The Most Holy Name of Mary

THE MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE
The name of Mary brings grace, hope, and sweetness to the hearts of men. First fostered in Spain, then invoked against the Turks at Vienna in 1683, this devotion to Mary inspired King John Sobieski of Poland to put the misbelievers to flight, and thus to save Christendom from devastation. Pope Innocent XI extended observance of the feast to the whole Church.






INTROIT Ps. 44:13, 15, 16
All the rich among the people seek Your favor. Behind her the virgins shall be led to the king; her friends shall be brought to You with gladness and joy.
Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Almighty God, Your faithful people rejoice in the protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary and delight in her name. Deliver them from all evil here on earth and make them worthy of everlasting happiness in heaven through her loving intercession. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Eccli. 24:23-31 [Sirach]
As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

GRADUAL
You are blessed and venerable, O Virgin Mary, for without loss of your virginity you became the Mother of our Savior.
V. O Virgin Mother of God, He whom the whole world cannot contain enclosed Himself in your womb and was made man.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
You bore a Child, O Virgin, and remained a virgin still. Mother of God, intercede for us. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 1:26-38
At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end." And Mary said to the angel: "How shall this be done, because I know not man?" And the angel answering, said to her: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God." And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Luke 1:28, 42
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

SECRET 
O Lord, through Your mercy and the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, let this offering bring us prosperity and peace now and forever. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal God.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, grant that we who have received the Sacrament of our salvation may be protected through the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, in whose honor we have offered this Sacrifice to Your majesty. Through our Lord . . .