From the book of St John Damascene on the
Orthodox faith: Book 4, Chap 15, Lesson iii.

Joachim was united in marriage with Anna, a most excellent and praiseworthy woman. Like that first Anna, who was barren but who through prayer and a vow bore Samuel, this Anna, through her supplications and a promise received from God, the very Mother of God, that in this she might not be inferior in any way to those other illustrious matrons.

Thus grace (for the name Anna means grace) brings forth the Lady (for the name Mary means/Lady). Truly she became the lady among all created beings, since she was the Mother of the Creator. Mary first saw the light of day in the house of Joachim near the Probatica, and was brought to the temple.

Like the flower planted in the house of God, nurtured by the Holy Spirit, like the fruitful olive tree, she became the abode of all virtues. She dispelled from her mind every desire of this life or of the flesh. She preserved virginity in soul and body as became her who was to receive God into her bosom.

I rejoiced when I heard them say

"Let us go into God's house"

And now our feet are standing

Within your gates, O Jerusalem.

 

Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up

the tribes of the Lord.

 

For Israel's law it is
there to praise the Lord's name.

There were set the thrones of judgement,

the house of David.

 

For the peace of Jerusalem pray

"Peace be to your homes!

May peace reign in your walls,

In your palaces, peace."

 

For love of my brethren and friends

I say: "Peace upon you!"

For love of the house of the Lord

I will ask for your good.

Second Reading A Man for Our Times , Donald S Blake CFC

Others began to join Edmund's movement. By 1808, two further foundations of Edmund's 'monks' were established in the Waterford diocese, at Carrick-on-Suir and Dungarvan. The 'monks' were technically laymen. Edmund's priest friend, John Power, was now Bishop of Waterford. He approved of what had been accomplished so quickly. Together he and Edmund drew up a rule of life based on the constitutions of the Presentation Sisters.

On 15 August 1808, Edmund and eight companions were clothed in a simple black habit - to be worn indoors only, in deference to the Protestant sensitivities of the ruling classes. They made vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. An official diocesan congregation of brothers, known as "The Society of the Presentation", was formed under the authority of the bishop. The ordinary people among whom they worked called them simply ‘the Gentlemen of the Presentation’ or, more simply still, 'the monks'.

Edmund received the name "Brother Ignatius" after Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the great founder of the Jesuits, and the congregation began to greet each other with the title of "Brother". Thus began the first form of male religious life in Ireland since the Reformation.

Ant. Holy Mother of God. Mary ever-virgin, temple of the Lord sacred dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, you alone without an equal found favour with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed are you, God of Israel

for you have visited and redeemed your people,

and have raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of your servant.

As you spoke through the mouths

of your holy prophets of old,

that we should be saved from our enemies,

And from the hand of all who oppress us.

To perform the mercy promised to our ancestors,

and to remember your holy covenant,

the oath you swore to Abraham and Sarah,

to grant us deliverance from evil,

that we might serve you without fear,

in holiness and righteousness

all the days of our lives.

And you child

will be called the prophet of the Most High,

for you will go before the Holy One

to prepare God's ways,

To give knowledge of salvation to God's people

In the forgiveness of their sins,

through the tender mercy of our God

when the day shall dawn upon us from on high

To give light to those in darkness

and in the shadow of death

to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Lord as we honour the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and seek her help, grant that we, like her, may share in the fullness of your grace. Amen.

To our needy world of today,

love and beauty you portray,

showing the path

to Christ we must trace

Mary, our mother, hail full of grace.

Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.