Blessed Virgin Mary
Prayer for the Morning
God gives to each a home:
come, let us give thanks and praise!
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 Holy Ghost,
Heaven sings your praise;
Mary magnifies your name
Through eternal days.
CANTICLE OF SIRACH 36:1, 5, 10-13
The Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. (Gal 4:26)
Tradition applies the image of God’s city to Mary, the holy dwelling place built by God as a home and Mother first for Jesus Christ and then for all of us, adopted sons and daughters in Christ.
Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
and put all the nations in dread of you!
Give new signs and work new wonders;
show forth the splendor of your right hand and arm.
Gather all the tribes of Jacob,
that they may inherit the land as of old.
Show mercy to the people called by your name;
Israel, whom you named your first-born.
Take pity on your holy city,
Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
Fill Zion with your majesty,
your temple with your glory.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Isaiah 54:1)
Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,/ break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor,/ For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife/ than the children of her who has a husband,/ says the Lord.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.
(Ps 113:9)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
We are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. (Gal 4:31)
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…
INTERCESSIONS
Trusting in the power of Mary’s intercession, we pray:
R/Mother of divine grace, pray for us!
For those who have no home or family:
– through your prayer, bring them to dwell in the heavenly city. R/
For those who are alone, abandoned, poor, and in want:
– through your prayer, bring them to dwell in the heavenly city. R/
For those who dwell in the cities of this world:
– through your prayer, bring them to dwell in the heavenly city. R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
God our Father, your people wander in deserts of the spirit and wastelands of want. Through the intercession of Mary, our Mother, bring us all to dwell in peace in your presence, now and for ever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
