Call to Worship

While making the sign of the cross:

God, come to our assistance.
Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Hymn

O Holy Mary (1)

O holy Dwelling Place of God.
O holy Temple of the Word.
O holy Mary, holy Mother of God.

From heav’n the angel Gabriel
announced the ancient plan
and humbly you accepted
to bear the God-made man.

All praise and adoration
we sing now to your Son
who reigns in highest heaven
and has the vict’ry won.

O holy Dwelling Place of God.
O holy Temple of the Word.
O holy Mary, holy Mother of God.

PSALMODY
Psalm 141:1-9

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense, my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, I am calling: hasten to help me.
Listen to me as I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep watch at the gate of my lips.
Let my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No, I will never taste their delights.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

The good may reprove me,
In kindness chastise me,
but the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Every day, I counter their malice with prayer.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

To you, Lord my God, my eyes are turned:
In you I take refuge; do not forsake me.
Keep me safe from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do evil.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all praise to the life giving Spirit.
As it was, is now, and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense, my hands like an evening offering. (2)

Psalm Prayer

Lord,
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
your name is worthy of all praise.
Let our prayer come like incense before you.
May the lifting up of our hands
be as an evening sacrifice
acceptable to you,
Lord, our God.

Psalm 147

Ant. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will reign for ever.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!

For God has strengthened the bars of your gates,
and has blessed the children within you:
established peace on your borders,
and feeds you with finest wheat.

God sends out the word to the earth
and swiftly runs the command.
God showers down snow white as wool
and scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

God hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch.
God sends forth the word and it melts them:
at the breath of the Lord’s mouth the waters flow.

God makes a word known to Jacob,
to Israel laws and decrees.
God has not dealt thus with other nations
and has not taught them his decrees.

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father, and he will reign for ever.

Canticle
Philippians 2:6-11

Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.

Though he was in the form of God
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Rather, he emptied Himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.

He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled Himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross.

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,

and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
Jesus Christ is Lord!

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.

Reading

A Reading from the First Letter of St. John
(John 1:1-2)

This is what we proclaim to you:
what was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we have looked upon
and our hands have touched—
we speak of the word of life.
This life became visible;
we have seen and bear witness to it,
and we proclaim to you the eternal life
that was present to the Father
and became visible to us.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

Responsory

A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.
A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.
The Virgin has given birth to the Savior,
and a star has risen from Jacob.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
A flower has sprung from Jesse’s stock and a star has risen from Jacob.

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

The Magnificat (3)
Luke 1:46-55
Ant. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

While making the sign of the cross:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit sings to God, my saving God,
Who on this day, above all others, favored me
And raised me up, a light for all to see.

Through me, great deeds will God make manifest
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know and praise God’s holy name.

God’s mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.

Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.

All glory be to God, Creator blest,
To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest,
And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
All glory be, both now and evermore.

Ant. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Intercessions

On this day, the eternal Father sent his angel to bring Mary the good news of our salvation. Let us turn to God and pray with confidence:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

You chose the Virgin Mary as the mother of your Son; have mercy on all who look for your gift of salvation.
Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

You sent Gabriel to give Mary your message of peace and joy. Give to the whole world the joy of salvation and your gift of true peace.
Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

Mary gave her consent, the Holy Spirit overshadowed her, and your Word came to dwell among us. Touch our hearts that we may welcome Christ as Mary did.
Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

You look with love on the humble and fill the hungry with your gifts; raise up the downcast, help all in need, comfort and strengthen the dying.
Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

For the sick who have asked us to accompany them with our prayers, that they may experience your merciful and healing touch today.

Please pray aloud the names of those who are sick or in need of healing.

Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy.

Lord our God, you alone work wonders and with you all things are possible; give us the fullness of salvation when you raise up the dead on the last day.
Cry out for God’s mercy:
Hear, O Lord, enfold us in your mercy. (4)

The Lord’s Prayer

And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord asked:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.

Closing Prayer

God our Father,
Your word became flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary. May we become more like Jesus Christ, whom we acknowledge as our redeemer, God and human. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Blessing

While making the sign of the cross:

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and
bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Hail Mary (5)

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Pray for us.
Sant’Angelo,
Pray for us.

Let us spend this evening in peace.
Thanks be to God.

Credits and Permissions
All text and music are in the public domain
or used with permission:
OneLicense A-726188. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all music
is published by OCP or a division of OCP.
Julian Pardo produces all audio.
Michael Aguilar, Jr. produces all videos.

1. Text: Owen Alstott, b. 1947; Spanish, Cesáreo Gabaráin, 1936-1991. Music: Owen Alstott. Text and music copyright 1982, 1989, OCP. All rights reserved. Viola: arr.by Craig S. Kingsbury, b. 1952, copyright 1985, 1986, OCP.
   Vocals: Anna May Rudolph.
   Viola: Briana Bandy, violist.
   Piano: :Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.,

2. Text: Based on Psalm 141:1-5,8-9, Doxology; Paul Inwood, b. 1947.
   Music: Paul Inwood; Text and Music copyright, 1984-1985.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

3. Lyrics: Based on Luke 1:68-79;
   Owen Alstott, b. 1947. Copyright 1993.
   Music: Bernadette Farrell, b. 1957.
   Copyright 1993.
   Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark.
   Other Vocals:Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm., Alondra Garza, Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Nick Ritacco.
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

4. Text: General Intercessions, Lent.
   Music: Based on Parce Domine; adapted and arranged by Tony Alonso, copyright 2004.
   Vocals: The Carmelites.

5. Text and Music: written by Carey Landry, arranged by Martha Lesinski, copyrights 1975, 1978.
   Vocals: Anna May Rudolph.