The Annunciation

 Raccolta Prayers

Prayers to the Mother of the Word Incarnate From the Raccolta

I.
Virgin most holy, Mother of the Word Incarnate, Treasurer of graces, and Refuge of us poor sinners; we fly to thy motherly affection with lively faith, and we beg of thee the grace ever to do the will of God. Into thy most holy hands we commit the keeping of our hearts, asking thee for health of soul and body, in the certain hope that thou, our most loving Mother, wilt hear our prayer . Wherefore with lively faith we say: Hail Mary three times.
 

II.
O Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found the way to restoration? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and, receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, O blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succor the miserable, help the faint-hearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen

------St. Augustine [Author of Prayer II.]