Since it is a feastday, I'm going to take a break from my blogging fast.
Last night, the Knights held a rosary for the unborn. While I found their poor reading skills distracting to my reflection on the rosary, I did get to spend time in the blessed sacrament. Also, my Gaurdian Angel led me over to the reading section in the chapel to find an old prayer book from the 1950s called Mary My Hope printed by the Catholic Book Publishing Company. I will investigate to see if this is still in print, but I wouldn't bet on it. I have a slight case of kleptomania which I have to get over. While I never steal anything, I do take things from places which I'm told explicitly not to take from. They're usually books, and I always return them, but not after I've read through them first.
So, I took it.
Here's the prayer that's inside for the feast of the Annunciation:
Pour forth, we beg of You, O Lord, Your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, Your son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, you alone have triumphed over all heresies; you have believed the message of Gabriel, the Archange, and, remaining a Virgin, you brought forth the God-Man.
Through you, Mother of God, the life that we lost was given back to us, for when you recieved from heaven Him Who became your Son, you bestowed on the world its Savior.
Holy and immaculate Virgin! How shall I praise you as I ought? You have carried in your womb Him Whom heaven could not contain!
Mary speaks:
"Behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because He Who is mighty has done great things for me" (Luke 1, 48).
HYMN-"Ave Maris Stella"
HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heav'nly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve's name.
Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.
V. Pray for us, holy Mother of God
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ
PRAYER
O God, You wanted Your Word to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin mary at the message of an angel; grant that we, Your humble servants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
