O Mary, blessed Virgin,
You bore the Son of God in your womb,
waiting for nine months
before you could gaze at His face.

O Mary, sweetest Mother,
You waited for three long days
amid heart-breaking grief
before you heard the overjoying news
of Jesus’ resurrection.

What terrible pain did you face?
What suffering did you endure?
What a strength did you show us!

You exposed yourself to shame
when you decided to embrace God’s plan of love for humankind
by the message of an angel.

You had to flee to Egypt, when king Herod tried to kill your baby Child.
You entrusted to God all those things
that were not so easy to understand,
storing them up in your heart,
with unfailing faith.

You followed Jesus
for every step of the way,
till that dreadful day,
when you saw Him hanging on a cross
dying and being buried.
You stood under the cross with steadfast faith.
From that throne of pain your Son asked you to be mother of John
and by that disciple you became mother of us all.
From the cross the body of Jesus was handed to you,
The same body that you, as a young mother, hold in your arms so many times.

Dear Mary, how much pain did you endure to be the mother of my Saviour!
Dear Mother, I want to take you in my home as well.

O Mary, Woman of true Hope,
you kept vigil, waiting for the new dawn of the Resurrection.
O Mary, Woman of Faith,
intercede for me;
teach me how to face every trial
through faith in your Risen Son;
show me how to put all my trust in God.

Amen.