In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
O God, Who, by the message of an angel, willed Your Word to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Your suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
All the rich among the people seek Your face. Behind her the virgins of her train are brought to the King. They are borne in to You with gladness and joy (Ps 44:13, 15-16).
My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King (Ps 44:2).
My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King (Ps 44:2).
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
All the rich among the people seek Your face. Behind her the virgins of her train are brought to the King. They are borne in to You with gladness and joy.
A Reading from the book of Isaiah
Isa 7:10-15
In those days, the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord! Then he said, Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel. He shall be living on curds and honey by the time He learns to reject the bad and choose the good.
R. Thanks be to God.
Isa 7:10-15
In those days, the Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord! Then he said, Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel. He shall be living on curds and honey by the time He learns to reject the bad and choose the good.
R. Thanks be to God.
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever (Ps 44:3, 5.).
In the cause of truth and mercy and for the sake of justice: may your right hand show you wondrous deeds (Ps 44:11-12).
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear; for the King shall desire your beauty. All the rich among the people seek Your favor; the daughters of kings come to meet You ((Ps 44:13, 10).
Behind her the virgins of her train are brought to the King; they are borne in to You. They are brought with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the King (Ps 44:15-16).
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 1:26-38
At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He shall be king over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. But Mary said to the angel, How shall this happen, since I do not know man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for nothing shall be impossible with God. But Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.
R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Luke 1:26-38
At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He shall be king over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. But Mary said to the angel, How shall this happen, since I do not know man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for nothing shall be impossible with God. But Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.
R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan,
Bk. ii. on Luke.
The mysteries of God are unsearchable, and it is especially declared by a Prophet, that a man can hardly know His counsels. Wisd. ix. 13. Nevertheless, some things have been revealed to us, and we may gather from some of the words and works of the Lord our Saviour, that there was a special purpose of God, in the fact that she who was chosen to be the mother of the Lord was espoused to a man. Why did not the power of the Highest overshadow her before she was so espoused? Perhaps it was lest any might blasphemously say that she had conceived in fornication the Holy One.
Bk. ii. on Luke.
The mysteries of God are unsearchable, and it is especially declared by a Prophet, that a man can hardly know His counsels. Wisd. ix. 13. Nevertheless, some things have been revealed to us, and we may gather from some of the words and works of the Lord our Saviour, that there was a special purpose of God, in the fact that she who was chosen to be the mother of the Lord was espoused to a man. Why did not the power of the Highest overshadow her before she was so espoused? Perhaps it was lest any might blasphemously say that she had conceived in fornication the Holy One.
And the angel came in unto her. Let us learn from this Virgin how to bear ourselves, let us learn her modesty, let us learn by her devout utterance, above all let us learn by the holy mystery enacted. It is the part of a maiden to be timid, to avoid the advances of men, and to shrink from men's addresses. Would that our women would learn from the example of modesty here set before us. She upon whom the stare of men had never been fixed was alone in her chamber, and was found only by an angel. There was neither companion nor witness there, that what passed might not be debased in gossip and the angel saluted her.
From Holy Rosary by St. Josemaria Escriva – the Annunciation
Don't forget, my friend, that we are children. The Lady of the sweet name, Mary, is withdrawn in prayer.
You, in that house, are whatever you want to be: a friend, a servant, an onlooker, a neighbour... —I, at this moment, don't dare to be anything. I hide behind you; full of awe, I contemplate the scene:
The Archangel delivers his message... Quomodo fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco? —How shall this be done since I know not man? (Luke 1:34)
Our Mother's voice brings to my memory —by contrast— all the impurities of men.... mine too.
And then how I hate the low, mean things of the earth...What resolutions!
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.— Be it done unto me according to Thy word (Luke 1:38). By the enchantment of this virginal phrase, the Word was made flesh.
The first decade is about to end... I still have time to tell my God, before anyone else does: Jesus, I love You.
You, in that house, are whatever you want to be: a friend, a servant, an onlooker, a neighbour... —I, at this moment, don't dare to be anything. I hide behind you; full of awe, I contemplate the scene:
The Archangel delivers his message... Quomodo fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco? —How shall this be done since I know not man? (Luke 1:34)
Our Mother's voice brings to my memory —by contrast— all the impurities of men.... mine too.
And then how I hate the low, mean things of the earth...What resolutions!
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.— Be it done unto me according to Thy word (Luke 1:38). By the enchantment of this virginal phrase, the Word was made flesh.
The first decade is about to end... I still have time to tell my God, before anyone else does: Jesus, I love You.
