I Mass of the B. V. M. – Rorate
Introit
Isa 45:8
Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.
Ps 84:2
You have favored, O Lord, Your land; You have restored the well-being of Jacob.
Glory Be to the Father…
Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.
Collect
O God, Who willed that by the message of an angel Your Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Your suppliants who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
Epistle
Lesson from the book of Isaias
Isa 7:10-15
In those days, the Lord spoke to Achaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Achaz answered, I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord! Then he said, Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Emmanuel. He shall be living on curds and honey by the time He learns to reject the bad and choose the good.
Gradual
Ps 23:7, 3-4.
Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of glory may come in!
℣. Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who may stand in His holy place? He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean. Alleluia, alleluia.
Luke 1:28
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. Alleluia.
Gospel
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 1:26-38
At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He shall be king over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. But Mary said to the angel, How shall this happen, since I do not know man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for nothing shall be impossible with God. But Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.
Offertory
Lk 1:28, 42
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Secret
Fix firmly in our minds, O Lord, we beseech You, the mysteries of the true faith; that we who believe Him, conceived of a virgin, to be true God and man, may be found worthy to attain eternal happiness through the power of His redeeming resurrection.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
Preface
Blessed Virgin
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, in the Feast of the Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise:
Communion
Isa 7:14
Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel.
Postcommunion
Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord, Your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ Your Son was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His passion and cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection.
Through the same Christ our Lord…