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THURSDAY OF THE SORROWFUL

The Joy of the Lord


Let us ponder in our hearts that joy of the Lord
kept in the heart of Mary, his Mother ever Virgin. 



First, The Lord Announced to the Virgin


On the large bead, a leader begins the Our Father: 

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Rs. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ... ..

On each bead of the decade, a leader begins by reading the verse:

Vs. 1  The angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. * And the virgin's name was Mary. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 2  And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God: * Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 3  The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. * And therefore the Holy which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 4  Thus was Mary found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. * Now Joseph, being a just man and not willing to expose her publicly, was minded to put her away privately. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 5  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: * Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to you Mary as your wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 6  And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. * For he shall save his people from their sins. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 7  Now all this was done which the Lord spoke by the prophet: * Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel: God-with-us. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 8  And Joseph, rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took to him his wife. * And she brought forth her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 9  Behold the faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord sets over his family: * He has made me like a father to the king, and a lord of his whole house. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 10  In the promise of God he did not waver by distrust. * By his works his faith was made perfect, and it was reputed to him as justice. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Mary kept in mind all these words, *
and she pondered them in her heart.


Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. She wondered at the things spoken of him, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart.

Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. Mary kept in mind all these words, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart. 



Second, The Lord Blessed in the Virgin


On the large bead, a leader begins the Our Father: 
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Rs. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ... ..

On each bead of the decade, a leader begins by reading the verse:

Vs. 1  It shall come to pass that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: * and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 2  And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, * that I am the Lord your God, and there is none besides. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 3  Fear not, Zachariah, for your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and many shall rejoice in his birth; * and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 4  And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, * and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 5  And she cried out with a loud voice and said: * Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! *  Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 6  Blessed indeed are you who have believed, * that the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …
 
Vs. 7  And how is it that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? * For, behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 8  And Zachariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest, * for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 9  To give knowledge of salvation to his people, * for the remission of their sins. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 10  For the Dayspring from on high has visited us, * to enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet in the way of peace. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Mary kept in mind all these words, *
and she pondered them in her heart.


Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. She wondered at the things spoken of him, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart.

Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. Mary kept in mind all these words, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart. 



Third, The Lord Born of the Virgin


On the large bead, a leader begins the Our Father: 
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Rs. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ... ..

On each bead of the decade, a leader begins by reading the verse:
 
Vs. 1  When the fullness of the time had come, God sent his Son born of a woman, * that we might receive the adoption of sons. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 2  Because children are partakers of the same flesh and blood, he also has been partaker of the same. * Therefore, he is not ashamed to say, I will declare your name to my brethren. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 3  God has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, * through whom also he made the world. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 4  Who is the radiance of his glory and the figure of his substance, * upholding all things by the word of his power. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 5  And having made purgation of sins, he sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high, * being made as much better than the angels as he has inherited a more excellent name. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 6  For to which of the angels has he ever said, * You are my Son, today I have begotten you? Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 7  And again, when he brings the first-begotten into the world, he says: * And let all the angels of God adore him. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 8  And the angel said to the shepherds: Fear not. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people. * For this day is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 9  And this shall be a sign to you: * you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 10  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying, * Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Mary kept in mind all these words, *
and she pondered them in her heart.


Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. She wondered at the things spoken of him, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart.

Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. Mary kept in mind all these words, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart. 



Fourth, The Lord Presented with the Virgin


On the large bead, a leader begins the Our Father: 
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Rs. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ... ..

On each bead of the decade, a leader begins by reading the verse:

Vs. 1 The Lord said to Moses: Sanctify to me every firstborn that opens the womb; every firstborn you shall redeem with a price. * For when Pharaoh would not let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 2 And after the days of their purification were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, * and to offer a sacrifice according as is written in the law of the LordHail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 3 And suddenly the Lord whom you seek, and the angel of the testament whom you desire, * shall come to his Temple. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 4 And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, * Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 5 And Simeon blessed them also. *  And he said to Mary his mother: Behold, this child is set for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, for a sign that shall be contradicted. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 6 And your own soul a sword shall pierce, * that out of many hearts many thoughts may be revealed. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 7 Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect and precious. * And he that shall believe in him shall not be confounded. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 8  To them, therefore, that believe, he is honor. * But to them that believe not, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.  Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 9  The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the cornerstone. * This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 10 Coming to him as to a living stone, be you also as living stones built up into a spiritual temple and holy priesthood, * to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through him. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Mary kept in mind all these words, *
and she pondered them in her heart.


Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. She wondered at the things spoken of him, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart.

Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. Mary kept in mind all these words, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart. 



Fifth, The Lord Sought by the Virgin


On the large bead, a leader begins the Our Father: 
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Rs. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ... ..

On each bead of the decade, a leader begins by reading the verse:
 
Vs. 1 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem at the solemn day of the Pasch. * And as they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 2 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. * And seeing him, they wondered.  Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 3  And his mother said to him: * Son, behold, your father and I have sought you sorrowing. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 4 And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? * And they understood not the word that he spoke to them. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 5 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was obedient to them. * And his mother kept all these words in her heart. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 6 Christ Jesus, being in the form of God, * thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 7 Yet he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, * being made in the likeness of men, and found to be in the of a condition a man. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 8 He thus humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, * even the death of the cross. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 9 Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like his brethren, * that he might become a merciful and faithful priest before God. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. 10  For both he that sanctifies and they that are sanctified, * are of one Father. Hail Mary, hail Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Rs. Blessed art thou …

Vs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
Mary kept in mind all these words, *
and she pondered them in her heart.


Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. She wondered at the things spoken of him, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart.

Rs. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:

Vs. Mary kept in mind all these words, *
Rs. And she pondered them in her heart. 


Concluding Prayers After the Decades


Intercessions for the Church




Vs. Lord, have mercy.   
Rs. Lord, have mercy. 

Vs. Christ, have mercy.   
Rs. Christ, have mercy. 

Vs. Lord, have mercy.    
Rs. Lord, have mercy. 

Vs. Christ, hear us.
Rs. Christ, graciously hear us. 


Vs. God, the Father of heaven:   
Rs. Have mercy on us. 

Vs. God the Son, Redeemer of the world:   
Rs. Have mercy on us. 

Vs. God the Holy Spirit:   
Rs. Have mercy on us. 

Vs. Holy Trinity, one God:   
Rs. Have mercy on us. 
 

Vs. Watch over your Church, O Lord. 
 Rs. O Lord, watch over our Holy Father. 

Vs. Preserve your Church, O Lord. 
Rs. O Lord, preserve our Holy Father. 

Vs. Uphold your Church, O Lord. 
Rs. O Lord, uphold our Holy Father. 
 

Vs. Grant the pastors of your Church and its laborers
ever to renew, O Lord. 
 Rs. O Lord, grant your people ever to renew. 

Vs. Grant religious life in the Church and the consecrated
ever to renew, O Lord. 
Rs. O Lord, grant your people ever to renew.

Vs. Grant the life of the faithful in the family and in the world 
 ever to renew, O Lord. 
 Rs. O Lord, grant your people ever to renew. 
 

Vs. Draw to the bosom of the Church 
all the peoples of the world, O Lord: 
 Rs. And in your mercy hear the Holy Father’s intentions 
for all the peoples of the world, O Lord.

Vs. Holy Mary, holy Mother of the Church, pray for her: 
 Rs. that she be made worthy of the promises of Christ.



The Seasonal Antiphon to the
Blessed Virgin Mary


ADVENT





Hail, guiding Star of seafarers,
portal to eternal light!
Ever-virgin mother of God,
shine down on us in the night.

By the grace of Gabriel's Ave, 
overturning Eva's name,
God's peace confer upon us all 
in our journey on the wave.

Our captive fetters unloosing, 
his light on our blindness pour;
all our ills below expelling, 
blessings from above implore.

To him who took you for his own,
taking from you his own flesh,
offer to him, we pray, our prayers, 
our own Mother by his address.

Most gentle one, make us gentle; 
Most chaste one, make us most chaste;
Peerless virgin, be our shelter 
against the flesh's sin and taint.

Our ways here keep immaculate,
keep our footsteps pure and sure,
till we enter your Son's sweet joy 
with his saints forevermore.

Glory be to God the Father, 
glory be to God the Son, 
glory to the Holy Spirit,
glory to the Three in One:
From the heart of blessed Mary, 
from all saints one praise ascends: 
let the Church the praise reecho 
unto earth's remotest ends.

 Vs. Pray for us, holy Mother of God: 
 Rs. That we be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

The concluding prayer is recited by a leader of the prayers: 

 Lord Holy Father, 
 as in the heart of Mary Immaculate 
you did prepare a fit dwelling for your Holy Spirit, 
grant us that by pondering all the words she kept in hers
our hearts too may be found a worthy dwelling for your Word. 
Through the same Christ our Lord: 
 Rs. Amen 

Vs. Glory be to the Father, 
and to the Son, 
and to the Holy Spirit: 
 Rs. As it was in the beginning is now, 
and ever shall be, 
world without end. Amen 

The leader invokes the final blessing: 

Vs. May the Lord our God bless us, 
and defend us from all evil, 
and lead us to eternal life: 

 They conclude, kissing the crucifix and making the sign of the cross with it: 

 Rs. In the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Spirit. 
 Amen





Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, 
that no one who has run to your protection, 
or implored your help, 
or sought your intercession, 
is known ever to have been forsaken. 

Enlivened by trust in this, to you I run, 
O Virgin of virgins, 
to you have I come, O my Mother, 
 before you I stand a sinner grieving. 

 Disdain not the words of my prayer, 
O Mother of the Word of God, 
but kindly give ear and graciously hear,
O most loving Virgin and Mother. 


 Vs. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God: 
Rs. that we be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

The concluding prayer is recited by a leader: 

Lord holy Father, 
as you willed that when your only begotten Son was 
to be exalted on the cross, his Mother stand near,
her heart pierced with grief for his pierced with a lance:
grant us that by pondering in our hearts 
those two wounded for our healing, 
we may become worthy to share 
in the healing of his resurrection. 
Through the same Christ our Lord, 
 Rs. Amen. 

Vs. Glory be to the Father, 
and to the Son, 
and to the Holy Spirit: 
Rs. As it was in the beginning, is now, 
and ever shall be, 
world without end. 
 Amen. 

 The leader invokes the final blessing: 

Vs. May the Lord our God bless us, 
and defend us from all evil, 
and lead us to eternal life: 

They conclude, kissing the crucifix and making the sign of the cross with it: 

Rs. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Spirit. 
 Amen.