from Saint Sophronius
What does this blessed Angel say who is sent to the most pure Virgin? How does he break to her the most happy tidings which he brings? 'Hail, full of grace! the Lord is with thee.' The messenger of joy strikes a joyful note in his first word to her. For well he knew, and well he realized, that his message would bring joy to every man and to every creature too, and cast out every sorrow from every one of them; he knew that the world would be enlightened by the divine knowledge of this mystery; he knew that the darkness of error would be dispersed by it; he knew that the sting of death would be blunted by it; he knew that the power of corruption would be broken by it; he knew that from hell victory would be snatched by it - he knew that salvation would shine on fallen man, who had hitherto been oppressed with the yoke of all these evils, since the day when he was shut out from the delights of Paradise and was banished from that happy home. This is why he opens on a happy note the matter of his embassy; this is why he sends out happy words as forerunners of his message; this is why in these joyful heralds joy goes on before, for what shall follow shall bring joy to all who shall believe.
And, indeed, it was only meet and just that the divine announcement of our joy should begin with words and accents that call forth gladness. And this is the reason why the Angel speaks of joy before anything else, because he is not ignorant of what will be the result of his auspicious legation, and knows well that the colloquy that Was held will manifestly bring joy to the whole world. And, certainly, what joy or jubilation can there be at all comparable to the - words which were addressed to the Blessed Virgin, the mother of our joy? Rejoice, O Mother of super-celestial joy! Rejoice, O thou who nurturest joy the most sublime! Rejoice, O principal seat of the joy of salvation! Rejoice, O source of joy immortal! Rejoice, O mystic hostel of joy ineffable! Rejoice, O most blessed fountain of unfailing joy! O divine storehouse of everlasting joy! Rejoice, O most flourishing tree of life-giving joy! Rejoice, O Virgin-Mother of God! Rejoice, O Virgin, after childbirth most inviolate! Rejoice, O wonder above all wonders most to be wondered at!
Who shall be able to tell forth thy glory? Who shall dare to say in words the marvel that thou art? Who can trust himself to set forth thy magnificence? Thou hast exalted our human nature; thou hast surpassed all the Angelic choirs; thou hast cast into shade the splendours of the Archangels; thou pointest to the lofty seats of the Thrones placed -beneath thee; thou dost lower the height of the Dominations; thou takest precedence of the Principalities; the power of the Powers is weak beside thine; thou in thy virtue hast gone forth more mighty than the Virtues themselves; thine earthly eyes have pierced beyond the reach of the strong-eyed Cherubim; thy soul, on wings sustained of God, has flown beyond the flight of the six-winged Seraphim - in a word, thou hast far surpassed all other things created, for thou didst shine with a purity excelling that of every other creature, and thou didst conceive within thee the Creator of all creatures, and didst bear Him in thy womb, and didst give Him birth: of all creatures thou alone wast made the Mother of God.
Let us pray
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God! that we, Thy servants, may enjoy continual health of mind and body, and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and may enter into the fruition of everlasting joy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is, from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers - to Abraham and to His seed, for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Salve Regina!
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate! thine eyes of mercy towards us, and, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God! That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Petition
We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God! despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin!
- from The May-Book of the Breviary, by Father John Fitzpatrick