Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

MONDAY Morning Prayer

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 as in the !eginning, is no , and ill !e fore"er. #men. H$M% Mary immac&late, star of the morning, 'hosen !efore the creation !egan, 'hosen to !ring, for thy !ridal adorning, (oe to the serpent and resc&e to man. Here, in an or!it of shado and sadness, Veiling thy splendor, thy co&rse tho& hast r&n) %o tho& art throned in all glory and gladness, 'ro ned !y the hand of the sa"ior and Son. Sinners, e orship thy sinless perfection) Fallen and eak for thy pity e plead) Grant &s the shield of thy so"ereign protection, Meas&re thine aid !y the depth of o&r need. Bend from thy throne at the "oice of o&r crying, Bend to this earth hich thy footsteps ha"e trod) Stretch o&t thine arms to &s, li"ing and dying, Mary immac&late, Mother of God.
Melody* Lie!ster +mman&el ,,.,-.,,.,M&sic* Melody from Himmels-L&st ,./0, adapted and harmoni1ed !y 2.S. Bach, ,.30-,/04e5t* F.(. (eatherell

Or* Virgin of "irgins, yo& ere &nto&ched !y that stain of sin, that first of all e"ils, the sad inheritance of the h&man race. From my earliest years + ha"e placed my hope in yo&.

(here the po er of e"il o"ercomes me and makes my life too sinf&l for yo&r ga1e, all the more ill yo&r &n!o&nded compassion sho me yo&r genero&s lo"e, !eca&se my s&ffering is so deep, my sinf&lness so &n orthy of yo&r aid.
L&is de Leon 6,07/8,073-,09,:

;S#LMO<$ #nt., Oh Mother, ho p&re yo& are, yo& are &nto&ched !y sin) yo&rs as the pri"ilege to carry God ithin yo&. or* Blessed are yo&, O Mary, for the orld=s sal"ation came forth from yo&) no in glory, yo& re>oice fore"er ith the Lord. +ntercede for &s ith yo&r Son. ;salm 9May e li"e in the radiance of God There is no time with God: a thousand years, a single day: it is all one (2 Peter 3:8) O Lord, yo& ha"e !een o&r ref&ge from one generation to the ne5t. Before the mo&ntains ere !orn or the earth or the orld !ro&ght forth, yo& are God, itho&t !eginning or end. $o& t&rn men !ack to d&st and say* ?go !ack, sons of men.@ 4o yo&r eyes a tho&sand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a atch in the night. $o& s eep men a ay like a dream, like grass hich springs &p in the morning. +n the morning it springs &p and flo ers* !y e"ening it ithers and fades. So e are destroyed in yo&r anger, str&ck ith terror in yo&r f&ry. O&r g&ilt lies open !efore yo&) o&r secrets in the light of yo&r face. #ll o&r days pass a ay in yo&r anger. O&r life is o"er like a sigh.

O&r span is se"enty years or eighty for those ho are strong. #nd most of these are emptiness and pain. 4hey pass s iftly and e are gone. (ho &nderstands the po er of yo&r anger and fears the strength of yo&r f&ryA Make &s kno the shortness of o&r life that e may gain isdom of heart. Lord, relentB +s yo&r anger for e"erA Sho pity to yo&r ser"ants. +n the morning, fill &s ith yo&r lo"e) e shall e5&lt and re>oice all o&r days. Gi"e &s >oy to !alance o&r affliction for the years hen e kne misfort&ne. Sho forth yo&r ork to yo&r ser"ants) let yo&r glory shine on their children. Let the fa"or of the Lord !e &pon &s* gi"e s&ccess to the ork of o&r hands, gi"e s&ccess to the ork of o&r hands. #nt. 7 4he Lord God most high has !lessed yo&, Virgin Mary, a!o"e all the omen on the earth. Or* $o& are the glory of 2er&salem, the >oy of +srael) yo& are the fairest of o&r race. +saiah C7*,--,. God "ictor and sa"ior They were singing a new hymn before the throne of God (Revelation !:3) Sing to the LOD< a ne song, his praise from the end of the earth* Let the sea and hat fills it reso&nd, the coastlands, and those ho d ell in them. Let the steppe and its cities cry o&t, the "illages here Eedar d ells) Let the inha!itants of Sela e5&lt, and sho&t from the top of the mo&ntains. Let them gi"e glory to the LOD<, and &tter his praise in the coastlands. 'anticle

4he LOD< goes forth like a hero, like a arrior he stirs &p his ardor) He sho&ts o&t his !attle cry, against his enemies he sho s his might* + ha"e looked a ay, and kept silence, + ha"e said nothing, holding myself in) B&t no , + cry o&t as a oman in la!or, gasping and panting. + ill lay aste mo&ntains and hills, all their her!age + ill dry &p) + ill t&rn the ri"ers into marshes, and the marshes + ill dry &p. + ill lead the !lind on their >o&rney) !y paths &nkno n + ill g&ide them. + ill t&rn darkness into light !efore them, and make crooked ays straight. #nt. F* Sinless "irgin, let &s follo >oyf&lly in yo&r footsteps) dra &s after yo& in the fragrance of yo&r holiness. Or* O Virgin Mary, ho great yo&r ca&se for >oy) God fo&nd yo& orthy to !ear 'hrist o&r Sa"ior. ;salm ,C. 4hose ho tr&st in God kno hat it is to !e happy To "raise God in our lives means all we do must be for his glory (#rnobius) My so&l, gi"e praise to the Lord) + ill praise the Lord all my days, make m&sic to my God hile + li"e. ;&t no tr&st in princes, in mortal men in hom there is no help. 4ake their !reath, they ret&rn to clay and their plans that day come to nothing. He is happy ho is helped !y 2aco!=s God, hose hope is in the Lord his God, ho alone made hea"en and earth, the seas and all they contain. +t is he ho keeps faith for e"er, ho is >&st to those ho are oppressed.

+t is he ho gi"es !read to the h&ngry, the Lord, ho sets prisoners free, the Lord ho gi"es sight to the !lind, ho raises &p those ho are !o ed do n, the Lord, ho protects the stranger and &pholds the ido and orphan. +t is the Lord ho lo"es the >&st !&t th arts the path of the icked. 4he Lord ill reign for e"er, Gion=s God, from age to age. F+DS4 DH#<+%G B&t no , th&s says the LOD<, ho created yo&, O 2aco!, and formed yo&, O +srael* Fear not, for + ha"e redeemed yo&) + ha"e called yo& !y name* yo& are mine. Or Galatians C*C-0 +saiah CF*,

B&t hen the f&llness of time had come, God sent his Son, !orn of a oman, !orn &nder the la , to ransom those &nder the la , so that e might recei"e adoption. Or ;ro"er!s 3*77-F, $ary in the mind of God I4he LOD< !egot me, the first-!orn of his ays, the forer&nner of his prodigies of long ago) From of old + as po&red forth, at the first, !efore the earth. (hen there ere no depths + as !ro&ght forth, hen there ere no fo&ntains or springs of ater) Before the mo&ntains ere settled into place, !efore the hills, + as !ro&ght forth) (hile as yet the earth and the fields ere not made, nor the first clods of the orld. I(hen he esta!lished the hea"ens + as there, hen he marked o&t the "a&lt o"er the face of the deep) (hen he made firm the skies a!o"e, hen he fi5ed fast the fo&ndations of the earth) (hen he set for the sea its limit,

so that the aters sho&ld not transgress his command) 4hen as + !eside him as his craftsman, and + as his delight day !y day, ;laying !efore him all the hile, playing on the s&rface of his earth) and + fo&nd delight in the sons of men. SH'O%< DH#<+%G From a sermon !y St. #nselm, !ishop
6Oratio 07*;L ,03, 900-90.:

%irgin $ary, all nature is blessed in you& Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and ri"ers, day and night J e"erything that is s&!>ect to the po er or &se of man J re>oice that thro&gh yo& they are in some sense restored to their lost !ea&ty and are endo ed ith ine5pressi!le ne grace. #ll creat&res ere dead, as it ere, &seless for men or for the praise of God, ho made them. 4he orld, contrary to its tr&e destiny, as corr&pted and tainted !y the acts of men ho ser"ed idols. %o all creation has !een restored to life and re>oices that it is controlled and gi"en splendor !y men ho !elie"e in God. 4he &ni"erse re>oices ith ne and indefina!le lo"eliness. %ot only does it feel the &nseen presence of God himself, its 'reator, it sees him openly, orking and making it holy. 4hese great !lessings spring from the !lessed fr&it of MaryKs om!. 4hro&gh the f&llness of the grace that as gi"en yo&, dead things re>oice in their freedom, and those in hea"en are glad to !e made ne . 4hro&gh the Son ho as the glorio&s fr&it of yo&r "irgin om!, >&st so&ls ho died !efore his life-gi"ing death re>oice as they are freed from capti"ity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain. Lady, f&ll and o"erflo ing ith grace, all creation recei"es ne life from yo&r a!&ndance. Virgin, !lessed a!o"e all creat&res, thro&gh yo&r !lessing all creation is !lessed, not only creation from its 'reator, !&t the 'reator himself has !een !lessed !y creation. 4o Mary God ga"e his only-!egotten Son, hom he lo"ed as himself. 4hro&gh Mary God made himself a Son, not different !&t the same, !y nat&re Son of God and Son of Mary. 4he hole &ni"erse as created !y God, and God as !orn of Mary. God created all things, and Mary ga"e !irth to God. 4he God ho made all things ga"e himself form thro&gh Mary, and th&s he made his o n creation. He ho co&ld create all things from nothing o&ld not remake his r&ined creation itho&t Mary. God, then, is the Father of the created orld and Mary the mother of the re-created orld. God is the Father !y hom all things ere gi"en life, and Mary the mother thro&gh hom all things ere gi"en ne life. For God !egot the Son, thro&gh hom all things ere made, and Mary ga"e !irth to him as the Sa"ior of the orld. (itho&t GodKs Son, nothing co&ld e5ist) itho&t MaryKs Son, nothing co&ld !e redeemed.

4r&ly the Lord is ith yo&, to hom the Lord granted that all nat&re sho&ld o e as m&ch to yo& as to himself. DHS;O%SOD$ 4he God of po er has gi"en me his strength. - 4he God of po er has gi"en me his strength. He has kept me in the ay of holiness. - #nd has gi"en me his strength. Glory to the Father... - 4he God of po er has gi"en me his strength. Or* O Virgin Mary, no other da&ghter of 2er&salem is yo&r eL&al, for yo& are the mother of the Eing of kings, yo& are the M&een of hea"en and of angels. - Blessed are yo& among omen and !lessed is the fr&it of yo&r om!. Hail, f&ll of grace) the Lord is ith yo&. - Blessed are yo& among omen and !lessed is the fr&it of yo&r om!. '#%4+'LH OF GH'H#D+#H L&ke ,*.3-/9

#nt. 4he Lord God said to the serpent* + ill make yo& enemies, yo& and the oman, yo&r offspring and her offspring) she ill cr&sh yo&r head, allel&ia. Or* Holy Mary, e"er-"irgin, Mother of God, !lessed are yo& among omen and !lessed is the fr&it of yo&r om!. 4he Messiah and his forer&nner Blessed !e the Lord, the God of +srael) he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised &p for &s a mighty sa"ior, !orn of the ho&se of his ser"ant <a"id. 4hro&gh his holy prophets he promised of old, that he o&ld sa"e &s from o&r enemies, from the hands of all ho hate &s. He promised to sho mercy to o&r fathers and to remem!er his holy co"enant. 4his as the oath he s ore to o&r father #!raham,

to set &s free from the hands of o&r enemies, free to orship him itho&t fear, holy and righteo&s in his sight all the days of o&r life. $o&, my child, shall !e called the prophet of the Most High, for yo& ill go !efore the Lord to prepare his ay, 4o gi"e his people kno ledge of sal"ation !y the forgi"eness of their sins. +n the tender compassion of o&r God the da n from on high shall !reak &pon &s, to shine on those ho d ell in darkness and the shado of death, and to g&ide o&r feet into the ay of peace. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit* as it as in the !eginning, is no , and ill !e for e"er. #men. +%4HD'HSS+O%S Let &s glorify o&r Sa"ior, ho chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let &s ask him* $ay your mother inter'ede for us, (ord& S&n of 2&stice, the +mmac&late Virgin as the hite da n anno&ncing yo&r rising, - grant that e may al ays li"e in the light of yo&r coming. Sa"ior of the orld, !y yo&r redeeming might yo& preser"ed yo&r mother !eforehand from all stain of sin, - keep atch o"er &s lest e sin. $o& are o&r redeemer, ho made the +mmac&late Virgin Mary yo&r p&rest home and a sanct&ary of the Holy Spirit* - make &s temples of yo&r Spirit fore"er. Eing of kings, yo& lifted &p yo&r mother, !ody and so&l, into hea"en* - help &s fi5 o&r tho&ghts on things a!o"e. O&r Father... 'O%'LN<+%G ;D#$HD Father, yo& prepared the Virgin Mary to !e the orthy mother of yo&r Son. $o& let her share !eforehand in the sal"ation 'hrist o&ld !ring !y his death,

and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help &s !y her prayers to li"e in yo&r presence itho&t sin. (e ask this thro&gh o&r Lord 2es&s 'hrist, yo&r Son, ho li"es and reigns ith yo& and the Holy Spirit, one God, for e"er and e"er. #lternati"e ;rayer Father, the image of the Virgin is fo&nd in the 'h&rch. Mary had a faith that yo&r Spirit prepared and a lo"e that ne"er kne sin, for yo& kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. 4race in o&r actions the lines of her lo"e, in o&r hearts her readiness of faith. ;repare once again a orld for yo&r Son ho li"es and reigns ith yo& and the Holy Spirit, one God, for e"er and e"er. May the Lord !less &s, protect &s from e"il and !ring &s to e"erlasting life. - #men.
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