Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saturday, March 12, 2016

22. Holy Mary, Handmaid of the Lord

FIRST READING

I stood praying to the Lord, and the Lord granted my request.

1 Samuel 1:24-28; 2:1-2,4-8

Hannah brought Samuel with her,

along with a three-year-old bull,

an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,

and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.

After the boy's father had sacrificed the young bull,

Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said;

"Pardon, my lord!

As you live, my lord,

I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.

Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;

as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD."

Hannah left Samuel there;

and as she worshiped the Lord, she said:

"My heart exults in the Lord,

my horn is exalted in my God.

I have swallowed up my enemies;

I rejoice in my victory.

There is no Holy One like the Lord;

there is no Rock like our God.

"The bows of the mighty are broken,

while the tottering gird on strength.

The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,

while the hungry batten on spoil.

The barren wife bears seven sons,

while the mother of many languishes.

"The LORD puts to death and gives life;

he casts down to the netherworld;

he raises up again.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich,

he humbles, he also exalts.

He raises the needy from the dust;

from the ash heap he lifts up the poor,

to seat them with nobles

and make a glorious throne their heritage.

He gives to vowers their vows,

and blesses the sleep of the just.

"For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S,

and he has set the world upon them."

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Commentary on 1 Sm 1:24-28; 2:1-2,4-8

In this passage from First Samuel, we see Samuel’s mother, Hannah, dedicating the boy to God. The reference she made to Eli: “I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord,” refers to her prayer that she would be allowed to bear a son for God (1 Samuel 1:9ff). Her prayer answered, she now dedicates him and leaves him to be trained in the faith. Hannah leaves the young Samuel at Shiloh. Shiloh at that time was a sanctuary for the people of Israel and a tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 18:1; 22:9). It was served by priests and was central to Jewish worship prior to the building of the Temple at Jerusalem.

The selection continues with a hymn of praise to God. “A hymn attributed to Hannah, the mother of Samuel, as her thanksgiving to God because she has borne a son despite her previous sterility. She praises God as the helper of the weak (1 Samuel 2:1-2), who casts down the mighty and raises up the lowly (1 Samuel 2:3-5), and who alone is the source of true strength (1 Samuel 2:8-10); the hymn ends with a prayer for the king (1 Samuel 2:10). This canticle has several points of resemblance with Our Lady's Magnificat.”[1]

CCC: 1 Sm 1 489

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55

R. (see 48a) The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."

R. The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

"For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name."

R. The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

"He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty."

R. The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

"He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever."

R. The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

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Commentary on Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55

The responsorial is the Magnificat, the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication to service, she offers herself to God as vessel of the Messiah. She sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.

CCC: Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422

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GOSPEL

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, 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 coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

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Commentary on Lk 1:26-38

This passage, from St. Luke’s Gospel, is the story of Mary being informed by the archangel Gabriel that she has been chosen for the great privilege of bearing the Savior of the world. St. Mary graciously accepts this honor, although with very human fear, indicating that her free will is at play. This response makes her obedience to God’s will more powerful. It is proposed that, with this acceptance, Mary entered into a vow of perpetual virginity because of the demands of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel."

In St. Luke’s story of the Annunciation, the archangel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her she will bear a son and name him Jesus (the eternal implication of this statement is made clear in the greeting which presupposes knowledge of Mary’s entire existence). Mary confirms the title “Virgin” as she questions Gabriel saying: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Even though she does not understand, Mary accepts her role and is told that the Holy Spirit will be the agent of the life within her. She then utters those amazing words: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

This announcement parallels Zechariah’s news about John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-23), also delivered by the archangel Gabriel. This passage clearly identifies Jesus as Son of David and Son of God, thus linking it with the messianic predictions from the Old Testament.

CCC: Lk 1:26-38 497, 706, 723, 2571; Lk 1:26-27 488; Lk 1:26 332; Lk 1:28-37 494; Lk 1:28 490, 491; Lk 1:31 430, 2812; Lk 1:32-33 709; Lk 1:32 559; Lk 1:34 484, 497, 505; Lk 1:35 437, 484, 486, 697; Lk 1:37-38 494; Lk 1:37 148, 269, 273, 276; Lk 1:38 64, 148, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, 2856

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Reflection:

The Assumption of the Virgin
by Charles Le Brun

As modern Christians, we constantly challenged to become disciples of Jesus in a society where the teachings of our Lord, those teachings we pledge to study and live by, are increasingly unpopular, and in some cases are becoming questionably legal. Looking at our Blessed Mother, Mary, we see that, by taking on the role of “handmaid of the Lord,” she expressed her total submission to the will of God. Not only submission, but a handmaid was expected to completely know the mind of the one she served so she could anticipate her master’s needs and desires.

By expressing her submission to God’s will in all things, she shows us the next step, beyond discipleship. As we see in Sacred Scripture, the disciples frequently disagreed with the Lord; they didn’t understand and in some cases argued with Jesus. It is a good example of the student-teacher relationship. Mary not only accepts the Lord’s will without question, she has demonstrated perfect humility, offering herself as “lowly servant,” and loyal member of God’s closest household.

In her example, the Blessed Virgin asks us to follow her example, to submit to God’s will without questioning, with complete faith. Oh, what a difficult thing she asks of us in that perfect example of faith. She has denied her human nature, becoming the mind of God in her desire to anticipate his will and please him. When we feel we have achieved some level of understanding of what God calls us to, all we need do is look at the handmaid of the Lord to see the distance we have yet to travel so we may stand in company with all the saints in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Pax

[1] See NAB footnote on 1 Sm 2:1

Thursday, February 25, 2016

21. The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FIRST READING

Remembrance of me is a legacy to future generations.

Sirach 24:17-21

I bud forth delights like the vine,

my blossoms become fruit fair and rich.

Come to me, all you that yearn for me,

and be filled with my fruits.

You will remember me as sweeter than honey,

better to have than the honeycomb.

Whoever eats of me will hunger still,

whoever drinks of me will thirst for more;

whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,

whoever serves me will never fail.

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Commentary on Sir 24:17-21

“In this chapter Wisdom speaks in the first person, describing her origin, her dwelling place in Israel, and the reward she gives her followers. As in Proverbs 8 Wisdom is described as a being who comes from God and is distinct from him. While we do not say with certainty that this description applies to a personal being, it does foreshadow the beautiful doctrine of the Word of God later developed in St. John's Gospel (John 1:1-14). In the liturgy this chapter is applied to the Blessed Virgin because of her constant and intimate association with Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom.”[1]

CCC: Sir 24 721

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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54

R. (Is 61:10b) My spirit rejoices in my God.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked upon his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

R. My spirit rejoices in my God.

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

R. My spirit rejoices in my God.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

R. My spirit rejoices in my God.

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Commentary on Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54

This is a selection from the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), which is the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication of the service she offers to God as vessel of the Messiah, she sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.

"Three stanzas may be distinguished in the canticle: in the first (verses 46-50) Mary glorifies God for making her the Mother of the Savior, which is why future generations will call her blessed; she shows that the Incarnation is a mysterious expression of God's power and holiness and mercy. In the second (verses 51-53) she teaches us that the Lord has always had a preference for the humble, resisting the proud and boastful. In the third (verses 54-55) she proclaims that God, in keeping with His promise, has always taken care of His chosen people – and now does them the greatest honor of all by becoming a Jew (cf. Romans 1:3)."[2]

CCC: Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706

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GOSPEL

Luke 1:26-38

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 coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

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Commentary on Lk 1:26-38

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Reflection:

I’ll begin this reflection with two quotes, first from the New Advent online Catholic Encyclopedia:

The Madonna of the Roses
by William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1903

“We venerate the name of Mary because it belongs to her who is the Mother of God, the holiest of creatures, the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Mercy. The object of the feast is the Holy Virgin bearing the name of Mirjam (Mary); the feast commemorates all the privileges given to Mary by God and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation.”

And next from the Franciscan Media:

“Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God’s infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God’s ways, wherever those may lead us. Honored under the title 'Queen of Peace,' Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights of all peoples.”

As we celebrate this thousand-year-old feast, we contemplate what the celebration of the name of a person or thing means. The use of a powerful name implies that acts or actions taken in that name are directly attributed to it. For instance, when a judge or justice invokes their authority, they generally do so with a statement like: “By the authority invested in me by (naming the appointing governmental jurisdiction)”; they are saying that the name under which they serve has the power to achieve the actions they propose.

Similarly, when explorers find new land, they might plant their country’s flag saying: “I claim you in the name of (a country or land to which they hold allegiance).” And of course we are all aware of the great commissioning that took place at the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel wherein Jesus told his disciples: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

Invocation of a name and the power associated with it is most clearly present in the kenotic hymn from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. In the final strophe of that ancient song we hear that because of Jesus’ great humility and obedience: "God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

(Philippians 2:9-11)

Our veneration of the Most Holy Name of Mary, as is stated in the quotes above, is based upon our faith in the Blessed Mother’s ongoing impact on our lives, and our world. She, who was so loved by our Lord and Savior (whose name is above every other name) that he crowned her Queen of Heaven, has constantly directed us toward the source of our salvation. The Most Holy Name of Mary reminds us whose authority we are under and whose kingdom we proclaim.

Scripture reminds us that the Mother of God accepted her charge from God willingly, sacrificing all that she was and had for the greater glory of God, thinking nothing of herself. It is this deference to God’s will that becomes our example and we are reminded of it each time we invoke the name of Mary.

Today we pray that our Blessed Mother’s name will be constantly in front of us, leading us to her Son, and guiding us in holiness.

Pax

[1] See NAB footnote on Sirach 24:1-27.
[2] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 350.