Saturday before the Third Sunday of November BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MOTHER OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Solemnity
Devotion to Our Lady of Divine Providence in our Congregation dates back to 1732 when the Roman people began to venerate her beautiful image in our Church of St. Charles ai Catinari. A few years later Pope Benedict XIV approved a special IIwrgy and the institution of. confraternity in ber honor. From then on many Popes, from PiU5 VTI to John Paul II, have shown their personal devotion 10 Our Lady of Divine Providence. In 1832 !he pBSwr, Father Monioi, fl>u nded a Religiou. Institute for women dedicated 10 ber nanl'" Father Semeri. entrusted h!.s Institute for Wilrorphans to h.. prcectlon. Today. love for Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, is a characteristic of the Barnabite family which, in every part of the world, dedicates Churches, chapels, altars and houses to her honor.

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Evening Prayer I
HYMN Hymn to Mary, Mother of Divine Providence or from the common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1620.

o Provident Mother, sweet Mother of Jesus,

Oh, what a concern for your Son you expressed! When lost in the Temple, in worry but trustful, You sought Him and joyful You found Him in there. At Cana you pleaded for us, 100, your children: They' re wanting, my Jesus, the wine of sheer gladness." Ob, give them the wine of pure grace and pure bounty. They wi ll then, your Kingdom of justice e'er seek. At Cana, persuasive, you called on us saying: "Whatever He tells you, in earnest, perform it." Assurance you won't have of greater fulfillment. Ob, help us to listen, whenever He speaks. This Feast our Forefathers a legacy left us; Delighted we make it our duty and glory. In joyful thanksgiving your glories, Dear Mother, In chorus confessing, God Triune we praise. Ave Maria! Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Maria!
Music: P. Magri PSALMODY Psalms and canticle from the common of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1622. Text: Fr. Luciano M. Visconti, CRSP

An t. I Praise the Lord, for he does not abandon those who trust in him; he has been merciful to me, his servant. Ant. 2 The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Ant. 3 All generations will call me blessed: God has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
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READING

Gal 4:4-5

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.
RESPONSORY

Holy Mother of God, intercede for us. -Holy Mother of God, intercede for us. Pray for us to the Son of God. -Intercede for us. Glory to the Father... -Holy Mother of God, intercede for us.
CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant; the Almighty has done great things for me.
INTERCESSIONS

Let us humbly invoke God, whose desire it is to give us everything through Mary, our Mother: Mary, full ofgrace, intercede for us. o God, you preserved the Mother of your Son free from any stain of sin, -defend us from the evil one. o God, you wanted your Son to be conceived by a virgin mother, - grant us to be faithful to you in chastity. o God, you inspired Mary to keep in her heart all the words of your Son, -grant us to love silence and prayer. o God, beside your Son dying on the cross you wanted his mother to be united with him in his sacrificial offering, - grant that we too, with the help of. Mary, may take our cross and faithfully follow your Son.
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o God, you have given to our Congregation Mary, the Mother of

your Son, as Mother of Divine Providence, - grant us to love her constantly with filial love. o God, you made the Immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son's glory in heaven, - may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with all the saints forever. Our Father. ..

o God,

Prayer

whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things, we humbly implore you through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son, to remove from us whatever is harmful and to bestow on us only that which is helpful. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Invitatory

Ant. Come, let us adore Christ the Lord, who has entrusted us to Mary as her children.
InvilalOry psalm. as in Ihe Ordinary. 613.

Office of Readings
Hymn and psalms fi-om Ihe common of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1628. Or

hymn, as in Evening Prayer I. 55.

Ant. I Virgin Mother of God, you are in the presence of God; remember to intercede for us. Ant. 2 Blessed are you, Mary, more than all the women on earth,
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because in danger you have been our refuge. Ant. 3 Reign upon us, together with your Son, because you have freed us from the hands of the enemy. Blessed are you, 0 Mary, for you believed: - The Word of God is fulfilled in you.
FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Isaiah

7: 10-14: 8:IOb: 11:1-9

Emmanuel. the King of Peace

The Lord spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!" Then Isaiah said: Listen, 0 house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel, for "With us is God!" But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and offear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, But he shall judge the poor with Justice, and decide aright for the land's afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
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and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.
RESPONSORY

Rejoice with me, all of you who love the Lord, because the Lord, the Most High, is delighted over his lowly servant: - In my womb I begot the Man-God. All generations will call me blessed, because the Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant: - In my womb r begot the Man-God.
SECOND READING

From the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the second Vatican Council
(Lumen Gentium, nn. 61-62)

Mary's motherhood in the order ofgrace

The Blessed Virgin was predestined to be the Mother of God in the eternal plan for the incarnation of God's Word. By decree of God's providence she was, here on earth, the loving mother of the divine Redeemer, the noblest of all his companions and the hum- 59-

ble servant of the Lord. In conceiving Christ, in bearing him, in nursing him, in presenting him to the Father in the temple, in sharing her Son's passion as he was dying on the cross by her obedience, her faith, her hope and burning love, she cooperated, in a way that was quite unique, in the work of the Savior in restoring supernatural life to souls. She is therefore a mother to us in the order of grace. This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace - from the consent which she gave in faith at the annunciation, and which she continued to give unhesitatingly at the foot of the cross - lasts without interruption until all the elect enter into eternal fulfillment. When she was taken up into heaven, she did not lay aside this saving role but she continues by her intercession for all to gain for us the gifts of eternal salvation. In her maternal.Iove she cares for the brothers and sisters of her Son as they journey on earth in the midst of dangers and hardships, until they are brought safely home to the happiness of heaven. The Blessed Virgin is thus invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix and Mediatrix. These titles must not, however, be understood as in any way detracting from, or adding to, the dignity and effectiveness of Christ, the one Mediator. No creature can ever be classed as an equal with the incarnate Word, the Redeemer. But just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways by his ministers and his faithful people, and as the goodness of God, one though it is, is, in different ways really shared with creatures, so also the unique mediation of Christ does not exclude but brings about a variety of shared cooperation, deriving from the one unique source. The Church does not hesitate to acknowledge this kind of subordinate role in the person of Mary. The Church has continu- 60-

ous experience of its effects, and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that as they lean on her motherly protection they may be brought into closer union with the Mediator, our Savior.
Alternative:

From the writings of Fr. John Semeria, CRSP

(Mater Divinae Providentiae. Nov. 1922. pp 372-375)

Mother olDivine Providence

Our Blessed Mother has so many beautiful titles, mostly created by the simple and spontaneous piety of the Christian people inspired by the loving theology called "sensus fidei." These titles are warm with affection and redolent with genuine goodness. They are poetic, luminous and warm. They express a truth and they express it effectively. A whole Marian theology is contained in them. By repeating them, ideas and loving feelings are intensified. Our title places us squarely at the center of true theology. Mother: here is the synthesis of Mary's greatness. She is Our Lady because she was a mother. Mother of Jesus Christ! This says it all. It is the very root of Our Lady's "human" greatness. A woman achieves natural fulfillment by becoming a mother. Mother is the most august title of and for a woman. Even a queen is not happy if she is not a mother; and a mother has in her maternity the secret of a joy and a pride which a queen does not know. A mother is blessed among women, as Mary is blessed among mothers. That name of mother expresses the "divine" greatness of Our Lady. She is higher than all other creatures, because she is mother of Jesus, Son of Man, and Son of God. The divine greatness of the Son is reflected on His mother. Among mothers she is the blessed one; she is the blessed one because the fruit of her womb is called Jesus, it is Jesus Christ.
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Mary, mother of us all; in Jesus, universal mother, because she is a unique mother. Jesus' love, action and sacrifice flood the world and the centuries, reaching to the ends of the earth, losing themselves in eternity. And where we find the widening effects of Jesus ' love, there we find the widening effects of Mary's love as well. But this title, this condensed lyrical poem goes on: of Divine Providence. Here Mary is placed in direct relationship with the Dogma of God's Providence and, through this relationship, we are led to a most basic Dogma which Christianity shares with the most rudimentary forms of religion. Indeed whoever comes close, whoever simply desires to corne close to God, to take the smallest step toward God, must believe not only that he exists, but also that he gives equal reward for human works, that he is the "provider" in the !Dost basic and highest meaning of the word (cf. Hebrews 11:6). 'If there are no bridges between heaven and earth, does it matter if heaven exists or not, does it matter to us? This is why St. Paul proclaims that for our religious life the bare cold idea of a God does not suffice. God exists! So? What we need is the warmer, more luminous and more beneficial notion of a God who is provident. Who thinks of us, who is concerned about us. Christianity, a warm, alive religion; Christianity, the full revelation of God, starts here and somehow is all contained here. Because once Providence, God's Providence, is accepted the rest follows, with an easy and marvelous logic of its own. Everything in Christianity is absurd, everything would be absurd, if we were to deny or forget this great dogma of God's Providence. Everything is easy if that dogma is joyfully accepted. Our entire concrete existence depends on it. Surely, Christian life is prayer; but one cannot pray to a God who is deaf by nature and impervious to our petitions. Christian faith calls for ordering our whole life toward a divinely established goal, or, to put it more
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simply, it calls for obedience to God. Now, we can really obey only a God who summons us in love. Also, Christian life is mainly resignation to suffering, but we cannot be resigned to suffering unless it comes from the hands of a provident and loving father. Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, by her beautiful name and sweet title, leads us back to this authentic and wholesome Sacred Kernel of Christianity. Sweetly and relentlessly she introduces us into this atmosphere which we need to breathe in order to enjoy Christian vigor and strength. The Mother leads us to the Father.
RESPONSORY

Change our mourning into joy, - so that full of life we can sing in honor of your name, 0 Lord. Change our mourning into gladness and our affliction into salvation, - so that full of life we can sing in honor of your name, 0 Lord.
Prayer, as in Morning Prayer, 68.

Morning Prayer
Hymn. as in Evening Prayer I. 55 . or from the common of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1640.

Ant. I Show yourself in the day of affliction and grant us renewed trust. Psalm 63:2-9 A soul thirsting for God Whoever has left the darkness ofsin yearns for God.

o God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.
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My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy. On my bed J remember you. On you I muse through the night for you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. My soul clings to you; Your right hand holds me fast. Psalm-prayer Father, Creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honor, and our voices celebrate you for ever. Ant. Show yourself in the day of affiiction and grant us renewed trust.

AnI. 21mplore the Lord, pray to your Son for us and bring us to salvation. Canticle Isaiah 61:10-62:5 The prophet's joy in the vision of a new Jerusalem I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, with the beauty of a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21 :2)
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I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord God make justice and praise spring up before all the nations. For Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a: burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the Lord. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall men call you "Forsaken," or your land "Desolate," but you shall be called "My delight," and your land "Espoused." For the Lord delights in you, and makes your land his spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you;
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and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. Ant. Implore the Lord, pray to your Son for us and bring us to salvation.

Ant. 3 Pray for me, dear Mother, do not let your face shy away from me. Psalm 49 Thejoy ofGod's holy people Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius). Sing a new song unto the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in its maker, let Zion's sons exult in their king. Let them praise his'name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest. Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand, to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples; to bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron; to carry out the sentence pre-ordained; this honor is for all his faithful.

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Psalm-prayer Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever. Ant. Pray for me, dear Mother, do not let your face shy away from me.
Judith 14:7-8

READING

Blessed are you in every tent of Judah; and in every foreign nation, all who hear of you will be struck with terror. But now, tell me all that you did during these days.
RESPONSORY

Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth. - Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth. The Lord has filled you with grace -more than all women on earth. Glory to the Father... - Blessed are you by the Lord among all women on earth.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. My children, I will seek peace for you and I will provide goodness for you.
INTERCESSIONS

As we joyfully celebrate the solemnity of Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, let us invoke Christ our Savior: Lord Jesus, hear us. Jesus, to redeem the world, you chose Mary to be your mother, - grant us generously to cooperate, in purity of heart, to the work of redemption. Jesus, born of the Virgin and laid in a manger,
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- grant us to love your poverty and to experience her maternal providence. Jesus, for thirty years you were obedient to Mary and Joseph, - grant us to partake in the mystery of your obedience. Jesus, together with your mother, you journeyed into exile and preached the Good News, - grant us to carry your Word to the ends of the world. Jesus, dying on the cross you gave us Mary as our mother, - grant us never to forget her motherly love. Our Father. ..

o God,

Prayer

whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things, we humbly implore you through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son, to remove from us whatever is hannful and to bestow on us only that which is helpful. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Daytime Prayer
Gradual psalms. 1255.

Midmorning

Ant. Mine is counsel and wisdom, mine is strength and prudence.

READING
Isaiah 49: I 3

Sing out, 0 heavens, and rejoice, 0 earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the Lord comforts his people and shows
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mercy to his afflicted. Do not despise our prayers - in our needs.

Midday
Ant. With me there is richness and glory, sure well being and equity.
READING
Isaiah 55: 1

All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Tum then, most gracious advocate, - Your eyes of mercy toward us. ;

Midafternoon
Ant. Marvelous things are said of you, 0 Virgin Mary!
READING
Tobit 13:13-14

Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous, who shall all be gathered together and shall bless the Lord of the ages. Happy are those who love you, and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity. All generations will call me blessed. -Rejoice, Mary: your children are gathered together with you.
Prayer, as in Morning Prayer, 68.

Evening Prayer II
Hymn, as in Evening Prayer I, 55, or from the common of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, 1648.

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Ant. 1The mother of Jesus said: Do whatever he asks of you. Psalm 122
I rejoiced when I heard them say: "Let us go to God's house." And now our feet are standing within your gates, 0 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 thl; thrones of judgment of 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 mends I say: "Peace be upon you! " For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good. Ant. The mother of Jesus said: Do whatever he asks of you. Ant. 2 The Lord said to his mother: Woman, this is your son, and to the disciple: This is your mother. Psalm 127 If the Lord does not build the house,
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in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. In vain is your earlier rising, your going later to rest, you who toil for the bread you eat: when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber. Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, a blessing, the fruit of the womb. Indeed the sons of youth are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.

o the happiness of the man

who has filled his lIuiver with these arrows! He will have no cause for shame when he disputes with his foes in the gateways. Ant. The Lord said to his mother: Woman, this is your son, and to the disciple: This is your mother. Ant. 3 My joy rests among the sons of men. Canticle Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens. God chose us in him before the world began, to be holy and blameless in his sight.
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Ephesians 1:3-10

He predestined us to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ, such was his will and pleasure, that all might praise the glorious favor he has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed, and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God' s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom to understand fu1ly the mystery, the plan he was }leased to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the fullness of time, to bring all things into one in him, in the heavens and on the earth.
Ant. My joy rests among the sons of men.
READING Isaiah 49: 15

Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.
RESPONSORY

He who finds me, finds life. -He who finds me, finds life.
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He receives salvation from the Lord: - fmds life. Glory to the Father... -He who finds me, finds life.
CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. We find refuge under your protection, holy Mother of God. Look down upon our prayer and always free us from all danger, 0 glorious and blessed Virgin Mary.
INTERCESSIONS

Let us humbly invoke God, whose desire it is to give us everything through Mary, our Mother: Mary, full ofgrace, intercede for us. o God, you preserved the Mother of your Son free from any stain of sin, , -defend us from the evil one. o God, you wanted your Son to be conceived by a virgin mother, -grant us to be faithful to you in chastity. o God, you inspired Mary to keep in her heart all the words of your Son, -grant us to love silence and prayer. o God, beside your Son dying on the cross you wanted his mother to be united with him in his sacrificial offering, -grant that we too, with the help of Mary, would take our cross and follow faithfully your Son. o God, you have given to our Congregation Mary, mother of your Son, as Mother of Divine Providence, - grant us to love her constantly with filial love. o God, you made the immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son's glory in heaven, - may all the dead rejoice in your Kingdom with all the saints forever.
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Our Father... Prayer

OGo<!, whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things, we humbly implore you through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of your Son, to remove from us whatever is harmful and to bestow on us only that which is helpful. Gnmt this through out Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and ~ Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Hymn for the Solemnity of Mary,

Mother of Divine Providence
(Music, P. Magri)
(Text: Fr. Lucia.oo M . Visconti. CRSP)

..J
1. 2. 3. 4.

..
Ie - sus, chil- dren: say - ing: left us;

0 Pro - vi - dent Mo - ther, sweet Mo - ther of At Ca - na - you pleaded for us too your At Ca - na - per - sua - sive, you called on us This Feast our Fore - fa - thers a Ie - aa - cy

,
J

1. Oh,. what - a con - cern for your Son you ex - pres - sed! 2 . "They' re wan - ting;ny - Je - sus. the wine of sheer gladness." 3. '~t e - vcr He tells you, in ear - nest per - fonn it." 4. De Ugh - ted we make it our du - ty and glo - ry.

41 ,~ 1 r
1.

;1 r t ,J r) r Ir the Tern - pIe. in wor - ry, but

trust fu]

When lost in

2. 3.
4.

Oil, give them the wine of pure grace and pure boun - ty AB - su - ranee you won't have of grea - tel' ful - fil - ment.
In

joy - ful

thanksgi - ving. your g10 - ties, dear Mo - ther

..at;.

, r-I)
1. 2. 3. 4.

You sought Him They will, then, 011, help us hi cho-rus

and joy - fu\ you found Him your King - dom of ju - stice to li - sten when e - .ver con - fes - sing, God Tn - une

:;I

in there. c'er seek. He speaks. we . praise.

Ii;

(I; i,.) zl; ~$I~

A-ve Ma - ri-a! A-ve Ma . . . . ri-a! A - ve. A-ve Ma-ri-a!