The Angelus - Is it part of your life?
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 3:00 PM
This morning at Mass, our priest gave a wonderful homily on the beloved prayer “The Angelus” and its link to the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord we celebrate today. He reminded those of us present at Mass that this is the reason our parish bells resonate every day at noon and 6:00 pm. (Apparently, we give our parish neighbors a break and omit the 6:00 am call to prayer!)
I will admit that I have not regularly prayed the Angelus since grade school, when the beloved Poor Clare sisters who taught us had us kneel to recite it prior to lunch each day. After Mass, I came home and spent some time reading about the origins of the prayer and pondering how nicely it fits into a mother’s life. The name Angelus is derived from the original Latin Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ coming from the opening words of the prayer “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary”.
On a day when we commemorate Mary’s brave “yes” to God’s unique call in her life, I’ve been thinking about how I might fit this own prayer into my devotional time. Remembering to pause and pray throughout the course of the day is always a challenge, but the Angelus doesn’t seem to be a lengthy prayer to recite. I’m particularly interested in praying the Angelus at noon, when my family is spread in various parts of the city. Saying this prayer with my “guys” in my mind and heart and for their intentions feels like a wonderful way of asking Mary’s special intercession in my life as a mom.
One mother recently shared with me that her husband calls her at noon each day and they pray this prayer together. Do you routinely pray the Angelus or pause of some time of midday prayer?
Here are the words of the Angelus here for those who may not be familiar with the devotion:
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
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.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary . . .
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary . . .
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, 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.
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