The Office of the Annunciation
From Matins.
The God whom earth, and sea, and sky
Adore, and laud, and magnify,
Who o'er their threefold fabric reigns,
The Virgin's spotless womb contains.
The God, whose will by moon and sun
And all things in due course is done,
Is borne upon a maiden's breast,
By fullest heavenly grace possest,
How blest that mother, in whose shrine
The great artificer divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Vouchsafed, as in his ark, to lie.
Blest, in the message Gabriel brought;
Blest, by the work the Spirit wrought;
From whom the great desire of earth
Took human flesh and human birth.
All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
Amen.
From Lauds.
O glorious
lady! throned on high
Above the
star-illumined sky;
Thereto
ordained, thy bosom lent
To thy
creator nourishment
Through thy
sweet offspring we receive
The bliss
once lost through hapless Eve;
And heaven
to mortals open lies
Now thou
art portal of the skies.
Thou art
the door of heaven's high King,
Light's
gateway fair and glistering;
Life
through a virgin is restored;
Ye ransomed
nations, praise the Lord!
All honour,
laud, and glory be,
O Jesu,
Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory,
as is ever meet,
To Father
and to Paraclete.
Amen.
From Vespers.
Ave, star
of ocean,
Child
divine who barest,
Mother,
ever-virgin,
Heaven's
portal fairest.
Taking that
sweet Ave
Erst by
Gabriel spoken,
Eva's name
reversed,
Be of peace
the token.
Break the
sinners' fetters,
Light to
blind restoring,
All our
ills dispelling,
Every boon
imploring.
Show
thyself a mother
In thy
supplication;
He will
hear who chose thee
At his
incarnation.
Maid all
maids excelling,
Passing
meek and lowly,
Win for
sinners pardon,
Make us
chaste and holy.
As we
onward journey
Aid our
weak endeavour,
Till we
gaze on Jesus
And rejoice
forever.
Father,
Son, and Spirit,
Three in
One confessing,
Give we
equal glory
Equal
praise and blessing.
Amen.