God, come to my assistance.
- Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
HYMN Song of Songs 6:10
'Who is this that looks forth like the dawn,
fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
terrible as an army with banners?'
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.
Antiphon on Psalms: Born of a royal family, Mary shines forth like the noonday sun; with mind and heart we ask for the help of her prayers. Complementary Psalter
READINGJudith 13:18b-19
O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all other women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth. Your praise will never depart from the hearts of those who remember the power of God.
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary.
- Who bore the Son of the eternal 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.
Antiphon on Psalms: With heart and mind let us sing praise and glory to Christ on this holy feastday of the glorious Virgin Mother of God. Complementary Psalter
READINGRevelation 21:3
See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them.
Blessed are you among women.
- And blessed is the fruit of your womb.
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.
Antiphon: Born of a royal family, Mary shines forth like the noonday sun; with mind and heart we ask for the help of her prayers.
123
Ad te levavi oculos meos
To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens;
my eyes, like the eyes of slaves
on the hand of their lords.
Like the eyes of a servant
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
till he show us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed all too full is our soul
with the scorn of the rich,
with the proud man's disdain.
124
Nisi quia Dominus
If the Lord had not been on our side,
this is Israel's song.
If the Lord had not been on our side
when men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive
when their anger was kindled.
Then would the waters have engulfed us,
the torrent gone over us;
over our head would have swept
the raging waters.
Blessed be the Lord who did not give us
a prey to their teeth!
Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the fowler.
Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.