Mary, Star of Evangelization
Reflection & Prayer Before the Iconi
Opening
Stand
Hymn
O Holy Mary, vs. 1
Sit
Leader:
We gather to reflect on the Blessed Virgin Mary. We come to her under the
title of Mary, Star of Evangelization. As we listen to the scripture and pray,
may Mary intercede for us causing a new enthusiasm for our faith, a desire to
share the Good News with all people and the zeal to transform our
communities. Let us begin with the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council.
The Council calls us to first consider God’s plan of salvation.
Wishing in His supreme goodness and wisdom to effect the redemption of the
world, "when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman,
... that we might receive adoption…" (Gal. 4:4-5). He for us…and for our
salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit from
the Virgin Mary. This divine mystery of salvation is revealed to us and
continued in the Church, which the Lord established as His body. Joined to
Christ the Head and in the unity of fellowship with all His saints, the faithful
must in the first place reverence the memory of the glorious ever Virgin Mary,
Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. ii
Reader 1: From most ancient times the Blessed Virgin Mary has been venerated under
the title of 'God-bearer.' In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled
prayerfully to her protection. This … expresses the profound link which exists
between the Mother of Christ and the Church. As Virgin and Mother, Mary
remains for the Church a "permanent model." …As a model, or rather as a
"figure," Mary, present in the mystery of Christ, remains constantly present
also in the mystery of the Church. For the Church too is "called mother and
virgin," and these names have a profound biblical and theological
justification.iii
Reader 2: The Church "becomes herself a mother by accepting God's word with
fidelity." Like Mary, who first believed by accepting the word of God
revealed to her at the Annunciation and by remaining faithful to that word in
all her trials even unto the Cross, so too the Church becomes a mother when,
accepting with fidelity the word of God, "by her preaching and by baptism she
brings forth to a new and immortal life children who are conceived of the
Holy Spirit and born of God." This "maternal" characteristic of the Church
was expressed in a particularly vivid way by the Apostle to the Gentiles when
he wrote: "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be
formed in you!" (Gal. 4:19) These words of Saint Paul contain an interesting
1
sign of the early Church's awareness of her own motherhood, linked to her
apostolic service to humanity. This awareness enabled and still enables the
Church to see the mystery of her life and mission modeled upon the example
of the Mother of the Son, who is "the first-born among many brethren" (Rom.
8:29). iv
Leader:
In keeping with the Church’s counsel and teaching we now turn our thoughts
and prayers to Mary reflecting on the Mother of or our Redeemer, who Pope
Paul VI proclaimed Mary, Star of Evangelization and to whom Pope John
Paul II entrusted the Third Millennium.
2
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, vs. 2
The 1st reflection, Mary visits her kinswoman Elizabeth.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!v
Sit
Leader:
By visiting her kinswoman Elizabeth, Mary is an image of the mystery of
salvation, in which God, “has come to his people and set them free.” Mary is
also the model for the Church. God nourishes the Church with his gifts. He
pours out his Holy Spirit as the Church brings the message of joy to the whole
world so that all peoples may acknowledge Christ as their savior.
Reader:
A reading from the Gospel of St. Luke (Luke 1:39-45):
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a
town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted
Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her
womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and
said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what
was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
Pause for Silent reflection
All:
Loving God, by your Holy Spirit
you inspired Elizabeth
to reveal the surpassing honor
you have given to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary is rightly hailed as blessed
because she believed in your promise of salvation;
in her act of loving service
she is greeted as mother of the Lord
by the mother of Christ’s herald.
3
We make our own the canticle of joy
on the lips of God’s Virgin Mother,
and in our lowliness we too proclaim your greatness.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
Lord our God,
Savior of the human family,
you bought salvation and joy
to the home of Elizabeth
through the visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the ark of the New Covenant.
We ask that, in obedience
to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
we too may bring Christ to others
and proclaim your greatness
by the praise of our lips
and the holiness of our lives.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All:
AMEN
4
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, vs. 3
The 2nd reflection, Mary is present at the Epiphany of the Lord.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
During the Christmas season the Church celebrates the Epiphany – the
mystery of the revelation or manifestation of the word made flesh to all
nations. Jesus was first revealed to the people of Israel, represented by the
humble shepherds; and then to the gentiles, represented by the magi.
Reader:
A reading from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60:1-6):
Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon
you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; But
upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise
your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: Your sons come
from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow.
For the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations
shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from
Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
God fountain of life,
through the ministry of the Blessed Virgin
you draw the families of all peoples
to faith in the Gospel.
The shepherds, bathed in your glory
and enlightened by choirs of angels,
acknowledged Christ as the Savior
5
and became the firstfruits of the Church
from the people of Israel.
The wise men, inspired by grace
and led by a shining star,
entered a lowly house,
found the child with his mother,
and, as the firstfruits of the Church from the Gentiles,
worshiped him as God,
proclaimed him as King,
and acknowledged him as Redeemer.
Through him the angels of heaven
offer their prayer of adoration
as they rejoice in your presence forever.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
Lord our God,
through the Blessed Virgin Mary
you revealed your Son to the world
as the glory of Israel
and the light of all nations;
grant that as we follow his teaching and example
we may strengthen our faith in Christ
and acknowledge him to be the one mediator
and the Savior of the world,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
6
Stand
Hymn
O Holy Mary, vs. 4
Leader:
The 3rd reflection, Our Lady of Nazareth
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
The hidden life of our Lord at Nazareth belongs to the mystery of salvation,
and is an example of holiness. In the home at Nazareth our Savior, subject to
Mary and Joseph, spent the greater part of his life on earth. Mary under the
title of “Our Lady of Nazareth” celebrates her particular role in the life of her
son and his work of salvation.
Reader:
A letter from Paul to the Colossians (Colossians 3:12-17):
Brothers and sisters:
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and
forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has
forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the
bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace
into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and
admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with
gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Pause for silent reflection
All:
Loving God,
At Nazareth Mary received with faith
the message of Gabriel
and becomes the mother of your Son,
begotten by you before the ages,
now born into this world of time
as our Savior and our brother.
7
At Nazareth too,
in loving communion with her Son,
she watches over the growing Church
in the person of her child
and hands on to us
the shining example of her life.
In the holy house of Nazareth,
as the first disciple of her Son,
she receives the message of the Gospel,
treasures it in her heart,
and reflects on it in her mind.
At Nazareth also this purest of virgins,
united with Joseph, the just man,
in an unbreakable bond of chaste love,
praises you in song,
worships you in silence,
honors you by her daily life,
and gives you glory as she cares for her family.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray …
All-holy Father,
in the wonder of your wisdom and love
you decreed that your Son should be born of a woman,
and be subject to her guidance;
grant that we may enter more and more
into the mystery of your incarnate Word
and with him lead a hidden life on earth
until, escorted by his Virgin Mother,
we may joyously enter
your home in heaven.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
8
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, refrain only -orImmaculate Mary
The 4th reflection, Mary at the Wedding of Cana
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Every third year on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time the Church hears the
Wedding at Cana. We acknowledge and celebrate the beginning of Jesus’
many signs. At the Wedding of Cana, Mary played an active part, and so the
Church remembers her along with her Son, in the text of the communion
antiphon: “Blessed are you, Virgin Mary: through you, your son gave the first
of his signs; the Bridegroom prepared the new wine for his Bride; through you
the disciples learned to believe in their Master.”
Reader:
A reading from the Gospel of St. John (John 2:1-11):
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of
Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no
wine." (And) Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he
tells you." Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial
washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, "Fill the jars
with water." So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Draw some
out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it. And when the
headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it
came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the
headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves good
wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you
have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed
his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
Pause for silent reflection
9
ALL:
God all holy,
with loving care for the bridegroom and his bride
Mary turns to her Son for help
and tells the servants to do what he commands.
Water is changed into wine,
the wedding guests rejoice,
as Christ foreshadows the wedding feast
that is the Eucharist, his daily gift
to his Bride, the Church.
In this great sign
the presence of the Messiah is proclaimed,
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is foretold,
and the hour of salvation is foreshadowed
when Christ will clothe himself
with the royal robes of his passion
to shed his blood on the cross
for his Bride, the Church.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray….
All holy Father,
In your divine wisdom and love
you chose that the Blessed Virgin Mary
should play her part
in the mysteries of our salvation;
grant that by heeding the words of Christ’s mother
we may do what he commands us in the Gospel,
for Jesus lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
10
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, refrain only -orSong of Mary
The 5th reflection, Mary Disciple of the Lord
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Under the title, “Disciple of the Lord” Mary the mother of our Lord is
presented as one who shows us the example of a disciple, who is faithful to
the words of life. Our Lady is the one who by a unique gift was the mother of
Christ, and above all was his first and most perfect disciple.
Reader:
A reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Matthew 12:46-50):
While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers
appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. (Someone told him, "Your
mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.")
But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are
my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here
are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly
Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
Loving God,
The mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary in her glory,
is rightly called blessed,
for she received your Son in her virginal womb,
but she is even more blessed
because, as a disciple of the incarnate Word,
she eagerly sought to know your will
and faithfully carried it out.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
11
Lord our God,
through the Blessed Virgin Mary
you have shown us the example of a disciple,
who is faithful to the words of life;
open our hearts to receive your saving word,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
it may speak to us in our daily lives
and bring forth a rich harvest of holiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
12
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, vs. 5
The 6th reflection, Mary at the foot of the cross.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Mary, “queen of heaven and earth” stood by the cross of her Son, in his
agony, mournful, yet full of courage and faith, playing many roles in the
mystery of salvation, and fulfilling in her person the prophecies of old. In
relation to her Son, dying on the cross, our Lady stands out as: the handmaid
of the Redeemer, the new Eve, the mother of Zion and the image of the
Church.
Reader:
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (Romans 8:31-39):
Brothers and sisters:
What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he
not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also
is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
As it is written: "For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked
upon as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor
any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
13
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
God of compassion
in your loving providence
you decreed that Mary, the mother of your Son,
should stand faithfully beside his cross,
and so fulfill in her person
the prophecies of old,
and enrich the world
with her own witness of living faith.
At the cross the Blessed Virgin appears as the new Eve,
so that, as a woman shared in the bringing of death,
so a woman would share in restoring life.
At the cross she stands
as the model of the Church, the Bride of Christ,
which draws inspiration from her courage
and keeps constant faith with its Bridegroom,
undaunted by peril and unbroken by persecution.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
Lord our God,
in your mysterious wisdom
you fill out the passion of Christ
through the suffering that his members endure
in the many trials of this life.
As you chose to have the mournful mother
stand by your Son in his agony on the cross,
grant that we too may bring love and comfort
to our brothers and sisters in distress.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
14
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
O Holy Mary, vs. 6
The 7th reflection, Our Lady of the Cenacle.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Mary was present in the upper room on Pentecost. The Church has come to
see in her presence at the first gathering of Christ’s disciples, a mother
cherishing the infant Church in her love and the supreme example of prayer
and oneness of heart. The Church presents our Lady to us as: the virgin filled
with the Holy Spirit and the model of the Church.
Reader:
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:6-14):
When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time
going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered them, "It is not for you
to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own
authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two
men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken
up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him
going into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called
Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. When they
entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter
and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and
Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some
women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Pause for silent reflection
15
ALL:
Loving God,
How wonderful is the example you have given us
of harmony and prayer in the Church at its beginning:
you show us the mother of Jesus as she prayers with the
apostles in oneness of mind and heart.
She who waited in prayer for the coming of Christ
is still at prayer
as she calls upon the promised Paraclete;
she who was overshadowed by the Spirit
at the incarnation of the Word
is once more filled with your gift from on high
at the birth of God’s new people.
As she keeps vigil in prayer,
her heart on fire with love,
she is the model of the Church,
enriched by the gifts of the Spirit
and keeping watch for the Second Coming of Christ.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
Lord our God,
as the Blessed Virgin was at prayer with the apostles
you poured out on her in abundance
the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
grant through her intercession
that we too, being filled with the same Spirit,
may persevere with one mind in prayer
and bring to the world around us
the good news of salvation.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
16
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
Hail Holy Queen, vs. 1
The 8th reflection, Mary, Queen of the Apostles.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Many men and women in their apostolic and missionary zeal have noted the
preeminent and royal position occupied by the mother of Jesus in the
community of the early Church and have recognized the importance of her
presence at the events of Pentecost in relation to the spread of the Gospel to
all nations.
Reader:
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11):
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and
it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them
tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different
tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews
from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they
gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard
them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people
who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his own
native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea
and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the
districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and
converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our
own tongues of the mighty acts of God."
Pause for silent reflection
17
ALL:
Loving God,
As we remember the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the first to proclaim Christ,
even before the apostles.
Guided by the Holy Spirit,
she hastened to bring her Son to John,
that he might be sanctified and filled with joy.
It was the same Spirit
who made Peter and the other apostles
fearless in preaching the Gospel to all nations,
with its saving message of life in Christ.
In our own day the Blessed Virgin
inspires by her example new preachers of the Gospel,
cherishes them with a mother’s love,
and sustains them by her unceasing prayer,
so that they may bring the Good News of Christ the Savior to
all the world.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
O God,
you gave the Holy Spirit to your apostles
as they joined in prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
By the help of her prayers
grant us the gift of serving you faithfully
by spreading the glory of your name
in our words and actions.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
18
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
Immaculate Mary, (especially vs. 3)
The 9th reflection, Mary, Mother of the Church.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
At the end of the third session of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI,
during the celebration of the liturgy, declared our Lady, “mother of the
Church, that is of the entire Christian people, both the faithful and their
pastors, who call her their most loving Mother,” and decreed that “from now
onward the whole Christian people should give even greater honor to the
Mother of God under this most loving title.”
Reader:
A reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke (Luke 1:26-38):
In the sixth month, 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 coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for
you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called
Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his
father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I
have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And
behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and
this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be
impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from
her.
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Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
Loving God,
We especially praise you and proclaim your glory
as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She received your Word in the purity of her heart
and, conceiving in her virgin womb,
gave birth to our Savior
and so nurtured the Church at its very beginning.
She accepted God’s parting gift of love
as she stood beneath the cross
and so became the mother of all those
who were brought to life
through the death of her only Son.
She joined her prayers with those of the apostles,
as together they awaited the coming of your Spirit,
and so became the perfect pattern of the Church at prayer.
Raised to the glory of heaven,
she cares for the pilgrim Church with a mother’s love,
following its progress homeward
until the day of the Lord dawns in splendor.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
God of mercies,
your only Son, while hanging on the cross,
appointed the Blessed Virgin Mary, his mother,
to be our mother also.
Like her,
and under her loving care,
may your Church grow day by day,
rejoice in the holiness of its children,
and so attract to itself all the peoples of the earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
20
Stand
Hymn
Leader:
Immaculate Mary
The 10th reflection, Mary, Mother and Teacher in the Spirit.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
Our Lady has always been known by the faithful as mother and teacher
because she was a perfect disciple of Christ. She is still a mother, continuing
to bring children to God, encouraging them by her love and drawing them by
her example to pursue perfect charity and holiness. We celebrate Mary as our
teacher, and mother.
Reader:
A reading from Proverbs (Proverbs 8:17-21, 34-35):
Those who love me I also love, and those who seek me find me.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than pure gold, and my revenue than choice
silver. On the way of duty I walk, along the paths of justice, granting wealth to
those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
“Happy the person watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts;
For they who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the LORD.”
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
Loving God,
so intimately does Mary share in the mystery of Christ
that she is still a mother,
continuing to give you children with the Church,
encouraging them by her love,
and drawing them by her example
to pursue perfect charity.
She is the model
of all who live by the spirit of the Gospel;
as we look up to her in prayer
we learn from her mind
to love you above all things,
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from her spirit
to be rapt in contemplation of your Word,
and from her heart
to serve the need of others.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
Lord,
let the blessed intercession of the glorious Virgin Mary
come to our aid,
so that, under her protection,
we may reach the holy mountain,
which is Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
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Stand
Hymn
Leader:
Immaculate Mary
The 11th reflection, Mary, Mother of Unity.
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
We celebrate God as fountain of unity and wellspring of harmony. We recall
the one mediator between God and the human race, Jesus Christ, who, the day
before he suffered, prayed to the Father for the disciples that they might be
made perfect in unity. We also commemorate the Blessed Virgin, who played
an important role in the history of salvation with reference to the mystery of
unity in the mystery of the incarnation; in her virginal motherhood; in the
passion of Christ and in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Reader:
A reading from the Gospel according to St. John (John 17: 20-26):
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
"I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through
their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I
have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are
one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as
you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they
also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because
you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they
know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it
known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them."
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
Loving God,
Jesus Christ is the one who makes whole,
the lover of unity,
who chose for his mother
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a woman unstained in heart and body,
and for his Bride
the one and undivided Church.
Lifted high above the earth,
in the presence of his mother,
he gathered your scattered children into unity,
joining them to himself
with bonds of love.
Returning to you
and seated at your right hand,
he sent upon the Blessed Virgin,
at prayer with the apostles,
the Spirit of concord and unity,
of peace and forgiveness.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
All-holy Father,
fountain of unity and wellspring of harmony,
grant that all the families of nations,
through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
mother of the human race,
may be gathered together
to form the one people of the New Covenant.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your
Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
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Stand
Hymn
Leader:
Santa María del Camino -orComo Estralla en Claro Cielo
The 12th Reflection, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe
On Pentecost
Mary watched over with prayer
the beginning of evangelization
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
ALL:
Mary be our Star of Evangelization
intercede for our Church
especially in these times
which are difficult
but full of hope!
Sit
Leader:
We wish to unite our voices to that filial hymn which the people of the
Americas raise up to the Mother of God. Devotion to the most holy Virgin of
Guadalupe must be for all of us a constant and specific demand for authentic
Christian renewal. The crown which Mary expects from all of us is not so
much a material one as a precious spiritual crown, shaped by a profound love
of Christ and sincere love of all people; the two commandments which sum up
the gospel message. The same most holy Virgin of Guadalupe, with her
example, guides us on these two paths to holiness.vi
Reader:
A reading from the book of Revelation (Revelation 11: 19; 12:1-6, 10):
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could
be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of
thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm.
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. She was with
child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign
appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in
the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the
woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave
birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into
the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be
taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.
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Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power
come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.
Pause for silent reflection
ALL:
All powerful and ever-living God,
in celebrating the memory of Our Lady of Guadalupe
it is our special joy to echo her song of thanksgiving.
What wonders you worked throughout the world.
All nations and generations have shared the greatness
of your love.
When you look on Mary your lowly servant,
you raised her to be the mother of Jesus Christ,
your son, our Lord,
the savior of mankind.
May our voices be one with Mary and the angels
in a triumphant hymn of praise.
Stand
Leader:
Let us pray…
God of power and mercy,
you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
May her prayers help all men and women
to accept each other as brothers and sisters.
Through your justice present in our hearts
may your peace reign in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
ALL:
AMEN
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CLOSING
Leader:
The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the Word of God
in her heart and in her body and gave Life to the world, is acknowledged and
honored as being truly the Mother of God and Mother of the Redeemer.
Redeemed by reason of the merits of her Son and united to Him by a close and
indissoluble tie, she is endowed with the high office and dignity of being the
Mother of the Son of God, by which account she is also the beloved daughter
of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because of this gift of sublime
grace she far surpasses all creatures, both in heaven and on earth. At the same
time, however, because she belongs to the offspring of Adam she is one with
all those who are to be saved. She is "the mother of the members of Christ . . .
having cooperated by charity that the faithful might be born in the Church,
who are members of that Head." Wherefore she is hailed as a pre-eminent and
singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent exemplar in faith
and charity. The Church, taught by the Holy Spirit, honors her with filial
affection and piety as a most beloved mother.”vii
We now pray that Mary Star of Evangelization will intercede with Jesus, her
Son and our Lord, to “show us the way of conversion, communion and
solidarity” in the Americas.viii
Together we pray:
ALL:
O Mary, Star of Evangelization,
intercede with your Son
to bring about in each of us
a renewed enthusiasm for our faith.
Inspire in us the courage and zeal to live the Gospel
and to bring Christ to everyone we meet.
Open our hearts to the gift of the Holy Spirit,
the agent of evangelization,
and enable us to transform the world
in the image of your Son.
O Mary, Star of Evangelization,
enlighten us with the radiance of your Son,
walk with us in faith,
strengthen us in hope,
and unite us in love
as we strive to become disciples in mission.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and savior.
Amen.ix
Closing hymn
Hail Holy Queen, all
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Notes
i
All texts and prayers unless otherwise noted were taken or adapted from the prefaces and prayers found in
The Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Volume I Sacramentary. Catholic Book Publishing
Co. New York, 1992. Readings were selected for the respective feasts and memorials as presented in The
Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Volume II Lectionary. Catholic Book Publishing Co.
New York, 1992.
ii
Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ), #52
iii
John Paul II, Redempotris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer), #42
iv
Ibid, #43
v
Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi (On Evangelization in the Modern World), #82
vi
Paul VI Message to the people of Mexico, 1970
vii
Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ), #53
viii
John Paul II. Ecclesia in America (the Church in America), #76
ix
Copyright 2003 by the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
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