The Saint Challenge Resources

Annunciation Prayer

by St. Alphonses de Liguori

Oh immaculate and holy Virgin! Oh creature the most humble and the greatest before God! You were so small in your own eyes, but so great in the eyes of your Lord, that he exalted you even to choose you for his mother, and therefore to make you queen of heaven and of earth. I then thank that God who has so much exalted you, and rejoice with you in seeing you so closely united to God, that more is not permitted to a pure creature. I am ashamed to appear before you who are so humble, with so many graces; I, a miserable sinner, and so proud with so many sins. But wretched as I am, I, too, wish to salute you: Hail Mary, full of grace: Ave Maria, gratia plena. You are already full of grace; obtain a share of it also for me. The Lord is with thee: Dominus tecum. The Lord who has ever been with you even from the first moment of your creation, is now more intimately with you, by making himself your Son. Blessed art thou among women: Benedicta tu in mulieribus. Oh woman, blessed among all women, obtain for us also the divine benediction. Oh blessed plant which has given to the world a fruit so noble and so holy: Et benedictus fructus ventris tui. Holy Mary, mother of God: Sancta Maria, mater Dei. Oh Mary, I confess that you are the true Mother of God, and for this truth I would give my life a thousand times. Pray for us sinners: Ora pro nobis peccatoribus. But if you are the Mother of God, you are also the mother of our salvation, and of us poor sinners; since it is to save sinners that God made himself man; and he has made you his mother that your prayers may have the power to save every sinner. Pray for us, oh Mary. Now and in the hour of our death: Nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Pray always; pray now, while we are in life, in the midst of so many temptations and so great danger of losing God; but still more, pray in the hour of our death, when we are on the point of leaving this world and being presented at the divine tribunal; that being saved by the merits of Jesus Christ, and by your intercession, we may one day come, without the danger of losing you any more, to salute you and praise you, with thy Son, in heaven, for all eternity. Amen.