In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

V. THOU, O Lord, wilt open my lips. R. And my tongue shall announce thy praise.

V. Incline unto my aid, O God.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.

[From Septuagesima to Easter, Praise be to thee, O Lord, is said instead of Alleluia.]

If the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, have not been recited, say,

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, &c.

Our Father, &c., once.
Hail Mary, &c., three times.

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES.*

THE FIRST MYSTERY.

THE ANNUNCIATION.-Virtue, HUMILITY.

THE MEDITATION.

Let us consider in this Mystery how the Angel, Gabriel, was sent from heaven to declare to the Blessed Virgin the choice which God had made of her, to

*The Five Joyful Mysteries to be said on all Mondays and Thursdays, the Sundays of Advent and after Epiphany until Lent.

be the Mother of the eternal Word; how Mary receives this announcement with the most profound humility, and the Son of God becomes man in her womb.

Our Father, once. Hail Mary, ten times. Glory be to the Father, once.

The Prayer.

I acknowledge thee, O Holy Virgin, to be truly the Mother of God; I hail thee, full of grace; I repeat with joy the praises first given thee by the Angel, and continued after him by the entire Church. In becoming Mother to the incarnate Word, thou likewise becomest a Mother to all the faithful. O mayest thou especially be a Mother to me. Amen.

F

2

Subjects for Meditation in this Mystery.

First-God, through love of us, humbles himself to our nothingness: adore this deep and incomprehensible proof of love.

Second-Consider the Archangel announcing to Mary her elevation to the highest dignity to which a mere creature could ascend, and reflect on her humble answer: “Behold the handmaid [that is, the slave] of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word."-Luke i. 38. Here we clearly see that the exalted rank to which she was raised, inspired her with no sentiments but those of profound humility, conformity to the will of God, and solicitude for the salvation of man.

Practical Resolutions.

First-To esteem and desire the virtue of humility.

Second-Propose to bear patiently every insult. Third-Acknowledge sincerely that you are a useless servant, the last of all.

THE SECOND MYSTERY.

THE VISITATION.-Virtue, CHARITY.

The Meditation.

Let us consider in this Mystery how the Blessed Virgin went with haste to visit her cousin, St. Elizabeth, into the mountains of Judea, where, at her arrival, St. John the Baptist, yet unborn, exults in the presence of his Redeemer, and is sanctified in his mother's womb.

The Prayer.

O Holy Virgin, who in this Mystery didst most eminently display the humility and charity that were within thee, obtain for us of God that our souls may be frequently visited by thy Son, and feel some of those impressions which his presence once made on his blessed precursor. Amen.