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At Prayer with
Mary, Queen of Apostles
It would be very helpful to play soft instrumental
music (for example, Marian melodies) or hymns as the group gathers
in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Since in adoration, we
leave behind the busy world of time and enter the timelessness of
life in God, it is all right to allow the group to linger a while
in recollection before beginning the formal shared prayer.
Leader: Let us praise the Lord who has made
Mary a model for those who are attentive to his Word.
All: O Lord, you have done great things for Mary!
Leader: Blessed is she who believed that
God's Word to her would be fulfilled!
All: O Lord, you have done great things for Mary!
Leader: Blessed are we, called today into
God's presence as disciples of Christ the Master!
All: O Lord, you have done great things for us!
Holy is your name!
A hymn of Eucharistic praise can be sung at this
point. (For example, the traditional "O Saving Victim"
or "Humbly Let Us Voice Our Homage" are especially suited
if there is to be exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; a contemporary
song of faith in Christ would be suitable for simple Eucharistic
Adoration.)
Leader, invite participants to present to the
Lord all the intentions which they carry in their hearts. Ask them
also to pray in a special way for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Pray together:
Mary, Star of the Sea!
We come to you today and place at your feet the evils that oppress
us,
for we are sure to find in your Mother's heart
understanding and pardon,
encouragement and comfort.
We entrust you, Mary, with our joys and our sufferings,
our expectations and our disappointments,
our desires, our projects and our hopes.
Accept our heartfelt resolve to be pure, unselfish, consistent.
Obtain for those whose will is weak the gift of courage and perseverance.
Shield us with your mantle and protect us from all evil.
Be for us, O Star of the Sea,
our one sure guide,
so that in fellowship and harmony,
we may confidently set our course for that safe haven we call heaven.
Amen.
(Pope John Paul II)
Reading: Luke 1: 26-38 Pause for silent
reflection.
Leader: Blessed are those who welcome the
seed of the Word of God
All: They will bring forth a rich harvest for
the Lord.
Leader, the above invocation can be prayed three
times: the first time, it is proclaimed in faith; the second time,
it is prayed as an act of hope and petition; the third time, it
is prayed as an act of love and commitment to God, who sends forth
his Word into our hearts."
Reading: Mother of the Redeemer (John Paul
II), #12-13. Pause for silent reflection.
(Leader, the text can be found at the end of this document.)
Leader: Blessed are you, Mary, for your firm
believing.
All: The world's salvation came forth through
you.
(The invocation and response can be repeated,
as above.)
Reading: Luke 11:27-28 Pause for silent
reflection.
Leader: We have witnessed Mary's faith and
her faith-filled response to God. The Annunication was not the first
time Mary responded in faith to God's call. She was a woman of faith,
able to recognize God's will and invitation as it surrounded her.
What about us? (Pause.) In what ways has the Lord spoken
to us? (Pause.) How often do we enter into quiet prayer in
order to learn to hear his "still, small voice"? (Pause.)
How easily do we allow the Lord to speak to us in events which are
painful, or through people who are irritating? (Pause.) Today,
presented with the example of Mary, we are invited to make a step
forward in listening to the voice of God. (Pause.)
All: Lord our God, you offer us the Virgin Mary
as the model of those who hear your Word and put it into practice.
Open our hearts to your voice as you speak words of eternal life
in the midst of our "everyday" experience.
Increase our faith, so that we will respond with trust and love.
Leader: The Lord hears our prayer, for it
is inspired by his own Spirit, dwelling within us. Let us give thanks
to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the words first prayed by
Mary.
(If possible, sing a version of the Magnificat,
such as "Holy Is His Name" by John Michael Talbot or David
Haas-or any version your parish is familiar with. It helps to sing
with the support of an audio cassette or CD. If no music is available
and the singers are shy, recite the Magnificat, found in Lk. 1:
46-55.)
Leader: The Rosary offers us a blend of shared
vocal prayer, and profound contemplative prayer. Let us pray together
the Mysteries of the Rosary, which highlight Mary's role as our
mother, teacher and queen. (Between each mystery, pray the antiphon
"Receive our prayer, O Mary" below.)
Receive our prayer, O Mary, our Mother, Queen
and Teacher. Beseech your Divine Son, the Lord of the harvest, to
send forth laborers into his vineyard.
Mysteries of the Rosary in Honor of Mary, Queen
of Apostles
1st Mystery: The Annunication
2nd Mystery: The Crucifixion
3rd Mystery: The Descent of the Holy
Spirit
4th Mystery: The Assumption
5th Mystery: The Coronation
All: Mary, who nurtured in your womb the fruit
of sacrifice… we pray to you with perseverance to guard us
from the adversity which ensnares us. And as the measure of water
cannot be parted from the wine, so let us not be separated from
you and your Son, the Lamb of salvation. Amen.
In conclusion, suggest a spiritual communion.
The Blessed Sacrament, if exposed, can be reposed with a hymn of
praise. ("Beautiful Savior" would be appropriate.)
Text of the reading:
Blessed is she who believed (from "Mother of the Redeemer"
by John Paul II)
Immediately after the narration of the Annunciation,
the Evangelist Luke guides us in the footsteps of the Virgin of
Nazareth towards "a city of Judah" (Lk. 1:39). According
to scholars this city would be the modern Ain Karim, situated in
the mountains, not far from Jerusalem. Mary arrived there "in
haste," to visit Elizabeth her kinswoman. The reason for her
visit is also to be found in the fact that at the Annunciation Gabriel
had made special mention of Elizabeth, who in her old age had conceived
a son by her husband Zechariah, through the power of God: "your
kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a Son; and
this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with
God nothing will be impossible" (Lk. 1:36-37). The divine messenger
had spoken of what had been accomplished in Elizabeth in order to
answer Mary's question. "How shall this be, since I have no
husband?" (Lk. 1:34) It is to come to pass precisely through
the "power of the Most High," just as it happened in the
case of Elizabeth, and even more so.
Moved by charity, therefore, Mary goes to the house
of her kinswoman. When Mary enters, Elizabeth replies to her greeting
and feels the child leap in her womb, and being "filled with
the Holy Spirit" she greets Mary with a loud cry: "Blessed
are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"
(cf. Lk. 1:40-42) ….
While every word of Elizabeth's greeting is filled
with meaning, her final words would seem to have fundamental importance:
"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment
of what was spoken to her from the Lord" (Lk. 1:45). These
words can be linked with the little "full of grace" of
the angel's greeting. Both of these texts reveal an essential Mariological
content, namely the truth about Mary, who has become really present
in the mystery of Christ precisely because she "has believed."
The fullness of grace announced by the angel means the gift of God
himself. Mary's faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the Visitation,
indicates how the Virgin of Nazareth responded to this gift.
As the Council teaches, "'The obedience of
faith' (Rom. 16:26; cf. Rom. 1:5; 2 Cor. 10:5-6) must be given to
God who reveals, an obedience by which man entrusts his whole self
freely to God." This description of faith found perfect realization
in Mary. The "decisive" moment was the Annunciation, and
the very words of Elizabeth: "And blessed is she who believed"
refer primarily to that very moment.
Indeed, at the Annunciation Mary entrusted herself
to God completely, with the "full submission of intellect and
will," manifesting "the obedience of faith" to him
who spoke to her through his messenger. She responded, therefore,
with all her human and feminine "I," and this response
of faith included both perfect cooperation with "the grace
of God that precedes and assists" and perfect openness to the
action of the Holy Spirit, who "constantly brings faith to
completion by his gifts."
This outline for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
is provided by the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation
of consecrated women who serve the Church with the communications
media. We ask that you remember our congregation, mission, and special
intention of vocations in your prayer. When you are on-line, visit
us at www.pauline.org.
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