God, come to my assistance.
 - Lord, make haste to help me.
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

Beata Dei genetrix,
nitor humani generis,
per quam de servis liberi
lucisque sumus filii;

Maria, virgo regia,
David stirpe progenita,
non tam paterna nobilis
quam dignitate subolis,

Tu nos, avulso veteri,
complanta novo germini;
per te sit genus hominum
regale sacerdotium.

Tu nos culparum nexibus
sacris absolve precibus;
tua promentes merita
ad cæli transfer præmia.

Sit Trinitati gloria,
o Virgo nobilissima,
quæ te suorum munerum
thesaurum dat magnificum.

Or:


O Mary of all women,
you are the chosen one,
Who, ancient prophets promised,
would bear God’s only Son;
All Hebrew generations
prepared the way to thee,
That in your womb the God-man
might come to set us free.

O Mary, you embody
all God taught to our race,
For you are first and foremost
in fullness of his grace;
We praise this wondrous honor
that you gave birth to Him
Who from you took humanity
and saved us from our sin.
Melody: Au fort detresse 76.76D; Music: 17th century Flemish Melody Text: Michael Gannon

Or:


Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother's Son
By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen.
Melody: Mary the Dawn; Music: Anon Text: Anon, alt. by the Dominican Sisters of Summit

or:


Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate,
Guiding Star of Christians' way,
Mother of our Lord and King,
Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God
Choosing to fulfill his plan,
By your perfect act of love
Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways,
Halt the devil's strong attack,
Walk with us the narrow path,
Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood,
Bring your children's prayers to Christ,
Christ, your son, who ransomed man,
Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest,
Ever faithful to God's call,
Guide us in this earthy life,
Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith
So that we may see your son;
Join our humble prayers to yours,
Till life's ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son,
Praise the holy Paraclete;
Offer all through Mary's hands,
Let her make our prayers complete.
Melody: Gott sei dank 77.77 Music: Freylinghausen's , 1670-1739 Text: V.S.S. Coles, 1845-1929


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: The Virgin Mary came forth from the root of Jesse, and the Spirit of the Most High came to dwell in her heart.

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
Let us go to God's house.
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel's law it is,
there to praise the Lord's name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
Peace be to your homes!

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: Peace upon you.
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good. Glory...

Antiphon 1 The Virgin Mary came forth from the root of Jesse, and the Spirit of the Most High came to dwell in her heart.


Antiphon 2 Today we commemorate the birth of the Virgin Mary. God saw her beauty and visited her in her lowliness.

Psalm 127

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

Truly sons are a gift from the Lord,
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

O the happiness of the man
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
He will have no cause for shame
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways. Glory...

Antiphon 2 Today we commemorate the birth of the Virgin Mary. God saw her beauty and visited her in her lowliness.


Antiphon 3 Blessed and worthy of our praise is the holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. We celebrate her birth, that she might intercede for us before the Lord.

Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:
(Alleluia.)
his judgments are honest and true.
Alleluia (alleluia).

Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,
(Alleluia.)
all who worship him reverently, great and small.
Alleluia (alleluia).

Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King;
(Alleluia.)
Let us rejoice, sing praise, and give him glory.
Alleluia (alleluia).

Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,
(Alleluia.)
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.
Alleluia (alleluia). Glory...

Antiphon 3 Blessed and worthy of our praise is the holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. We celebrate her birth, that she might intercede for us before the Lord.


READING      Romans 9:4-5
To the Israelites belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law-giving, the worship and the promises; theirs were the patriarchs, and from them came the Messiah (I speak of his human origins). Blessed forever be God who is over all! Amen.


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 the Holy Spirit.
 - Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.


MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Let us commemorate the illustrious birth of the glorious Virgin Mary, for the Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant. He sent his angel to announce to her that she would conceive the Savior of the world.


INTERCESSIONS
Let us praise God, our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son's mother, be celebrated by each generation.  Now in need we ask:

                  Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.

O God, worker of miracles, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son's glory in heaven,
- direct the hearts of your children to that same glory.

You made Mary our mother.  Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners,
- Salvation and peace to all.

You made Mary full of grace,
- grant all men the joyful abundance of your grace.

Make your Church of one mind and one heart in love,
- and help all those who believe to be one in prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

You crowned Mary queen of heaven,
- may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever.

Or:

Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son's mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need, we ask:

                Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.

You made Mary the mother of mercy,
- may all who are faced with trials feel her motherly love.

You wished Mary to be the mother of the family in the home of Jesus and Joseph,
- may all mothers of families foster love and holiness through her intercession.

You gave Mary strength at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of your Son,
- lighten the hardships of those who are burdened and deepen their sense of hope.

You made Mary open to your word and faithful as your servant.
- through her intercession make us servants and true followers of your Son.

You crowned Mary queen of heaven,
-  may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever.


Our Father...


COLLECT
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord,
the gift of heavenly grace,
that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
may bring deeper peace
to those for whom the birth of her Son
was the dawning of salvation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
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.



The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.