Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary 12 (Lent III): The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother at the Foot of the Cross II

This Mass in celebration of Christ's saving Passion also honors the part played by the Blessed Virgin Mary in achieving our salvation. When Mary became the Mother of Christ "by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Preface), she became by a further gift of divine love "a partner in his Passion" (Preface), a Mother suffering with him (Collect A, Collect B).

The beginning of the Mass echoes the prophecy of Simeon, which links the destiny of the Son and the Mother and foretells that Christ would be a sign that would be contested and that the Virgin's soul would be pierced by a sword of sorrow (cf. Entrance Antiphon. Luke 2, 34-35).

The prayers of the Mass recall the plan of salvation, by which God joined the suffering of the Mother with the suffering of her Son (Collect A, Collect B), and decreed that "the new Eve should stand by the Cross of the new Adam" (Preface).

The co-suffering of the Blessed Virgin in the drama of salvation is rightly celebrated, because she stood by the Cross of the Lord (cf. Gospel. John 19, 25-27) "firm in faith, strong in hope, burning with love." (Gospel Verse); there she did not spare her own life when her nation was brought low (cf. 1st Reading. Judith 13,17-20); she endured the greatest of pains in bringing forth to new and divine life the family of the Church, though she had brought forth her Son "without the pains of childbirth" (Preface); hence the faithful glorify her as they say, "How blessed was the Virgin Mary in her sufferings: she gained the palm of living martyrdom at the foot of the Cross of her Son." (Communion Antiphon, A).

What took place in the reality in the passion of Christ is now celebrated in sacramental signs; and so we pray that "the sacrifice of the altar, offered in union with the Virgin, may wipe away our sins and open for us the gates of heaven" (Prayer over the Offerings). The faithful, as they share in the sufferings of Christ, are to rejoice, "that [they] may also rejoice exultantly when his glory is revealed." (Communion Antiphon, B. 1 Peter 4, 13), and, by carrying their Cross each day, they may come to share in the resurrection of Christ (cf. Prayer after Communion).

The texts of the Mass come from the Proprium missarum Ordinis Fratrum Servorum beatae Mariae Virginis, Curia Generalis OSM, Rome, 1972, pp. 57-60.
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Entrance Antiphon Luke 2, 34-35

Simeon said to Mary: Behold, this child is destined

for the ruin and rising of many in Israel,

and to be a sign of contradiction;

and your own soul a sword will pierce.

COLLECT

Lord our God,

you placed at the side of your suffering Son

his Mother to suffer with him,

so that the human race,

deceived by the wiles of the devil,

might become a new and resplendent creation.

Grant that your people may put aside their inheritance of sin

and put on the newness of life won

by Christ the Redeemer.

Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

or:

Lord God,

you decreed that the Mother of your Son

should stand by his Cross, suffering with him.

Safeguard in your family

the fruits of your great work of redemption

and in your goodness

make them grow daily more and more.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading

You have averted our ruin before our God.

A reading from the Book of Judith 13,17-20

All the people were greatly astonished.

   They bowed down and worshiped God, saying with one accord,

   “Blessed are you, our God,

   who today have brought to naught the enemies of your people.”

Then Uzziah said to her:

   “Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,

   above all the women on earth;

   and blessed be the LORD God,

   the creator of heaven and earth,

   who guided your blow at the head of the chief of our enemies.

Your deed of hope will never be forgotten

   by those who tell of the might of God.

May God make this redound to your everlasting honor,

   rewarding you with blessings,

   because you risked your life

   when your people were being oppressed,

   and you averted our disaster

   walking uprightly before our God.”

And all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!”

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144, 1-2. 4-6. 8-9 (R.: 9b) 

R. The Lord is merciful to every creature.

I will extol you, O my God and King,

and I will bless your name forever and ever.

Every day will I bless you,

and I will praise your name forever and ever. R.

Generation after generation praises your works

and proclaims your might.

They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty

and tell of your wondrous works.

They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds

and declare your greatness.  R.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and of great kindness.

The LORD is good to all

and compassionate toward all his works. R.

Alleluia

There by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ stood his mother,

firm in faith, strong in hope, burning with love.

Gospel

There by the cross of Jesus stood his mother.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 19, 25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

   and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

   and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her,

   he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”

Then he said to the disciple,

   “Behold, your mother.”

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

Lord, let our gifts be consumed

by the fire of the Holy Spirit,

so that the sacrifice of the altar,

offered in union with the Virgin,

may wipe away our sins

and open for us the gates of heaven.

Through Christ our Lord.

PREFACE

By a Gift of God’s Love Our Lady Shared in the Passion of Her Son

The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

R. We lift them up to the Lord

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

R. It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

In your divine wisdom
you planned the redemption of the human race
and decreed that the new Eve
should stand by the Cross of the new Adam:
as she became his Mother
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
so, by a new gift of your love,
she was to be a partner in his Passion,
and she who had given him birth
without the pains of childbirth
was to endure the greatest of pains
in bringing forth to new life
the family of your Church.

Now, with Angels and Archangels,
and the whole company of heaven,
we sing the unending hymn of your praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy....

Communion Antiphon

How blessed was the Virgin Mary in her sufferings:
she gained the palm of living martyrdom
at the foot of the Cross of her Son.

or:

1 Peter 4, 13
Rejoice when you share in the sufferings of Christ,
that you may also rejoice exultantly
when his glory is revealed.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Lord God, protect your servants,
whose hunger and thirst
you have satisfied in this Sacrament;
as we call to mind Mary’s suffering with Christ,
grant that by carrying our cross each day
we may come to share in his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Through Christ our Lord.

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