For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.
1 posted on
08/14/2012 9:26:11 PM PDT by
Salvation
To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...
Alleluia Ping!
If you aren’t on this ping list NOW and would like to be,
please Freepmail me.
2 posted on
08/14/2012 9:32:01 PM PDT by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation
Just going to throw this out to you and the caucus. Rosaries for Romney/Ryan? Paul seems to be “our” kind of Roman Catholic.
11 posted on
08/14/2012 10:37:58 PM PDT by
defconw
(IT'S ON NOW! ROMNEY/RYAN 2012)
Aug 15, Invitatory – Solemnity for Assumption
Lord, open my lips.
– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship the King of kings; on this day his Virgin Mother was taken up to heaven.
Psalm 95
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.
Th 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, 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.
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.
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.
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 the King of kings; on this day his Virgin Mother was taken up to heaven.
19 posted on
08/15/2012 1:46:50 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
Aug 15, Office of Readings – Solemnity for Assumption
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 615
Proper of Saints: 1318
Psalter from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 1630
Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.
Office of Readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
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
We welcome members of our community to contribute the lyrics for this hymn“Rejoice, O Mary, Queen of Heaven” (from Redemptoris Mater) by Mary Oberle Hubley
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Arise, O Virgin Queen, you are for ever worthy of our praise; take your place in the glorious dwelling place of the eternal king.
Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (St. Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive their neighbor.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him .
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.
O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.
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. Arise, O Virgin Queen, you are for ever worthy of our praise; take your place in the glorious dwelling place of the eternal king.
Ant. 2 The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. He has taken her to live with him.
Psalm 46
God our refuge and strength
He shall be called Emmanuel, which means: God-with-us (Matthew 1:23).
God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea;
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken:
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.
He burns the shields with fire.
“Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold..
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. The Lord has chosen her, his loved one from the beginning. He has taken her to live with him.
Ant. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O Virgin Mary.
Psalm 87
Jerusalem is mother of us all
The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26).
On the holy mountain is his city
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion
to all Jacob’s dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things,
O city of God!
“Babylon and Egypt I will count
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,
these will be her children
and Zion shall be called “Mother”
for all shall be her children.”
It is he, the Lord Most High,
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes:
“These are her children,”
and while they dance they will sing:
“In you all find their home.”
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. Glorious things are said of you, O Virgin Mary.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
Blessed are you, Mary, because you believed.
– The Lord’s words to you have been fulfilled.
READINGS
First reading
From the letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians
1:16-2:10
In Christ Jesus God has given us a seat in the heavenly places
I have never stopped thanking God for you and recommending you in my prayers. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant you a spirit of wisdom and insight to know him clearly. May he enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which he has called you, the wealth of his glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the church, and the immeasurable scope of his power in us who believe. It is like the strength he showed in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at his right hand in heaven, high above every principality, power, virtue, and domination, and every name that can be given in this age or in the age to come.
He has put all things under Christ’s feet and has made him, thus exalted, head of the church, which is his body: the fullness of him who fills the universe in all its parts.
You were dead because of your sins and offenses, as you gave allegiance to the present age and to the prince of the air, that spirit who is even now at work among the rebellious. All of us were once of their company; we lived at the level of the flesh, following every whim and fancy, and so by nature 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 favor you were saved. Both with and in Christ Jesus he raised us up and gave us a place in the heavens, that in the ages to come he might display the great wealth of his favor, manifested by his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
I repeat, it is owing to his favor that salvation is yours through faith. This is not your own doing, it is God’s gift; neither is it a reward for anything you have accomplished, so let no one pride himself on it. We are truly his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to lead the life of good deeds which God prepared for us in advance.
RESPONSORY
How lovely and beautiful are you, O Virgin Mary.
You have left this world to be joined with Christ.
– Adorned with heavenly power you shine forth like the sun among the saints.
The angels rejoice, and the archangels sing your praises, O Virgin Mary.
– Adorned with heavenly power you shine forth like the sun among the saints.
Second reading
From the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus by Pope Pius XII
Your body is holy and excelling in splendor
In their homilies and sermons on this feast the holy fathers and great doctors spoke of the assumption of the Mother of God as something already familiar and accepted by the faithful. They gave it greater clarity in their preaching and used more profound arguments in setting out its nature and meaning. Above all, they brought out more clearly the fact that what is commemorated in this feast is not simply the total absence of corruption from the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary but also her triumph over death and her glorification in heaven, after the pattern set by her only Son, Jesus Christ.
Thus Saint John Damascene, preeminent as the great preacher of this truth of tradition, speaks with powerful eloquence when he relates the bodily assumption of the loving Mother of God to her other gifts and privileges: “It was necessary that she who had preserved her virginity inviolate in childbirth should also have her body kept free from all corruption after death. It was necessary that she who had carried the Creator as a child on her breast should dwell in the tabernacles of God. It was necessary that the bride espoused by the Father should make her home in the bridal chambers of heaven. It was necessary that she, who had gazed on her crucified Son and been pierced in the heart by the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in giving him birth, should contemplate him seated with the Father. It was necessary that the Mother of God should share the possessions of her Son, and be venerated by every creature as the Mother and handmaid of God.”
Saint Germanus of Constantinople considered that it was in keeping not only with her divine motherhood but also with the unique sanctity of her virginal body that it was incorrupt and carried up to heaven: “In the words of Scripture, you appear in beauty. Your virginal body is entirely holy, entirely chaste, entirely the house of God, so that for this reason also it is henceforth a stranger to decay: a body changed, because a human body, to a preeminent life of incorruptibility, but still a living body, excelling in splendor, a body inviolate and sharing in the perfection of life.”
Another early author declares: “Therefore, as the most glorious Mother of Christ, our God and Savior, giver of life and immortality, she is enlivened by him to share an eternal incorruptibility of body with him who raised her from the tomb and took her up to himself in a way he alone can tell.”
All these reasonings and considerations of the holy Fathers rest on Scripture as their ultimate foundation. Scripture portrays the loving Mother of God, almost before our very eyes, as most intimately united with her divine Son and always sharing in his destiny.
Above all, it must be noted that from the second century the holy Fathers present the Virgin Mary as the new Eve, most closely associated with the new Adam, though subject to him in the struggle against the enemy from the nether world. This struggle, as the first promise of a redeemer implies, was to end in perfect victory over sin and death, always linked together in the writings of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Therefore, just as the glorious resurrection of Christ was an essential part of this victory and its final trophy, so the struggle shared by the Blessed Virgin and her Son was to end in glorification of her virginal body. As the same Apostle says: When this mortal body has clothed itself in immortality, then will be fulfilled the word of Scripture: Death is swallowed up in victory.
Hence, the august Mother of God, mysteriously united from all eternity with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a virgin inviolate in her divine motherhood, the wholehearted companion of the divine Redeemer who won complete victory over sin and its consequences, gained at last the supreme crown of her privileges—to be preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb, and, like her Son, when death had been conquered, to be carried up body and soul to the exalted glory of heaven, there to sit in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the ages.
RESPONSORY
This is the glorious day,
on which the Virgin Mother of God was taken up to heaven;
let us sing these words in her praise:
– Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Happy are you, holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise,
from your womb Christ the Sun of Justice has risen.
– Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
TE DEUM
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
– Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
– We praise your name for ever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
– Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy,
– for we have put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
– And we shall never hope in vain.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God, who, looking on the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
raised her to this grace,
that your Only Begotten Son was born of her according to the flesh
and that she was crowned this day with surpassing glory,
grant through her prayers,
that, saved by the mystery of your redemption,
we may merit to be exalted by you on high.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
20 posted on
08/15/2012 1:47:00 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
Aug 15, Morning Prayer – Solemnity for Assumption
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Proper of Saints: 1323
Psalms and canticle from Sunday, Week I, 652
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Proper of Saints: 1227
Psalms and canticle from Sunday, Week I, 707
Morning Prayer for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
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 the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the Gate, Christ the Heav’nly Way!
Mary the Root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the Grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!
Mary the Wheat-sheaf, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the Rose-Tree, Christ the Rose Blood-red!
Mary the Font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the Chalice, Christ the Saving Blood!
Mary the Temple, Christ the Temple’s Lord;
Mary the Shrine, Christ the God adored!
Mary the Beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the Mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!
Mary the Mother, Christ the Mother’s Son.
Both ever blest while endless ages run.
Amen.
Mary the Dawn; Medieval English text; Gregorian Tone 4, setting by Paul Crosssung; performed by Kathleen Lundquist
Mary the Dawn by Kathleen Lundquist is available from Amazon.com
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world’s salvation came forth through you; now in glory, you rejoice for ever with the Lord.
Psalm 63:2-9
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.
O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for your have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
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. Blessed are you, O Mary, for the world’s salvation came forth through you; now in glory, you rejoice for ever with the Lord.
Ant. 2 The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels; let all believers rejoice and bless the Lord.
Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
All you servants of the Lord, sing praise to him (Revelation 19:5).
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord,
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.
Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.
O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all for ever.
Ant. The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels; let all believers rejoice and bless the Lord.
Ant. 3 The Lord has made you so glorious that your praise will never cease to resound among men.
Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.
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. The Lord has made you so glorious that your praise will never cease to resound among men.
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.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven.
– Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven.
For all eternity she shares the victory of Christ.
– The Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. This daughter of Jerusalem is lovely and beautiful as she ascends to heaven like the rising sun at daybreak.
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. This daughter of Jerusalem is lovely and beautiful as she ascends to heaven like the rising sun at daybreak.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
O God, who, looking on the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
raised her to this grace,
that your Only Begotten Son was born of her according to the flesh
and that she was crowned this day with surpassing glory,
grant through her prayers,
that, saved by the mystery of your redemption,
we may merit to be exalted by you on high.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 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.
21 posted on
08/15/2012 1:47:07 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
Aug 15, Midday Prayer for Assumption
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 623
Proper of Saints: 1325 (Midday)
Psalter: 1257 (Complementary Psalmody, Series II, Midday)
Midday Prayer for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, using the Complementary Psalmody
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
Magnificat by Mount St. Mary’s Schola
PSALMODY
Ant. We acclaim you, Mary, as Queen of heaven; the Sun of Justice came forth from your bridal chamber.
Psalm 119:105-112
XIV (Nun)
A meditation on God’s law
This is my commandment: that you should love one another ( John 15:12).
Your word is a lamp for my steps
and a light for my path.
I have sworn and have made up my mind
to obey your decrees.
Lord, I am deeply afflicted:
by your word give me life.
Accept, Lord, the homage of my lips
and teach me your decrees.
Though I carry my life in my hands,
I remember your law.
Though the wicked try to ensnare me
I do not stray from your precepts.
Your will is my heritage for ever,
the joy of my heart.
I set myself to carry out your statutes
in fullness, for ever.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Let your Word, Father, be a lamp for our feet and a light to our path, so that we may understand what you wish to teach us and follow the path your light marks out for us.
Psalm 70
O God, come to my aid
Lord, save us, we are lost (Matthew 8:25).
O God, make haste to my rescue,
Lord, come to my aid!
Let there be shame and confusion
on those who seek my life.
O let them turn back in confusion,
who delight in my harm,
let them retreat, covered with shame,
who jeer at my lot.
Let there be rejoicing and gladness
for all who seek you.
Let them say for ever: “God is great,”
who love your saving help.
As for me, wretched and poor,
come to me, O God.
You are my rescuer, my help,
O Lord, do not delay.
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.
Psalm-prayer
God, our help and deliverer, do not abandon us among the many temptations of life, but deliver us from evil and turn our tears and struggles into joy.
Psalm 75
The Lord, the ruler over all
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly (Luke 1:52).
We give thanks to you, O God,
we give thanks and call upon your name.
We recount your wonderful deeds.
“When I reach the appointed time,
then I will judge with justice.
Though the earth and all who dwell in it may rock,
it is I who uphold its pillars.
To the boastful I say: ‘Do not boast,’
to the wicked: ‘Do not flaunt your strength,
do not flaunt your strength on high.
Do not speak with insolent pride.’”
For neither from the east nor from the west,
nor from desert or mountains comes judgment,
but God himself is the judge.
One he humbles, another he exalts.
The Lord holds a cup in his hand,
full of wine, foaming and spiced.
He pours it; they drink it to the dregs:
all the wicked on the earth must drain it.
As for me, I will rejoice for ever
and sing psalms to Jacob’s God.
He shall break the power of the wicked,
while the strength of the just shall be exalted.
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.
Psalm-prayer
Father, by the passion of your Son you proclaimed the final judgment of the world; when you raised Christ upon the cross you deposed the prince of darkness. Strike down the pride that rules our hearts and raise us to the glory of the resurrection.
Ant. We acclaim you, Mary, as Queen of heaven; the Sun of Justice came forth from your bridal chamber.
READING Revelation 12:1
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
The holy Mother of God is exalted in glory.
– Above the choir of angels in the kingdom of heaven.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God, who, looking on the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
raised her to this grace,
that your Only Begotten Son was born of her according to the flesh
and that she was crowned this day with surpassing glory,
grant through her prayers,
that, saved by the mystery of your redemption,
we may merit to be exalted by you on high.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.
ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)
Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.
22 posted on
08/15/2012 1:47:15 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
Aug 15, Evening Prayer II – Solemnity for Assumption
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Proper of the Season:1326
Psalter from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 1649
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 689
Proper of Saints: 1229
Psalter from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 1378
Evening Prayer II for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
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 crowned with living light,
temple of the Lord,
place of peace and holiness,
shelter of the Word.
Mystery of sinless life
in our fallen race,
free from shadow you reflect
plenitude of grace.
Virgin, mother of our God,
lift us when we fall,
who were named upon the cross
mother of us all.
Father, Son and Spirit blest,
heaven sings your praise;
Mary magnifes your name
through eternal days.
“Mary, crowned with living light”; Music: Gossner’s Choralbuch, Leipzig, 1832; Text: Stanbrook Abbey; Sung by The Cistercian Nuns of St. Mary’s Abbey Glencairn
“Mary Crowned” by The Cistercian Nuns of St. Mary’s Abbey Glencairn is available from Amazon.com.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Mary has been taken up to heaven; the angels rejoice. They bless the Lord and sing his praises.
Psalm 122
Holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”
For love of my brethren and friends
I say: “Peace upon you.”
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.
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 has been taken up to heaven; the angels rejoice. They bless the Lord and sing his praises.
Ant. 2 The Virgin Mary was taken up to the heavenly bridal chamber where the King of kings is seated on a starry throne.
Psalm 127
Apart from God our labors are worthless
You are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9).
If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
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. The Virgin Mary was taken up to the heavenly bridal chamber where the King of kings is seated on a starry throne.
Ant. 3 We share the fruit of life through you, O daughter blessed by the Lord.
Canticle – Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior
Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood,
we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.
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 share the fruit of life through you, O daughter blessed by the Lord.
READING 1 Corinthians 15:22-23
Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life again, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits and then, at his coming, all those who belong to him.
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.
– The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.
Blessed is the Lord who has raised her up.
– Above the choirs of angels.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– The Virgin Mary is exalted above the choirs of angels.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven; rejoice, for she reigns with Christ for ever.
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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. Today the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven; rejoice, for she reigns with Christ for ever.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son’s mother, be celebrated by each generation.
Now in need we ask:
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
O God, worker of miracles, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son’s glory in heaven,
direct the hearts of your children to that same glory.
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
You made Mary our mother. Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners, salvation and peace to all.
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
You made Mary full of grace,
grant all men the joyful abundance of your grace.
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
Make your Church of one mind and one heart in love,
and help all those who believe to be one in prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
You crowned Mary queen of heaven,
may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever.
– Mary, full of grace, intercede for 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
O God, who, looking on the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
raised her to this grace,
that your Only Begotten Son was born of her according to the flesh
and that she was crowned this day with surpassing glory,
grant through her prayers,
that, saved by the mystery of your redemption,
we may merit to be exalted by you on high.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of 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.
23 posted on
08/15/2012 1:47:25 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
Aug 15, Night Prayer II for Assumption
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, Page 1172
Vol II, Page 1628
Vol III, Page 1272
Vol IV, Page 1236
Christian Prayer:
Page 1037
Night Prayer after Evening Prayer II on Solemnities
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.
Examination of conscience:
We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.
Kýrie, eléison
– Kýrie, eléison
Christé, eléison
– Christé, eléison
Kýrie, eléison
– Kýrie, eléison
HYMN
O radiant Light, O Son divine
Of God the Father’s deathless face
O image of the light sublime
That fills the heavenly dwelling-place
Lord Jesus Christ, as daylight fades
As shine the lights of eventide
We praise the Father with the Son
The spirit blest and with them one.
O Son of God, the source of life
Praise is your due by night and day
Unsullied lips must raise the strain
Of your proclaimed and splendid name.
O Radiant Light by Choir of The Cathedral of the Madeleine & The Madeleine Choir School; Lyrics copyright 1973, Fides Publishers, Inc. Notre Dame, Indiana from “Morning Praise and Evensong”. Used by permission of the publisher for non-profit or devotional purposes.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
Psalm 91
Safe in God’s sheltering care
I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19).
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”
It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.
You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand fall at your right,
you, it will never approach;
his faithfulness is buckler and shield.
Your eyes have only to look
to see how the wicked are repaid,
you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!”
and have made the Most High your dwelling.
Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.
They shall bear you upon their hands
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread
and trample the young lion and the dragon.
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him;
protect him for he knows my name.
When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you,”
I will save him in distress and give him glory.
With length of life I will content him;
I shall let him see my saving power.
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. Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
READING Revelation 22:4-5
They shall see the Lord face to face and bear his name on their foreheads. The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever.
RESPONSORY
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
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. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.
Concluding Prayer
Lord,
we beg you to visit this house
and banish from it
all the deadly power of the enemy
May your holy angels dwell here
to keep us in peace,
and may your blessing be upon us always.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.
Blessing
May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
– Amen.
Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
24 posted on
08/15/2012 1:47:34 AM PDT by
markomalley
(Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
To: Salvation
| Luke |
| |
English: Douay-Rheims |
Latin: Vulgata Clementina |
Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) |
| |
Luke 1
|
| 39. |
And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. |
Exsurgens autem Maria in diebus illis, abiit in montana cum festinatione, in civitatem Juda : |
αναστασα δε μαριαμ εν ταις ημεραις ταυταις επορευθη εις την ορεινην μετα σπουδης εις πολιν ιουδα |
| 40. |
And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. |
et intravit in domum Zachariæ, et salutavit Elisabeth. |
και εισηλθεν εις τον οικον ζαχαριου και ησπασατο την ελισαβετ |
| 41. |
And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: |
Et factum est, ut audivit salutationem Mariæ Elisabeth, exsultavit infans in utero ejus : et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth : |
και εγενετο ως ηκουσεν η ελισαβετ τον ασπασμον της μαριας εσκιρτησεν το βρεφος εν τη κοιλια αυτης και επλησθη πνευματος αγιου η ελισαβετ |
| 42. |
And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. |
et exclamavit voce magna, et dixit : Benedicta tu inter mulieres, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. |
και ανεφωνησεν φωνη μεγαλη και ειπεν ευλογημενη συ εν γυναιξιν και ευλογημενος ο καρπος της κοιλιας σου |
| 43. |
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? |
Et unde hoc mihi, ut veniat mater Domini mei ad me ? |
και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με |
| 44. |
For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. |
Ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis tuæ in auribus meis, exsultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo. |
ιδου γαρ ως εγενετο η φωνη του ασπασμου σου εις τα ωτα μου εσκιρτησεν το βρεφος εν αγαλλιασει εν τη κοιλια μου |
| 45. |
And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. |
Et beata, quæ credidisti, quoniam perficientur ea, quæ dicta sunt tibi a Domino. |
και μακαρια η πιστευσασα οτι εσται τελειωσις τοις λελαλημενοις αυτη παρα κυριου |
| 46. |
And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. |
Et ait Maria : Magnificat anima mea Dominum : |
και ειπεν μαριαμ μεγαλυνει η ψυχη μου τον κυριον |
| 47. |
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. |
et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. |
και ηγαλλιασεν το πνευμα μου επι τω θεω τω σωτηρι μου |
| 48. |
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. |
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, |
οτι επεβλεψεν επι την ταπεινωσιν της δουλης αυτου ιδου γαρ απο του νυν μακαριουσιν με πασαι αι γενεαι |
| 49. |
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. |
quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est : et sanctum nomen ejus, |
οτι εποιησεν μοι μεγαλεια ο δυνατος και αγιον το ονομα αυτου |
| 50. |
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. |
et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. |
και το ελεος αυτου εις γενεας γενεων τοις φοβουμενοις αυτον |
| 51. |
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. |
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. |
εποιησεν κρατος εν βραχιονι αυτου διεσκορπισεν υπερηφανους διανοια καρδιας αυτων |
| 52. |
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. |
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. |
καθειλεν δυναστας απο θρονων και υψωσεν ταπεινους |
| 53. |
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. |
Esurientes implevit bonis : et divites dimisit inanes. |
πεινωντας ενεπλησεν αγαθων και πλουτουντας εξαπεστειλεν κενους |
| 54. |
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: |
Suscepit Israël puerum suum, recordatus misericordiæ suæ : |
αντελαβετο ισραηλ παιδος αυτου μνησθηναι ελεους |
| 55. |
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. |
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in sæcula. |
καθως ελαλησεν προς τους πατερας ημων τω αβρααμ και τω σπερματι αυτου εις τον αιωνα |
| 56. |
And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. |
Mansit autem Maria cum illa quasi mensibus tribus : et reversa est in domum suam. |
εμεινεν δε μαριαμ συν αυτη ωσει μηνας τρεις και υπεστρεψεν εις τον οικον αυτης |
33 posted on
08/15/2012 6:31:12 PM PDT by
annalex
(fear them not)
To: All
43 posted on
08/15/2012 9:13:13 PM PDT by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: Salvation; johngrace; All
I loved when the cantor sang the Responsorial Psalm yesterday on the Feast of the Assumption.
Psalm 45 is a help for all Christians to see, the Queen of Heaven is Mary. And Psalms 45:17, is reference to, prefiguring in the New Testament, Elizabeth’s greeting for Mary and Mary saying “all generations shall call me blessed.” And, the word in the verse is praise, not worship, God is to be worshiped.
Sharing, verse 45:17,from the KJV:
17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
~ ~ ~
Responsorial Psalm Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16
The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father’s house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.
44 posted on
08/16/2012 1:16:39 AM PDT by
stpio
To: All
Vultus Christi
Assumpta Est Maria
Assumpta est Maria in caelum, gaudent angeli, laudantes benedicunt Dominum! Mary has been taken up into heaven; the angels rejoice and, praising, bless the Lord! The Virgin in whose womb reposed the Author of Life is preserved from the corruption of the tomb. The Mother of God is assumed body and soul into the splendour of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Escorted by myriads of angels in jubilation, the Queen of Heaven advances toward her Son, who sits enthroned amid the stars.
Even Within the Veil
In a sense, the Assumption of the Mother of God is the liturgy of her Great Entrance; the feast of her oblation in the heavenly sanctuary, "the tabernacle, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man" (Heb 8:2). She is the Mother of Holy Hope. She is given to us to be our strongest comfort, to be the anchor of our souls, "sure and firm, and which entereth in even within the veil" (Heb 6:18-19).
Our Lady's Pascha
Today heaven and earth keep the summer festival of Marymas, Ladyday-in-the-Harvest, the Pascha of the all-holy Mother of God. She has passed into the great summer that, stretching from the springtime of the Resurrection until the return of the Lord in glory, presages the shining harvest of all the saints. The song of the angels soars, stretching, swelling, and cresting from choir to choir. The soul of the Virgin magnifies the Lord and her God-bearing flesh rejoices (Lk 1:46).
The Temple and the Ark
"And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of His testament was seen in His temple" (Apoc 11:19). In the First Book of Chronicles, we see the Ark of the Covenant solemnly transported to the tent made ready by David to receive it. David is the figure of Christ of whom he sings in the psalm, "He hath set his tabernacle in the sun" (Ps 18:6).
That Where I Am, You Also May Be
The Virgin Mary is the Ark of the Covenant, carried aloft by heavenly levites into the tent prepared for her by the King of Kings, the glorious Son of David, our Lord Jesus Christ. As she advances, angels raise sounds of joy on harps and lyres and cymbals and, in accord with the command of David, the appointed singers sing (1 Chr 15:16). Behold the wondrous fulfillment of what the Lord had promised: "In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be" (Jn 14:2-3).
Arise, Make Haste
But listen! "The voice of my beloved, behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills" (Ct 2:8). In speaking to His Mother, Christ speaks to His Bride, the Church, and in speaking to His Bride the Church, He speaks to every soul washed in Baptism, sealed in Chrismation with the kiss of the Holy Ghost, and nourished at the banquet of His Body and Blood. "Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come" (Ct 2:10); for lo, the winter of our separation is past, the rain of so many tears is over and gone.
When I Appear Before His Sight
"I slept," says the Virgin of the Dormition, "I slept, but my heart kept watch." Ct 5:2). The heart of the Virgin is quickened and her flesh is suffused with fire. "Oh, how I rejoiced when I heard my Son say to me, 'Let us go up to the house of the Lord'" (cf. Ps 121:1). "One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in His Father's house all the days of my life, that I may see the delight of the Lord" (Ps 26:4), and "when I appear before His sight, I shall be satisfied with the appearing of His glory" (Ps 16:15).
Thy Voice is Sweet and Thy Face Comely
Listen to the words of the Son. "Arise my love, my fair one, and come away (Ct 2:13) for I desire that thou, my mother, first among those whom the Father hath given me, shouldst be with me where I am, to behold my glory, the glory given me by my Father in his love for me before the foundation of the world (cf. Jn 17:24). All of heaven longeth to see thy face, Mother, and the angels yearneth to hear thy voice, "for thy voice is sweet, and thy face is comely" (Ct 2:14).
The Woman Clothed with the Sun
We see the Queen of Heaven "coming up from the wilderness, like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense" (Ct 3:6). The prophet Isaiah sees her coming from afar, recognizes the Virgin of the Sign (Is 7:14), the Mother of Emmanuel, and stands to greet her. "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you . . . The Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you" (Is 60:1-2). She is the woman "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Apoc 12:1).
Hidden with Christ in God
The Mother of God has put on the imperishable; she is clothed in immortality (1 Cor 15:54). The Apostle lifts his voice in praise of the God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:57). Mary, first of all, knows the fullness of Christ's glorious triumph in her flesh. Mary is the first-fruits of the harvest sown by Jesus in his blessed Passion and Death. Mary is the first to follow Him into the glory of his Resurrection and Ascension. Her life now is hidden with the life of Christ in God (Col 3:3), and when He who is our life appears, then she also will appear with him in glory (Col 3:4). Mary waits for her children to join her, the small and the great, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his Bride has made herself ready (Apoc 19:7).
Mary Hath Chosen the Better Part
And so, led by kings and levites, by angels, prophets and apostles, we make our way to the Gospel of the Assumption so cherished by the ancient liturgical traditions of both East and West for the Dormition of the Virgin, for "Mary hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Lk 10:42).
The Virgin of Nazareth who surrendered her heart, her soul, and her flesh to the Word and the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost;
the Virgin of Bethlehem, joyful in her poverty;
the Virgin of Egypt, trusting in her exile;
the Virgin of Jerusalem, anguished and amazed by her child;
the Virgin of Cana, strong in her intercession;
the Virgin of Calvary, faithful in her compassion;
the Virgin of Holy Saturday, silent and indomitable in her hope;
the Virgin of the Cenacle, persevering in prayer;
the Virgin of the Mount of Olives, ardent in her desire,
has, at last, come to rest at the feet of her Son.
The One Thing Necessary
"And she had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching" (Lk 10:39). Behold our sister, Blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, seated at the feet of our Lord! Behold our Mother, Blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, in repose at the feet of her Son! She is seated at His feet in glory, higher than the seraphim and cherubim, exalted above all the angelic choirs, for to her is given the One Thing Necessary (Lk 10:42) in heaven and on earth. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee" (Ps 73:25).
A Mother Close to Her Children
Think not for a moment that the Assumption places a distance between us and the all-holy Mother of God. Quite the contrary. Her exaltation has made her closer to us than we can dream or imagine. The all-holy Virgin is mother, completely mother, and the desire of every mother is to be close to her children.
From her place of glory in heaven, she stoops down to us, attentive to our sufferings. Her compassion illumines this valley of tears. Her Assumption has not separated her from us. The Assumption is not a mystery of distance and separation but a mystery of nearness and of communion. Now set free from the limitations of space and of time, the holy Mother of God is capable of being present to all her children, to the little ones especially, to the broken-hearted, the weak, and the poor.
Mother of Mercy
Glorious in her Assumption, the Virgin Mother has but one desire: to do for each one of us what a loving mother would do for her child. Her weakness is for the poorest among us. Her predilection goes to those who stumble and fall rather than to those who walk straight and tall, to those who, bearing within themselves deep and secret wounds, are most in need of her attentions and care.
Let us lift up our eyes to the All-Holy Mother of God and Blessed Virgin Mary, praising and confessing the wonderful mystery of her Assumption. Today, dear brothers, she will hear all your requests, answering them according to the wisdom and love of her Immaculate Heart.
The Joys of Heaven
Today, she pierces all our darknesses with a ray of heavenly light. Her desire is to share with us the joys of heaven, the very joys that flood her body and her soul in the glory of her Son.
And for all of that, we need not wait. Already, here and now, we are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Apoc 19:9). Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory (Apoc 19:7) who with the Father lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Ghost, and who will come again, as he promised, to take us to Himself (Jn 14:3). "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Apoc 22:20).
45 posted on
08/16/2012 4:23:01 PM PDT by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
To: All
46 posted on
08/19/2012 7:19:34 PM PDT by
Salvation
("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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