Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us.
Agios o theos, agios ischyros, agios athanatos,
eleison imas.
Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortális,
miserére nobis.


Opening Processional Chant:

The angel said to Mary, + Rejoice most favored one!
The Lord is with you.

God has been gracious to you, Mary; + you will conceive and bear a son,
and you shall give him the name Jesus.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, + and the power of the Most High will overshadow you:
therrefore the holy child to be born will be called Son of God.

Mary said, + I am the Lord's servant;
as you have spoken so be it.

God's blessing is on you + above all women,
and his blessing is on the fruit of your womb.


2 Samuel 7:28-29
Lord God, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant. Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord God, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever.

MATINS HYMN

O lux, salutis nuntia, qua Virgini fert Angelus complenda mox oracula et cara terris gaudia. Qui Patris aeterno sinu aeterna Proles nascitur, obnoxius fit tempori matremque in orbe seligit. Nobis piandis victima nostros se in artus colligit, ut innocenti sanguine scelus nocentum diluat. Concepta carne Veritas, umbrata velo Virginis, puris videnda mentibus, imple tuo nos lumine. Et quae modesto pectore te dicis ancillam Dei, regina nunc caelestium, patrona sis fidelium. Iesu, tibi sit gloria, qui natus es de Virgine, cum Patre et almo Spiritu, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

O day on which salvation dawned, You saw an angel visit earth, When prophecies would be fulfilled, Rejoicing o’er the virgin birth. For he who with the Father dwells Comes down to earth, Eternal Son, Who at his will would enter time And choose a human mother’s love. He deigned to take the form of man To reconcile our race with God, By shedding blood so innocent That guilty man it could redeem. O Truth, that once assumed our flesh And lay concealed by Virgin’s veil Before you walked on earth as Man, Enrich us with your light divine. Fair Virgin, who declared yourself The lowly handmaid of the Lord, From your bright throne in heaven’s height Be now the Queen of faithful souls. All glory, Jesus, be to you, Once born of Virgin undefiled, Who with the Spirit of your Love And God the Father, ever reign. Amen.

Or:

Mary, fairest mortal,
whom God chose as portal
for the Incarnation,
we give veneration.

You, Ave receiving,
Gabriel's word believing,
turned to peace and gladness
Eva's name of sadness.

Mother's care displaying,
bless your child in praying,
who, when born our brother,
chose you for his mother.

Maiden all excelling,
gentle past our telling,
you we join in raising
to your child our praising.

Creator eternal,
Spirit all supernal,
with the Word, we bless you,
Three in One confess you. Amen.


Psalmody


Antiphon:The angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary, who was engaged to be married to Joseph.

Psalm 63    
Deus, Deus meus

1

O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *
     my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
     as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

2

Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *
     that I might behold your power and your glory.

3

For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; *
     my lips shall give you praise.

4

So will I bless you as long as I live *
     and lift up my hands in your Name.

5

My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *
     and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

6

When I remember you upon my bed, *
     and meditate on you in the night watches.

7

For you have been my helper, *
     and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

8

My soul clings to you; *
     your right hand holds me fast.

Antiphon: The angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary, who was engaged to be married to Joseph.



Antiphon: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

1

You have been gracious to your land, O LORD, *
     you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

2

You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *
     and blotted out all their sins.

3

You have withdrawn all your fury *
     and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.

4

Restore us then, O God our Savior; *
     let your anger depart from us.

5

Will you be displeased with us for ever? *
     will you prolong your anger from age to age?

6

Will you not give us life again, *
     that your people may rejoice in you?

7

Show us your mercy, O LORD, *
     and grant us your salvation.

8

I will listen to what the LORD God is saying, *
     for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
     and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9

Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *
     that his glory may dwell in our land.

10

Mercy and truth have met together; *
     righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11

Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
     and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12

The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, *
     and our land will yield its increase.

13

Righteousness shall go before him, *
     and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Antiphon: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.



Antiphon: Trusting in the Lord's promise, the Virgin Mary conceived a child, and remaining a virgin, she gave birth to the Saviour.

1

On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; *
     the LORD loves the gates of Zion
     more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

2

Glorious things are spoken of you, *
     O city of our God.

3

I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; *
     behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia:
     in Zion were they born.

4

Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her, *
     and the Most High himself shall sustain her."

5

The LORD will record as he enrolls the peoples, *
     "These also were born there."

6

The singers and the dancers will say, *
     "All my fresh springs are in you." Glory...

Depart, depart, go out from there!
   Touch no unclean thing;
go out from the midst of it, purify yourselves,
   you who carry the vessels of the Lord.
For you shall not go out in haste,
   and you shall not go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,
   and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.


Song of the Three Young Men II Benedictus es, Domine
 
Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
 you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
 
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *
 we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
 
 
Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
 on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
 
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
 we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
 
 
Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
 in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
 
Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
 we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.
 

Second Reading
Hebrews 2:5-10

 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere,
‘What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   or mortals, that you care for them?
You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;
   you have crowned them with glory and honour,
   subjecting all things under their feet.’
Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.


RESPONSORY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
- Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
- The Lord is with you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to he Holy Spirit
- Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: In his great love for us, God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful nature. (alleuia)


INTERCESSIONS
Today we celebrate the beginning of our salvation when the coming of the Lord was announced by the angel. Let us pray with joy in our hearts, saying:

                        May God's holy Mother intercede for us.

Mary received God's word with joy,
- may joy fill our hearts as we welcome our Saviour.

You looked with love on your lowly servant,
- in your mercy, Father, remember us and all your children.

Mary, the new Eve, was obedient to your word,
- may we echo her loving obedience.

May God's holy Mother help all in distress, encourage the fainthearted, console the sorrowful,
- may she pray for your holy people, for the clergy, and for all women dedicated to your service.


Our Father…


COLLECT
O God, who willed that your Word
should take on the reality of human flesh
in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
grant, we pray,
that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man,
may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.