The Vigil of Our Lady

SAINT MARY, LADY OF HER SERVANTS

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 forever. Amen.

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

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

Your majesty is praised above the heavens; on the lips of children and of babes you have found praise to foil your enemy, to silence the foe and the rebel.

When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honor you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet. All of the sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth!

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

Ant. 2 Your holiness, O Mother of God, is like the fragrance of choice myrrh.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard, yet their span extends through all the earth, their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

There he has placed a tent for the sun; it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent, rejoices like a champion to run its course. At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun; to the furthest end of the sky is its course. There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted it gives wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, they gladden the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, it gives light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is holy abiding forever. The decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just.

They are more to be desired than gold, the purest of gold, and sweeter are they than honey, than honey from the comb. So in them your servant finds instruction; great reward is in their keeping. But who can detect all his errors? From hidden faults acquit me. From presumption restrain your servant and let it not rule me. Then shall I be blameless, clean from grave sin. May the spoken words of my mouth, the thoughts of my heart, win favor in your sight, O Lord, my rescuer, my rock!

Ant. 2 Your holiness, O Mother of God, is like the fragrance of choice myrrh.

Ant. 3 Gathered in her presence, let us sing the praise of the holy Virgin.

The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples.

It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things, who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor. He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.

O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory! Who is the king of glory? The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, the Lord, the valiant in war. O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory! Who is he, the king of glory? He, the Lord of armies, he is the king of glory.

Ant. 3 Gathered in her presence, let us sing the praise of the holy Virgin.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. - Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

FIRST READING

O holy Mary, Virgin of virgins, Mother and daughter of the King of kings, bestow on us your consolation that through you we may deserve to have the reward of the heavenly kingdom and to reign with the elect of God through all eternity.

RESPONSORY

O virgin, holy and pure, how can I praise your beauty? - For the Lord whom the heavens cannot encompass was carried in your womb.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. - For the Lord whom the heavens cannot encompass was carried in your womb.

SECOND READING

Holy Mary, most compassionate, intercede for us. Through you, O Virgin, may he who was born for us, and now reigns over all, receive our prayers and in his mercy wash away our sins.

RESPONSORY

How blessed are you, Virgin Mary, for you carried within you the Lord, the creator of the world. - Mother of your maker, you remain a virgin forever.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. - Mother of your maker, you remain a virgin forever.

THIRD READING

O holy God-bearer, made worthy to conceive him whom the whole world could not contain, by your gracious intercession, may our sins be forgiven so that we may ascend to that realm of glory where you reign with your Son, forever.

GREATER ANTIPHON

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile show to us the blessed fruit of your 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.

Let us pray.

All powerful and ever living God, by the power of your Spirit, you prepared Mary, the glorious Virgin Mother, to be a worthy dwelling place of your Son. As we celebrate her memory with joy, grant that through her motherly intercession we may be preserved from evil in this world and from eternal death. We ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Optional: Prayer for the Church and the Order

In your loving kindness, Lord, break the chains of our sinfulness. Through the intercession of blessed Mary, Mother of God, our Seven Holy Fathers, your servant St. Philip and all the saints, assist and make holy our pope, the brother and prior general, our brothers and sisters in the Secular Order of the Servants of Mary throughout the world, and all members and benefactors of the Order; deliver our parents, relatives and friends from evil and fill them with every gift of life; grant us peace and health; drive far from us all enemies seen and unseen and repel every sinful desire. Give us wholesome air and fruitful soil; free the world from hunger, war, and every disaster, and protect this city and country and all its inhabitants from every misfortune. Pour out your love upon our friends and upon our enemies and grant eternal rest to all those departed in faith. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.