Lord, as we contemplate Mary,
the lowly virgin of Nazareth now assumed in heaven,
we celebrate all the lowly people of the world
who are lifted up before our eyes.
We think of those who face difficult situations with courage,
who do not let themselves be overwhelmed
by the evils they experience,
who find time and energy to celebrate the gifts you have given them,
who are nourished by the faith that
whatever life has in store for them,
they are safe in your hands,
all generations will be blessed
We have been failures in the eyes of some
but you have done great things for us,
and holy is your name,
your mercy reaches from age to age to those who fear you.
When we feel powerless before the obstacles in our path
— many of them within our own selves,
others put there by people,
including some who think they are acting for our good —
help us to remember the power of your arm,
how you will rout all the forces
that oppose your loving plan for us.
They seem too great for us now,
but you will pull them down from their thrones and exalt us;
they are like wild beasts ready to devour us,
but you will fill us with good things
and send them away empty handed.
Lord, we thank you that you look on us
as the Israel of our time, your servants,
and that you come to our help,
mindful of your unconditional love,
according to the covenant you made with our ancestors
that you would never go back on the love
you promised to Abraham and his descendants for ever.
Lord, we pray that our church communities
will be your dwelling place on earth
where the lowly ones of the world
— the poor, the aged and the children, those who are shunned by the wider society, strangers, immigrants, refugees, minorities from different religious or ethnic groups —
are welcomed; where they will exult
because they are called blessed,
and the great things you have done for them are celebrated;
where the proud of heart are routed,
those who set themselves up as princes over others
are pulled down from their thrones and the lowly are exalted,
the hungry are so filled with good things
that those of us who thought we were rich
now realise that we have been sent away empty.
We pray that your church, the true Israel your servant,
will always remember your preferential love for the poor
and the promises you made to Abraham
and his descendants for ever are fulfilled.
Lord, help us to keep alive
the dream of your kingdom as Mary saw it,
a world where there is no lording over others,
where princes are pulled down from their thrones
and the lowly are lifted up,
the hungry are filled with good things
and the rich walk humbly alongside them,
where all receive the good things of the world
as expressions of your merciful love,
the fulfilment of your promises
to Abraham and his descendants for ever.
Prayer
Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise
for all life and holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul to glory
to be with him in heaven-
May we follow her example
in reflecting your holiness
and join with her hymn of endless praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
AMEN.
With love and prayers Fr Michael