day by day presents to the Father the needs of her children, “praises the Lord unceasingly and intercedes for the salvation of the world.” 

RESPONSORY
Luke I: 45-46; cf. Psalm 66: 16

Blessed are you, Virgin Mary,
you believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
Mary said,
– my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. 

Come and hear, and I will recount what God has done for me.
– My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.

PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord, our God,
you chose Mary ever Virgin
to be the Mother of your Son and our Mother.
May we, by our offering of ourselves to her motherly Heart,
configure ourselves more fully with Christ,
and moved by her love,
dedicate ourselves with greater generosity
to the proclamation of the Gospel to all peoples.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus  Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Lord God,
you chose Mary to be the Mother of your Son and our Mother.
Grant that, by faithful dedication to her maternal Heart,
we may be more fully conformed with Christ and,
driven by his love,
devote ourselves more generously
to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

MORNING PRAYER

INVITATORY

The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come let us praise the Lord on this feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now,
will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Praise to Mary, Heaven’s Gate,
Guiding Star of Christians’ way,
Mother of our Lord and King,
Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God
Choosing to fulfill his plan,
By your perfect act of love
Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways,
Halt the devil’s strong attack,
Walk with us the narrow path,
Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood,
Bring your children’s prayers to Christ,
Christ, your son, who ransomed man,
Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest,
Ever faithful to God’s call,
Guide us in this earthy life,
Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith
So that we may see your son;
Join our humble prayers to yours,
Till life’s ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son,
Praise the holy Paraclete;
Offer all through Mary’s hands,
Let her make our prayers complete.

Melody: Got sei dank 77.77
Music: Freylinghausen’s Gesangbuch, 1704
Text: Ave Maris Stella, 9th century
Translator: Rev. F. Quinn, O.P., et al.

Or:

O Glorious Lady throned in rest,
Amidst the starry host above,
Who gavest nurture from thy breast
To God, with pure maternal love.

What we had lost through sinful Eve
The Blossom sprung from thee restores,
And, granting bliss to souls that grieve,
Unbars the everlasting doors.

O Gate through which hath passed the King,
O Hall, whence Light shone though the gloom;
The ransomed nations praise and sing
Life given from the Virgin womb.

All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-born to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.

Melody: O gloriosa Domina, L.M.
Text: Venantius Fortunatus, 530-609
Translation: © Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

PSALMODY

READING 
Hebrews 11:11-12

By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

RESPONSORY

The Word of Christ dwells abundantly in you.
Happy are those who abide by it.
– The Word of Christ dwells abundantly in you.
Happy are those who abide by it.

The Word of faith we preach.
– Happy are those who abide by it.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Word of Christ dwells abundantly in you.
Happy are those who abide by it.

GOSPEL CANTICLE

Ant. Happy are you, Virgin Mary, because you believed; happy also are those who hear the Word of God and abide by it.

Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner


Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Happy are you, Virgin Mary, because you believed; happy also are those who hear the Word of God and abide by it.

INTERCESSIONS

As we celebrate this feats with joy, let us raise our prayers to God through the intercession of the Heart of Mary, so that in our lives and ministry we may be true sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and so we say:
Lord hear our prayer.

You gave Mary a pure heart,
– purify us from all faults and grant that we may distance ourselves from all evil.
Lord hear our prayer.

Through the Holy Spirit you consecrated Mary so she would be the Mother of your Son,
– let us consecrate our whole lives to your service.
Lord hear our prayer.

You chose Mary as Ark of the Word,
– may we also conserve and meditate upon your Word in our hearts.
Lord hear our prayer.

You willed that your Son, nailed to the cross, give us Mary as our Mother,
– grant that in announcing your kingdom, we show ourselves to be her true sons.
Lord hear our prayer.

You wished Mary to be present with the apostles on the day of Pentecost,
– send your Holy Spirit and renew us to announce your Kingdom to all peoples.  
Lord hear our prayer.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, our God,
you chose Mary ever-Virgin
to be the Mother of your Son and our Mother.
May we, by our offering of ourselves to her motherly Heart,
configure ourselves more fully with Christ,
and moved by her love,
dedicate ourselves with greater generosity
to the proclamation of the Gospel to all peoples.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

Or:

Lord God,
you chose Mary to be the Mother of your Son and our Mother.
Grant that, by faithful dedication to her maternal Heart,
we may be more fully conformed with Christ and,
driven by his love,
devote ourselves more generously
to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless + us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

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