Tuesday 12/16/14

Last night we had Adoration. That means that today we’ll have our third installment of…
 

Better Know a Prayer
 
This week’s Better Know a Prayer is all about the Angelus. The Angelus is a traditional Catholic prayer all about the Annunciation: the time when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. The Angelus is basically a retelling of the Annunciation, complete with Hail Mary’s.
 
The Angelus grew out of monasteries, most likely sometime in the 11 ^th century. Franciscans would pray three Hail Mary’s accompanied by bell ringing at the end of the day. Today, those with a devotion to the Angelus typically pray it three times per day, 6:00 AM, noon, and 6:00 PM. All three times are marked with bell ringing, which was the source of an old joke: A young boy went to confession. After he told the priest his sins, the priest told him that his penance was to practice a devotion to the Angelus for a week. “You do know the Angelus, right?” “Of course I do… DONG! …DONG! …DONG!”
 
The Angelus is typically prayed back and forth, with one person or group leading and the rest responding.
 

The Angelus
 
Leader: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
Response: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
   
    Hail Mary, full of grace,
    The Lord is with Thee;
    Blessed art thou among women,
    And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
    Holy Mary, Mother of God,
    Pray for us sinners,
    Now and at the hour of our death. Amen


L: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R: Be it done unto me according to thy word.


      Hail Mary, full of grace…


L: And the Word was made Flesh.
R: And dwelt among us.
    
      Hail Mary, full of grace...


L: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy 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. Amen.