Visitation of Mary

ABOUT

This feast is celebrated between the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the birth of St. John the Baptist, in conformity with the Gospel accounts. The Visitation is the meeting between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist. Mary’s “Magnificat” is another testimony of her humility before God. Her readiness to serve Elizabeth is a good lesson on charity.

Source: Daily Roman Missal

BIRTHDATES

ORA PRO

ORA CONTRA

READING 1 (1st Option)

Zephaniah 3:14-18a

READING 1 (2nd Option)

Romans 12:9-16

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

ALLELUIA

Luke 1:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Luke 1:39-56

INVITATORY:

Antiphon

Let us sing to the Lord as we celebrate the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Invitatory psalm as in the Ordinary.

OFFICE OF READINGS:

FIRST READING

From the Song of Songs (2:8-14; 8:6-7)

The coming of the beloved

Hark! my lover – here he comes
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.

My lover speaks; he says to me,
“Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!
“For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,
and come!

“O my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the secret recesses of the cliff,
Let me see you,
let me hear your voice,
For your voice is sweet,
and you are lovely.”

Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm;
For stern as death is love,
relentless as the nether world is devotion;
its flames are a blazing fire.
Deep waters cannot quench love,
nor floods sweep it away.
Were one to offer all he owns to purchase love,
he would be roundly mocked.

RESPONSORY
Luke 1:41b-43, 44

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
— And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For when your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
— And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

SECOND READING

From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest (Lib. 1,4: CCL 122, 25-26. 30)

Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord working in her

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. With these words Mary first acknowledges the special gifts she has been given. Then she recalls God’s universal favors, bestowed unceasingly on the human race.

When a man devotes all his thoughts to the praise and service of the Lord, he proclaims God’s greatness. His observance of God’s commands, moreover, shows that he has God’s power and greatness always at heart. His spirit rejoices in God his savior and delights in the mere recollection of his creator who gives him hope for eternal salvation.

These words are often for all God’s creations, but especially for the Mother of God. She alone was chosen, and she burned with spiritual love for the son she so joyously conceived. Above all other saints, she alone could truly rejoice in Jesus, her savior, for she knew that he who was the source of eternal salvation would be born in time in her body, in one person both her own son and her Lord.

For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Mary attributes nothing to her own merits. She refers all her greatness to the gift of the one whose essence is power and whose nature is greatness, for he fills with greatness and strength the small and the weak who believe in him.

She did well to add: and holy is his name, to warn those who heard, and indeed all who would receive his words, that they must believe and call upon his name. For they too could share in everlasting holiness and true salvation according to the words of the prophet: and it will come to pass, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This is the name she spoke of earlier: and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

Therefore it is an excellent and fruitful custom of holy Church that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening prayer. By meditating upon the incarnation, our devotion is kindled, and by remembering the example of God’s Mother, we are encouraged to lead a life of virtue. Such virtues are best achieved in the evening. We are weary after the day’s work and worn out by our distractions. The time for rest is near, and our minds are ready for contemplation.

RESPONSORY
Luke 1:45, 46; Psalm 66:16

Happy are you who have believed, because the Lord’s promises will be accomplished in you. And Mary said:
— My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, alleluia.

Come, and listen, and I will tell what great things God has accomplished for me.
— My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, alleluia.

HYMN: Te Deum (as posted here)

PRAYER (as in Morning Prayer)

MORNING PRAYER:

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH (as posted here)
Antiphon

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, she cried out and said: Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

EVENING PRAYER:

CANTICLE OF MARY (as posted here)
Antiphon

All generations will call me blessed; the Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.