The Second Day within the Octave of the
 Immaculate Conception
from the Liturgical Year, 1870


Let us consider how the immaculate Mary came into this world nine months after her Conception, and how each day of her life gave man fresh reason to hope for the great promises made him by God. Let us admire the fullness of grace which God has given to her, and contemplate the respect and the love wherewith the holy Angels look upon her as the future Mother of Him who is to be their Head and King, as well as ours. Let us follow this august Queen to the Temple of Jerusalem, where she is presented by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne. When but three years of age, she was initiated into all the secrets of divine love. "I always rose at midnight" (thus she spoke of herself, in a revelation to St. Elizabeth of Hungary), "and went before the Altar of the Temple, where I besought of God that I might observe all the commandments of his Law, and be enriched with those graces which would render me pleasing to His Majesty. I most earnestly prayed him, that I might live to see that most holy virgin who was to bring forth into this world His own divine Son. I asked Him to grant me to enjoy the use of my eyes that I might see her, of my tongue that I might praise her, of my hands that I might serve her, of my feet that I might go her errands, and of my knees that I might adore the Son of God resting in her arms."

Thou, O Mary, thou thyself wast this Virgin, who was worthy of the praises of men and Angels! But God had not yet revealed it to thee, and thy heavenly humility forbade thy thinking that the immense dignity, which thou didst so deeply venerate, could ever be thine. Nay, thou wast the first and the only one of the daughters of Israel that had renounced all hope of ever being the Mother of the Messias. To be Mother of the Messias was, indeed, an ineffable honour; but it seemed as though it could only be received on the condition of having another Spouse besides God, and this thou wouldst not suffer; thou wouldst be united to God alone, and thy vow of Virginity which made thee so, was dearer to thee than the possibility of any privilege, which would rob thee even of a title of that. Thy marriage with St. Joseph, therefore, was a fresh lustre added to thy incomparable purity, whilst, in the designs of God, it provided thee with the protection which thy coming honours would soon require. We follow thee, O Spouse of Joseph, into thy house at Nazareth, where is to be spent thy humble life. There we behold thee diligent in all thy duties, the valiant Woman of the Scriptures (Prov. xxxi), the object of the admiration of God and his Angels. Suffer us, O Mary! to unite our Advent devotions with the prayers which thou didst offer up for the coming of the Messias; with the veneration wherewith thou didst think upon Her that was to be His Mother; and with the inflamed desires wherewith thou didst long for the divine Saviour. We salute thee as the Virgin (2 Is vii. 14) foretold by Isaias; it is thyself, O blessed Mother, that deservest the praise and love of the holy people and city, the redeemed of the Lord (Ibid. xlii. 12).



Prayer from the Gregorian Sacramentary


Grant we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that all we, who are united with upright hearts in the unity of faith, may rejoice: that so, when Thy Son our Saviour shall come, we, being purified, may meet him in the society of His Saints. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen









Litany of the Life of the Blessed Virgin
(For private recitation only)


 Lord, have mercy.
 Lord, have mercy.
 Christ, have mercy.
 Christ, have mercy.
 Lord, have mercy.
 Lord, have mercy.
 Christ, hear us.
 Christ, graciously hear us.

 God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
 God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
 God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
 Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

 Holy Virgin, sprung from the race of David, pray for us.*
 Holy Virgin, espoused to the just Joseph,*
 Holy Virgin, bound by an inviolable vow of chastity,*
 Holy Virgin, gloriously saluted by the Angel,*
 Holy Virgin, full of grace,*
 Holy Virgin, blessed among all women,*
 Holy Virgin, conceiving by the operation of the Holy Ghost,*
 Holy Virgin, bearing in thy womb the Man-God,*
 Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord,*
 Holy Virgin, Mother of the true Solomon,*
 Holy Virgin, visiting Thy cousin Elizabeth,*
 Holy Virgin, blest land, whence sprung the Saviour,*
 Holy Virgin, holy gate, through which the King of heaven alone may pass,*
 Holy Virgin, journeying to Bethlehem with thy spouse Joseph,*
 Holy Virgin, bringing into the world thy divine Son,*
 Holy Virgin, laying the Son of God in a manger,*
 Holy Virgin, visited by the shepherds,*
 Holy Virgin, saluted by the Magi,*
 Holy Virgin, presenting thy Son to be circuмcised,*
 Holy Virgin, submitting to the law of purification,*
 Holy Virgin, offering thy dear Son in the temple,*
 Holy Virgin, flying into Egypt to save thy Child,*
 Holy Virgin, returning from Egypt into the land of Israel,*
 Holy Virgin, leading an obscure life at Nazareth,*
 Holy Virgin, keeping the feasts prescribed by the law,*
 Holy Virgin, afflicted at the loss of thy Child, when he was twelve years old,*
 Holy Virgin, seeking thy Child for three days sorrowing,*
 Holy Virgin, honoring with Thy presence the marriage-feast of Cana,*
 Holy Virgin, graciously representing to Thy Son the want of wine,*
 Holy Virgin, obtaining a miracle by thy intercession,*
 Holy Virgin, following thy Son in His ministrations,*
 Holy Virgin, sharing the sorrows of thy Son,*
 Holy Virgin, standing at the foot of the cross,*
 Holy Virgin, confided by thy Son to the beloved disciple,*
 Holy Virgin, pierced with a sword of sorrow,*
 Holy Virgin, filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,*
 Holy Virgin, called Blessed by all generations,*
 Holy Virgin, reigning in heaven,*


 Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
 Spare us, O Lord.
 Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
 Graciously hear us, O Lord.
 Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
 Have mercy on us.


 V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
 R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 Let us pray:

 
Protect, O Lord, Thy servants by Thy gracious and abundant help, and grant that our confidence in the protection of the blessed Mary ever Virgin may obtain for us security against all enemies and all dangers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen


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