ORATIO LX [ol. LIX]. AD SANCTAM VIRGINEM MARIAM. In Assumptione ejus.
Praise of the Glorified Virgin
The prayer opens by invoking Mary through her glorious assumption and the love of her Son, blessing her as the one from whom the Sun of Justice arose, exalting her with scriptural imagery of Lebanon's cedars and fragrant myrrh, and acclaiming her as Queen of the Heavens above the choirs of angels.
Most serene Virgin, holy Mary, mother of God, through the merits of your glorious assumption and through the love of your sweetest Son, by whom you were taken up into heaven, grant me strength against your enemies, and to enter into the eternal kingdom. Blessed indeed are you, holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise, because from you the Sun of Justice has risen—Christ our God. Like the cedar exalted on Lebanon, and like the cypress on Mount Zion, like choice myrrh giving sweetness of fragrance (Ecclus. XXIV, 17, 20). Exalted above the choirs of angels, rejoicing and glorious forever, Queen of the Heavens, where you help all who glorify you as Lady and who with humble prayer call upon your holy name.
Refuge and Strength Under Mary's Protection
The supplicant, acknowledging personal sinfulness, takes refuge under Mary's protection and asks for strength of soul and body to be freed from sin, delivered from enemies, and enabled always to bless her Son.
Blessed then, and venerable Virgin Mary, you are kind to all who cry out to you with a devout heart; be gracious and merciful to me, a sinner who humbly calls upon you. I take refuge under your protection, where in my weakness I have found strength. With your protection, grant me to receive that strength of soul and body, so that through you, freed from sins and the desires of sin, delivered without fear from the hand of enemies both visible and invisible, I may be able at all times to bless your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and always to have his praise on my lips.
Mary's Death and Christ's Victory Over Death
The Virgin is honored as the one who underwent death yet could not be held by it, because she alone as a Virgin gave birth to him who was the death of death and the sting of hell.
O glorious Virgin, you underwent death, yet could not be held in the bonds of death, because you alone as a Virgin gave birth to him who was the death of death, and the sting of hell.✦
Prayer for a Holy Death and Final Commendation
Through Mary's death and the joys of her assumption, the supplicant asks to live the remainder of life in sincere faith and to reach a happy end through confession, repentance, reception of Christ's Body and Blood, and commendation of the spirit into divine mercy.
Help me through your death, and through the joys of your assumption into heaven, so that I may be able to lead the remainder of my life with sincere faith by your assistance, and bring my life to a happy end—prostrate on the earth in ashes and sackcloth, with tears; in confession and repentance of my sins; and furthermore, which is greater, in confession of the name of Christ, and in receiving his Body and Blood; and in commending my spirit into the hands of his mercy.✦
Cleansing from Sin and Presentation in Heaven
The supplicant asks Mary to pray for cleansing from sins before the judgment seat of her Son, and that through the merits of her great mysteries—nativity, annunciation, virginal childbirth, purification, and assumption—the soul may be presented pure in the heavenly palace where Mary reigns as Queen.
Pray for me, holy Mother of God, so that I, conscious of my many sins and trembling with dread before the judgment seat of your Son, may through your venerable intercession rejoice to be cleansed of all my offenses—by the compunction that waters my heart, and by the dew of most tender confession poured out by you. Let no stain of sin defile my soul any longer; but with a clean heart and a chaste body, through the merit of your most wholesome nativity, annunciation, and most holy virginal childbirth, and of your most pure purification, and of your most glorious assumption, may I be presented in the high palace of heaven, where you exult in glory and reign as Queen of angels and of humanity, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.✦
Final Plea and Trinitarian Doxology
The Mother of Mercy is asked to obtain forgiveness through her virgin prayers from her sweet Child, concluding with a Trinitarian doxology to Christ who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Come to the aid of my offenses, Mother of mercy, obtaining for me forgiveness through your virgin prayers, from your sweet child Jesus Christ our Lord. Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, blessed, etc.
Read the original Latin
Virgo serenissima, Dei genitrix sancta Maria, per merita tuae gloriosae assumptionis, et per amorem tui dulcissimi filii, a quo assumpta es in coelum, da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos, et in regnum aeternum ingredi. Felix namque es sacra virgo Maria, et omni laude dignissima, quia ex te ortus est sol justitiae Christus Deus noster. Sicut cedrus exaltata in Libano, et sicut cypressus in monte Sion, quasi myrrha electa dans suavitatem odoris (Eccli. XXIV, 17, 20). Exaltata super choros angelorum gaudens et gloriosa in perpetuum regina coelorum, ubi adjuvas omnes qui te dominam glorificant, et sanctum nomen tuum humili prece frequentant.
Beata ergo et venerabilis virgo Maria, quae benigna es omnibus ad te pio corde clamantibus, pia et exorabilis esto mihi peccatori te humiliter invocanti; sub tua protectione confugio, ubi infirmus accepi virtutem. Illam animi et corporis virtutem cum tuo praesidio fac me accipere, ut per te liber a peccatis et desideriis peccatorum, sine timore de manu inimicorum visibilium et invisibilium liberatus filium tuum Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum possim omni tempore benedicere, et semper laudem ejus in ore meo habere. O Virgo gloriosa, quae mortem subiisti, sed mortis nexibus deprimi non potuisti, quia tu sola Virgo genuisti eum, qui erat mors mortis, et morsus inferni. Adjuva me per mortem tuam, et per gaudia tuae assumptionis in coelum, ut residuum vitae meae possim cum sincera fide tuo adjutorio ducere, et finem vitae meae feliciter terminare in cinere et cilicio in terra prostratus cum lacrymis; in confessione et poenitentia peccatorum meorum; insuper, quod majus est, in confessione nominis Christi, et in perceptione corporis et sanguinis ejus; et in commendatione spiritus mei in manibus misericordiae suae. Ora pro me, sancta Dei Genitrix, ut qui conscius peccatorum multorum tribunal filii tui tremebundus perhorresco, per tuam venerabilem intercessionem gaudeam emundari ab omnibus criminibus meis, cordis compunctione irrigante, et rore piissimae confessionis a te exhibito. Nulla de caetero macula peccati anima mea inquinetur; sed mundo corde et casto corpore per merito tuae saluberrimae nativitatis, annuntiationis, et sanctissimi virginei partus tui, et castissimae purificationis, et gloriosissimae assumptionis in excelso coelorum palatio possim praesentari, in quo gloriosa exsultas et regnas regina angelorum et hominum, Mater Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Succurre meis criminibus, mater misericordiae, tuis virgineis precibus veniam mihi obtinendo apud tuum dulcem natum Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Qui cum Patre, et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat benedictus, etc.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Cor.15.55;Hos.13.14 — Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? Hos.13.14 — From the hand of Sheol I will ransom them; from death I will redeem them. Where are your plagues, O Death? Where is your sting, O Sheol? Repentance shall be hidden from my eyes.
- ↩Ps.31.5 — Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
- ↩Ps.51.10 — Cause me to hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion
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