Prayer for the Evening
Vigil of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Let us praise God for ever
through Mary immaculate!
Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!
HYMN
Rejoice, all-holy Virgin,
preserved by saving grace,
Conceived without a blemish,
without a sinful trace.
For by the blood of Jesus,
salvation from his side,
You first received his merits
that flowed in passion’s tide.
Rejoice, all-holy Virgin,
prepared for fame renowned,
The temple of the Most High,
in you the Lord is found.
You are the boast of Zion,
the ark of finest gold,
The holy of all holies,
the throne of him foretold.
PSALM 45:11-18
On the Lord’s right stands the queen in gold of Ophir. (cf. Ps 45:10)
Mary is the House of Gold, the resplendent temple prepared by God as a fit dwelling place for his Son. By her faith, more precious than gold itself, she furnished her heart to receive him in pure love.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty:
He is your lord, pay homage to him.
And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts,
the richest of the people shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor,
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.
She is led to the king with her maiden companions.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.
Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers:
you will make them princes over all the earth.
May this song make your name for ever remembered
May the peoples praise you from age to age.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (1 Kings 6:19-21a, 22a)
In the innermost part of the temple was located the sanctuary to house the ark of the Lord’s covenant, twenty cubits long, twenty wide, and twenty high. Solomon overlaid the interior of the temple with pure gold. The entire temple was overlaid with gold so that it was completely covered with it.
You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, as on a seal engraving, “Sacred to the Lord.” (Ex 28:36)
CANTICLE OF MARY
The branches shall so spring from it that the whole will form but a single piece of pure beaten gold. (cf. Ex 25:36)
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…
INTERCESSIONS
With reverent and loving trust, let us pray through the intercession of Mary our Mother:
R/Lord, hear your Mother’s prayer.
Mystical Rose, pray for all those who are deceived by passing beauty,
– that we may discern true worth in making choices. R/
House of Gold, pray for all those who seek false treasures,
– that we may lay up treasure in heaven by the choices we make. R/
Queen of all saints, pray for all who grow confused in seeking holiness,
– that we may keep our feet firmly fixed on the Gospel path. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
May the genuineness of our faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Amen. (cf. 1 Pt 1:7)
MARIAN ANTIPHON
Antiphon for the Solemnity of Christmas, December 25
This day a Virgin inviolate
has brought forth God for us,
clothed in tender members,
whom she was found worthy to suckle;
let us all adore him,
who has come to save us.
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.
Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us, poor sinners.
V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
