Hail, Mary, full of grace. The is with thee.
Hail, thou star of ocean!
Portal of the sky!
Ever Virgin Mother
Of the Lord most high!
Oh, by Gabriel’s Ave,
Uttered long ago,
Eva’s name reversing,
‘Stablish peace below.
Break the captive’s fetters;
Light on blindness pour;
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a mother;
Offer Him our sighs,
Who for us incarnate
Did not thee despise.
Virgin of all virgins!
To thy shelter take us;
Gentlest of the gentle!
Chaste and gentle make us.
Still as on we journey,
Help our weak endeavor;
Till with thee and Jesus
We rejoice for ever.
Through the highest heaven,
To the Almighty Three,
Father, Son, and Spirit,
One same glory be. Amen.
At his general audience on march 24, 2004, Pope John Paul II said the following about today’s feast of the Annunciation of the Lord:
This feast, which this year falls in the middle of Lent, on one hand refers us to the beginnings of salvation, and on the other invites us to turn our gaze to the paschal mystery. We look at Christ crucified who has redeemed humanity, fulfilling to the end the will of the Father. On
Associated to the mystery of the Incarnation, Our Lady is co-participant in the mystery of redemption. Her fiat, which we recall tomorrow, echoes that of the incarnate Word. In profound symphony with Christ’s and the Virgin’s fiat, each one of us is called to unite his own “yes” to the mysterious plans of